Tuesday 4 November 2014

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Republicans move closer to capturing US Senate

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WASHINGTON (AP) - Republicans moved closer to seizing control of the Senate, scoring early victories Tuesday, in elections shaped by deep voter discontent with President Barack Obama.Within hours of the first polls closing, Republicans won three of the six seats needed to take over the Senate majority: South Dakota, Arkansas and West Virginia. They were certain to win Montana as well and had solid prospects to capture more Democratic seats. Democrats, meanwhile, had few opportunities to unseat Republicans.Republicans were also expected to increase their majority in the House of Representatives. If they take the Senate too, that would complicate the final two years of Obamas presidency, potentially deepening the partisan gridlock in Washington.Among the Republicans re-elected Tuesday was the man who would likely become majority leader if the party captures the Senate: Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. Democrats once had high hopes of defeating him, but he pulled away in the final weeks.Democrats scored one crucial victory, in New Hampshire, where incumbent Jeanne Shaheen held off a challenge from Scott Brown, a former senator from neighboring Massachusetts.Who controls the Senate may not be known until well into Wednesday or even days or weeks later. Two races, Georgia and Louisiana, could go to a runoff if no candidate wins a majority. Results from Alaska, a potentially close race, wont start coming in until after 1 a.m. Eastern time (0600 GMT).Turnout was critical. Fewer Americans vote in so-called midterm races than in presidential races, so parties focus on getting loyalists to the polls, more than swaying centrist, undecided voters.Republicans were more fired up, united in opposition to a president they see as pushing the government too deeply into American lives. But dissatisfaction goes beyond the party. Americans tend to be disgruntled these days, uneasy with the slow pace of the economic recovery and besieged by troubling news, such as the beheading of Americans by Islamic extremists and worries about Ebola. Opinion polls show Obamas popularity falling and, though he wasnt on the ballot, Republicans made him the focus of their campaign.Im just waiting for him to be gone, said Kristi Johnson, a 36-year-old pharmacist from North Carolina.Exit polls showed most of the Americans voting Tuesday were unhappy or even angry with the Obama administration. While there was also criticism for Republican congressional leaders, the surveys offered encouragement to Republicans hoping to benefit from voters glum mood.It was bound to be a difficult election for Democrats. Governing parties historically lose seats in midterm votes and a number of Democrats were defending seats in states that lean Republican. Some were first elected to six-year terms in 2008, riding the wave of excitement over Obamas initial candidacy.By contrast, Democratic candidates in this years most competitive Senate races did whatever they could to distance themselves from the president. Obama largely limited his campaigning to candidates in solidly Democratic territory. In a sign of the grim outlook for Democrats, the party had to scramble in the final days to help incumbents who suddenly found themselves in danger.Overall, at stake Tuesday were 36 of the 100 Senate seats, all 435 House districts and 36 of 50 governors seats. The spending was unprecedented for a non-presidential year. Congressional races alone cost an estimated $4 billion.Democrats did have some hopes in the gubernatorial races: In Florida, Republican-turned-Democrat Charlie Crist was locked in a tight race with Republican Gov. Rick Scott. In Wisconsin, Republican Gov. Scott Walker faced a strong challenge from Democrat Mary Burke. Both races have implications for the 2016 presidential race: The Florida vote will be closely watched to see how White House contenders might vie for the largest battleground state. And Walker is a potential presidential candidate, though a defeat Tuesday would likely end those ambitions.In the House, only a few dozen races are truly competitive. The dominant parties in state legislatures tend to carve out congressional districts to maximize the number of seats their parties can win, a process known as gerrymandering.Still, even with the few competitive races, Republicans could end up with more seats than at any time since 1946, if they manage to pick up 13.If Republicans take over the Senate, Obama would likely have to contend with McConnell as the leading senator in the chamber. McConnell is a conservative with little charisma, but sharp political skills. Hes opposed Obama on health care reform and other issues, but also helped broker bipartisan deals that ended last years government shutdown and averted a 2011 federal default.With both chambers in Republican hands, Obama would seem to have little hope for his top legislative priorities, such as raising the minimum wage or overhauling immigration policies. But thats not a huge change, since hes had little success with Congress since Republicans captured the House in 2010.Republicans would face challenges of their own. Even if they control the Senate, they wont have the 60-vote supermajority thats needed to pass major legislation. And they will face a tougher Senate election in 2016, when Republicans elected in the anti-Obama wave of 2010 will be defending seats in states that lean Democratic.Also, Republicans could feel pressure to show more leadership, beyond standing in opposition to Obama. Thats especially critical as attention shifts to the 2016 president race. Republicans have a wide field of possible candidates, with no clear front-runner. Among the Democrats, former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is the clear favorite, though she has not said if she will run.

Karachi: Two killed as passenger van plunges into ravine

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – According to details, a speeding van fell into a ravine at the Super Highway in Ghosia Charani area near Karachi in the early hours of Wednesday, killing at least two people on the spot.Six other passengers also sustained injuries in the accident. Police and rescue teams reached the spot and shifted the dead and injured to hospital where condition of two injured persons is stated to be critical.

Crude oil at four-year low after Saudi Arabia price cut

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NEW YORK (Agencies) -- Oil dived more than 3 percent on Tuesday to multi-year lows, as Saudi Arabias sharp cut in export prices to the United States looked likely to deepen a global supply glut that has already driven prices down 30 percent since June.On Monday, Saudi Arabia surprised the market by raising prices for Asia and Europe but cutting prices for U.S. customers. Oil slid as much as $2 a barrel in late trade, and the sell-off continued Tuesday, triggering technical sell-stops.The Saudis have basically declared war on the U.S. oil producers, said Phil Flynn at Price Futures Group. I think they believe that the only way theyre going to survive in the long term is to break the market in the short term.U.S. crude futures were down $2.33 at $76.45 after reaching the lowest price since October 2011.Many analysts say the U.S. shale boom could slow if crude stays below $80 a barrel.The price of Brent for next-month delivery was down $2.22 at $82.56 at 11:01 a.m. Minnesota time, after touching its lowest point since October 2010.On Monday, longer-dated oil futures became more expensive than near-term contracts, putting charts into a contango structure for the first time since Jan. 17. On Tuesday, the Dec/Jan spread was around minus 8.U.S. commercial crude stocks are likely to have risen last week in the fifth straight weekly stock build, according to a survey by Reuters. Industry data from the American Petroleum Institute is due out at 3:30 Minnesota time, with government data due Wednesday morning.The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) could curb output meets Nov. 27, but there are no clear signs that OPEC will curb output. Most core Gulf members have indicated little alarm over the price drop.The United Arab Emirates oil minister said the country is not panicking. Venezuela and Ecuador have said they are working on a joint proposal to defend oil prices.I can see OPEC and Saudi Arabia playing the long game. A low price for a period of time may actually play into the hands of people with a lot of reserves in the ground at cheap cost, Pierre Lorinet, chief financial officer of Trafigura, said at the Reuters Global Commodities Summit.Ian Taylor, chief executive of Vitol, said at the Reuters summit that OPEC members would have serious discussions about an output cut.My feeling is were underestimating now the possibility of OPEC cutting, he said.Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi has not commented publicly on the oil market since September. On Wednesday, he will meet Venezuelas foreign minister Rafael Ramirez, also the head of its OPEC delegation, according to a person close to the Saudi delegation.

Kerry urges US-China cooperation on climate change

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WASHINGTON (AP) - Secretary of State John Kerry said Tuesday the U.S. and China must work together to stave off a global catastrophe from climate change. He appealed for greater cooperation between the two world powers despite strains between them over cyber theft and maritime security.Kerry heads to Beijing this week, to set the stage for a visit by President Barack Obama for a regional summit and talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. That will be first leg of a three-nation swing through Asia, intended to underscore the presidents commitment to the region despite the necessity of American attention on security crises in the Mideast and eastern Europe.But there have been growing signs of friction in the U.S.-China relationship in the past year, despite efforts to expand areas in which they work together and forge closer personal ties between their leaders, after Obama and Xi held an unusually informal summit meeting in California in June 2013.Kerry emphasized what Obama administration officials have been saying since they declared a reorientation of American foreign policy toward Asia during the presidents first term that the rebalance toward the region is not aimed at countering the growing might of China.The US-China relationship is the most consequential in the world today. Period. And it will do much to determine the shape of 21st century. That means that we have to get it right, Kerry said in an address on U.S.-China relations at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Washington.But Kerry also made clear the U.S. wouldnt back down over its differences with China on cyber espionage, human rights violations and maritime security in the South China Sea, where China has disputes with several of its Southeast Asian neighbors that could spark conflict.Our differences will undoubtedly continue to test the relationship, Kerry said. But they should not, and in fact, must not, prevent us from acting cooperatively in other areas.Kerry praised Chinas help on combating nuclear proliferation by Iran and North Korea and welcomed a growing Chinese role for the stability of Afghanistan as the U.S. draws down its forces after 13 years of war. He commended China for committing $130 million in aid to combat Ebola in West Africa, and to deploy a military unit to Liberia.Thats global leadership, Kerry said.He made the case in stark terms for greater cooperation between the U.S. and China on climate change, which he said presented not just an environmental threat to the world, but one to the economy, health and security as people compete for food and water resources.That will change the nature of security and conflict in the world. Thats the reality of what were up against. Thats why it is so imperative that the United States and China lead the world with genuine reductions and put us on a path to real progress, Kerry said.Kerry said that together, the U.S. and China, the worlds two largest economies and energy consumers, account for nearly 50 percent of global emissions.Despite the appealing logic of the U.S. and China working together to tackle global problems, and Xis eagerness for what he calls a new model of great power relations, Beijing has taken an increasingly defiant stance toward Washington on issues where they disagree.China has pulled the plug on a dialogue on cyber security, after the U.S. in May indicted five Chinese military officials over allegations of cyber espionage against U.S. companies. China has reportedly accelerated land reclamation in the South China Sea, despite U.S. calls for a moratorium on such construction.The administration is continuing to try to influence these Chinese policies but just isnt really having much impact, said Bonnie Glaser, a China specialist at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank. Xi Jinping seems to have more of an appetite than his predecessors for a contentious relationship with the United States.Kerry was departing Washington Tuesday, but before he arrives in China, he will stop in Paris, where he will meet with French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius on Wednesday to discuss a range of issues including the Islamic State group, Ebola, and Ukraine.In Beijing, Kerry is due to meet top diplomats from Australia, Indonesia, Japan and New Zealand and, of course, China. He will then will make a brief detour to Muscat, Oman, to meet with negotiators on Irans nuclear program, before returning to Beijing for Obamas arrival for an economic summit of Asia-Pacific leaders starting Monday. The president will later travel to Myanmar and Australia.

Rains kill 8 in Haiti, cause flooding elsewhere

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PORT-AU-PRINCE (AP) - Heavy rains caused by a cluster of storms in the northern Caribbean killed at least eight people in Haiti and caused major flooding on Tuesday in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, authorities said.Three children died in the capital of Port-au-Prince after the wall of a home fell on them, said civil protection officer Nadia Lochard. Five other people died in the northern city of Cap-Haitien, including four who drowned while attempting to cross a swollen river and another person who apparently was electrocuted, officials said.More than 1,200 homes in Cap-Haitien also were flooded, and authorities say a vast number of crops have been damaged and livestock killed.In the nearby Dominican province of Monte Cristi, across the border that Haiti shares with the Dominican Republic, authorities evacuated several families after a river overflowed its banks and cut off access to several communities. School officials canceled classes in some areas.Flooding also was reported across Puerto Rico, forcing several roads to close. A flood warning was in effect through early Wednesday.A couple of small landslides have occurred in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.The National Hurricane Center in Miami said the cluster of storms is expected to strengthen some by Wednesday or Thursday, but is not likely to reach subtropical status as it moves to the north-northeast.

4 killed in shootout near US Embassy in Albania

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TIRANA (AP) - A shootout at a nightclub in Albania has left four people dead, and a lawmaker whose son was detained as a suspect in the case has resigned.The violence at the Ante Grand club in Tirana occurred early Tuesday, killing a 60-year-old Italian man and three Albanian men, police said. Two other men were hospitalized with injuries.The shootout followed a quarrel at the club, which is located on the ground floor of an apartment block less than 100 meters (yards) from the U.S. Embassy, police said.Three suspects were detained, including Konstandin Xhuvani, 25.Soon afterward, his mother, Luiza Xhuvani, 50, an Albanian film star and governing Socialist party lawmaker, announced her resignation from Parliament at a news conference held with Prime Minister Edi Rama.

China develops laser system against drones

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BEIJING (AP) - Chinese engineers have successfully tested a laser weapon that can shoot down low-flying, slow-moving drones, state media reported Tuesday.The Low Altitude Sentinel system can detect a small aircraft within a 2-kilometer (1.2-mile) radius and shoot it down within five seconds, the newspaper China Daily said, citing a statement from the China Academy of Engineering Physics.The system is designed to destroy small drones flying below 500 meters (1,600 feet) at a speed less than 180 kilometers per hour (110 mph), the China Daily said.The system could be installed in vehicles and help guard against flying objects during major events in urban areas, the Chinas Xinhua News Agency said.Laser weapon technology is being pursued by several countries, including the United States, which has deployed a prototype laser on a navy ship that would defend against drones and small aircraft. Lasers run on electricity and have been billed as lower-cost alternatives to missiles. Also, unlike missiles, laser weapons can be fired continuously.Such a weapon must concentrate enough energy on one spot for long enough to burn through any surface material, and do so without burning out any of its own surfaces, Andrew Davies, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said in an email.Whether you can shoot down a maneuvering, robust drone with a hard surface, perhaps with heat dissipation designed in, is something Im not sure about, but its at least plausible, Davies said.June Teufel Dreyer, a professor of political science at the University of Miami who specializes in military affairs, said there may be an urgency in developing a defense against drones because of their wider use. For example, demonstrators in Hong Kong have used personal drones to capture images of the massive protests, and a drone was seen cruising around a nuclear power station near Paris earlier this week, she said.

Benzema gives Real Madrid 1-0 win over Liverpool

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MADRID (AP) - A goal by Karim Benzema gave Real Madrid a 1-0 win against an under-strength Liverpool side in the Champions League on Tuesday as Cristiano Ronaldo was held scoreless for the first time in 13 games.Madrid piled the pressure on from the start and Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet made an athletic save from James Rodriguezs shot in the fourth minute. But Benzema broke the deadlock when he lunged forward to connect with a precise pass by Marcelo in the 27th minute.Ronaldo failed to equal Raul Gonzalezs Champions League scoring record of 71 goals as he was denied several times by Mignolet, including on two free kicks.Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers made a surprising decision to leave Steven Gerrard, Mario Balotelli and five other usual starters on the bench, apparently prioritizing a weekend Premier League game against Chelsea. Gerrard and Sterling came on as substitutes in the second half but Liverpool never looked likely to equalize as Madrid controlled the game throughout.Still, it was at least a respectable scoreline against a team that won 3-0 at Anfield last month and won its 12th straight game in all competitions. It had outscored opponents 46-7 in the previous 11 games, with Ronaldo having scored in 12 straight appearances.Rodgers said he had picked the players he thought would give the team the best chance to get a win, and highlighted the fact they had kept Ronaldo from scoring.We deserved a point from the game, Rodgers said. The changes were to get the team I thought would give us a result.Mignolet was kept busy and denied Ronaldo for the first time in the sixth minute after defender Martin Skrtel slipped and Benzema sent the ball to the Portugal winger.The goalkeeper stopped Ronaldo again in the 35th, punching wide a free kick that had slipped through the defensive wall.Ronaldo missed another chance when he mistimed his run onto a lofted ball, and Mignolet collected the ball easily.I dont think he got frustrated (by not scoring), Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said about Ronaldo. I used to be frustrated when I didnt score, Ronaldo keeps on scoring and I think he was just happy that we won the match.Liverpool missed a chance to draw level when its players crowded the area but Fabio Borini hesitated and defender Raphael Varane was able to kick the ball clear.Skrtel fouled Ronaldo just outside the penalty area in the 48th but Lucas cleared his free kick. Ronaldo had another shot blocked a minute later.A clumsy challenge by Sergio Ramos on Borini led to a yellow card for the defender, but the free kick went wide in the 61st.Gareth Bale came on for Rodriguez in the 62nd.Ronaldo sent an attempt well high in the 68th after trying too hard to prepare his shot and had another free kick cleared by Mignolet in the 72nd. Toni Kroos then missed a shot from a corner.Bale hit the crossbar with a shot from inside the area and had a free kick saved after being brought down just outside the area in the 85th.

Dortmund beat Galatasaray to reach knockout stage

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DORTMUND (AP) - Despite being down in the relegation zone in the Bundesliga, Borussia Dortmund is perfect in the Champions League and has advanced to the knockout stage with two matches to spare.Ciro Immobile scored three minutes after coming on as a substitute to help Dortmund to a 4-1 victory over Galatasaray on Tuesday, its fourth straight win the tournament.Marco Reus put Dortmund ahead in the 39th and defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos doubled the lead in the 56th.Hakan Balta pulled one back for Galatasaray in the 70th, the first goal Dortmund has conceded in the group stage. But Immobile then scored his third Champions League goal in the 74th, before Semih Kaya deflected a shot by Immobile into his own net in 85th.Galatasaray fans set off firecrackers, smoke bombs and flares, briefly interrupting the match twice. Some flares landed in the section of Dortmund fans and the match was close to being abandoned.There were disturbances after the final whistle, too. One Galatasaray fan ran onto the field but was hugged by Dortmunds Ilkay Gundogan, himself of Turkish roots, and escorted off the pitch. Gundogan gave the fan his shirt.Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp said the behavior of the visiting fans was pure provocation.It was incredible. We took all the security steps but it still happened, Klopp said.As for the game, Klopp said his team played a fantastic match.We defended very well and we executed our plan very well, Klopp said. I was never worried.Dortmund leads Group D with 12 points and is five ahead of Arsenal, which had a 3-3 draw against Anderlecht.So for the first time, Dortmund has qualified for the second round with two matches to spare. Dortmund won the title in 1997 and was runner-up in 2013.In early chances before Dortmunds first goal, Sokratis hit the crossbar with a header from a corner by Reus, Shinji Kagawa narrowly missed the target and Neven Subotic mishit the ball high at the far post after another corner by Reus.Reus scored after picking up a perfect through ball from Lukasz Piszczek and slotting it through the legs of goalkeeper Fernando Muslera.Galatasaray had an opportunity early in the second half when Wesley Sneijder picked up a goal-kick and fired a volley that caught goalkeeper Roman Widenfeller off guard and on the wrong foot, but the shot went wide.Sokratis got Dortmunds second after Galatasaray failed to clear a corner and Sebastian Kehl won the ball in the air. He headed toward the goal and the defender slammed it in from close range.Hakan Balta scored with a powerful header after a corner from Sneijder to raise Galatasarays hopes.But Immobile finished a swift counter-attack shortly after coming off the bench. He controlled a cross from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang with his chest and slipped the ball past Muslera although he was brought down from behind by Hamit Altintop.

Juventus beat Olympiakos 3-2 in Champions League

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TURIN (AP) - Juventus scored twice in a minute to rescue a 3-2 victory at home to Olympiakos and keep its hopes of qualifying for the Champions League knockout stages alive.Paul Pogba netted his first Champions League goal in the 66th minute, moments after Olympiakos goalkeeper Roberto had turned the ball into his own net.Juventus could have improved the scoreline but Roberto finger-tipped Arturo Vidals penalty onto the bar in stoppage time.It was a very important match, Pogba said. We had to win and we did. Now everything depends on us. We missed a penalty but that happens in football. We have to continue to win and attack like we did tonight.Delvin NDinga had headed Olympiakos in front minutes earlier to stun the home fans.Juventus dominated the match and had gone in front thanks to a trademark Andrea Pirlo free kick in his 100th appearance in the competition, but the lead was wiped out within three minutes by an Alberto Botia header.Atletico Madrid won 2-0 at Malmo to move top of Group A with nine points, three ahead of Juventus and Olympiakos.Olympiakos had won the first match between the two sides two weeks ago and Juventus knew that anything but victory could leave it in on the verge of elimination from the group stage for the second straight season.The Italian side dominated from the start, forcing Olympiakos to defend in numbers.The heavy rain made it difficult for both goalkeepers and Roberto had to make two attempts in order to grab a curling shot by Pogba.The Spanish keeper also had to react smartly to touch a long-range strike by Claudio Marchisio over the crossbar.There was nothing he could do about the opener, however.Pogba made a surging run but was tripped on the edge of the area, as Olympiakos conceded a free kick right in Pirlo territory.And the Italy playmaker who scored from a free kick at the weekend didnt disappoint, curling an unstoppable effort into the top left corner in the 21st minute.However, the lead lasted less than three minutes as Gianluigi Buffon fumbled a cross and from the resulting corner Alberto Botia stooped in front of Giorgio Chiellini to head in the equalizer.Juventus should have immediately restored its advantage but Leonardo Bonucci headed Pirlos free kick over the bar from close range.Alvaro Morata then drilled inches wide of the right post, though he was tripped as he shot and could have won a penalty.Juventus almost went back into the lead on the stroke of halftime as the ball broke to Pogba in a good position but the France forward fired wide of the right upright.It seemed as if Juventus was going to be made to pay for its inefficiency in front of goal as Olympiakos took the lead against the run of play when NDinga headed home a free kick.But the Greek sides advantage also lasted just three minutes before Juventus levelled in somewhat fortunate circumstances when substitute Fernando Llorentes header took a deflection to bounce off the base of the left post and then Roberto before creeping into the net.Pogba turned the match around just 46 seconds later, taking advantage of the ball rebounding off a defender as he tried to backheel it toward a teammate and drilling it into the bottom left corner.It was Pogbas 100th appearance for Juventus.Juventus could have extended its advantage in stoppage time after Luka Milivojevic brought down Carlos Tevez, but Vidal rounded off a poor individual performance by seeing his spot kick saved.

FIFA racism adviser fears boycott of 2018 WCup

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DOHA (AP) - FIFA anti-racism adviser Tokyo Sexwale thinks black players could boycott the 2018 World Cup and is urging Russian President Vladimir Putin to demand tougher action against racism in football.Sexwale, a South African former Robben Island political prisoner, is against boycotts but expressed concerns in an interview with The Associated Press that there are certain parts (of Moscow where) if you are my color its unsafe.Sexwale says there is a threat black players will say they are not going, believing Russia will be boycotted by the victim because people will lose confidence in the Russian (football) federation.Although UEFA has punished Russian clubs for racism at Champions League matches in recent years, the national federation has appeared less willing to tackle abuse.

Zimbabwe 53-1 after Bangladesh make 433

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KHULNA (AP) - Centuries by Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal were complemented by a Zimbabwe wicket as Bangladesh finished the second day of the second cricket test on Tuesday in a great position to win the series.Bangladesh, having amassed 430 in its first innings, led by 380 runs after the visitors batted cautiously to reach 53-1 at stumps.Brian Chari was batting on 21 with Hamilton Masakadza on 15, and facing a mountain to climb. Zimbabwe has scored 400 only once in the last 10 years.Sikandar Raza was the only batsman to be dismissed when legspinner Taijul Islam (1-21) trapped him lbw for 11. Raza asked for a review and lost the decision, too.Tamim and Shakib earlier made it Bangladeshs day, when they resumed on 193-3 overnight.Opener Tamim, 74 after the first day, brought up his fifth test century and first in four years with a four off legspinner Natsai MShangwe after facing 312 balls, easily the slowest century by a Bangladeshi.Tamim was out for 109 in the morning session after trying to chase a wide delivery off medium-pacer Hamilton Maskadza. Usually an attacking batsman, Tamim ended his century drought after 33 innings. He struck 10 fours.He and Shakib shared 132 for the fourth wicket.Shakib, 13 overnight, was aggressive and on 89 by lunch. He brought up his third test century off 153 balls, including a dozen boundaries. When he was bowled on 137 by offspinner Malcolm Waller, Shakib had hit 18 fours and two sixes.Mahmudullah was the other notable contributor with 56, but Shakibs dismissal at 376-6 brought a relatively quick end to the Bangladesh innings, with the last five wickets going for 57 runs.Fast bowlers Tinashe Panyangara (2-49) and Tendia Chatara (2-61), and Waller (2-65) led the visitors battery.

Anderson's 80 earns NZ slender lead over Pakistan A

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SHARJAH (AP) - New Zealands top order batsmen faltered against Pakistan A before Corey Anderson smashed a half century to give the visitors a slender lead of 29 runs on the second day of their three-day warm-up match on Tuesday.Left-arm fast bowler Neil Wagner had opening batsman Shan Masood caught at second slip as Pakistan A moved to 13-1 at stumps, still trailing by 16 runs.Anderson hit eight fours and four sixes in his 121-ball knock of 80 but Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor, recovering from a right calf strain, couldnt get much batting practice ahead of the first test against Pakistan starting on Sunday.No. 10 batsman Tim Southee typically hit a brisk 28 that included three sixes and a four in left-arm spinner Raza Hasans one over, before New Zealand declared at 244-8 late in the day.Williamson hit four boundaries and a six but was stumped on 28, and Taylor was caught behind for 11 off fast bowler Ehsan Adil.Anderson produced the best partnership of the innings by adding 57 runs for the sixth wicket with BJ Watling, 37 not out, before his off stump was knocked back by part-time bowler Haris Sohail.Fast bowler and Pakistan A captain Anwar Ali took 2-15, while offspinner Junaid Ilyas finished with 2-44.Scores:Pakistan 215 and 13-1 (Neil Wagner 1-3) trails New Zealand 244-8 declared (Corey Anderson 80, BJ Watling 37 not out; Anwar Ali 2-15, Junaid Ilyas 2-44) by 16 runs.

Anderson out of England tour to Sri Lanka

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LONDON (AP) - The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) says bowler James Anderson is out of Englands tour to Sri Lanka later this month to continue rehabilitation on a left knee injury.The ECB says in a statement that Anderson will instead undergo a graded return to bowling programme over the next two months which includes a period in South Africa in December... in preparation for the tri-series against Australia and India and the World Cup.Anderson experienced discomfort in his knee during the summer schedule, when Sri Lanka and India toured England.The statement adds that there are no present plans to replace Anderson in the squad for the seven-match tour, beginning Nov. 26.

Scientists see mechanism for spontaneous HIV 'cure'

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Paris (AFP) - French scientists said Tuesday they had found the genetic mechanism by which two HIV-infected men may have experienced a spontaneous cure, and said it offered a new strategy in the fight against AIDS.Both men were infected by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), one of them 30 years ago, but never developed AIDS symptoms.The AIDS-causing virus remained in their immune cells but was inactivated because its genetic code had been altered, the scientists said.The change appeared to be linked to increased activity of a common enzyme named APOBEC, they theorised.The apparent spontaneous cure throws up an intriguing avenue for drug engineers, the team said in a statement.The work opens up therapeutic avenues for a cure, using or stimulating this enzyme, and avenues for identifying individuals among newly-infected patients who have a chance of a spontaneous cure.The work, published in the journal Clinical Microbiology and Infection, was carried out by scientists at Frances Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm).HIV replicates by invading human CD4 immune cells, which it reprogrammes to become virus factories.A rare group of people -- fewer than one percent of those infected -- are naturally able to rein in viral replication and keep the virus at clinically undetectable levels.They are known as elite controllers, but the mechanism by which they keep the virus at bay remains a mystery.The French group looked at two such individuals, a 57-year-old man diagnosed HIV-positive in 1985, and a 23-year-old diagnosed in 2011, and sequenced their virus genomes.Though they remained infected, standard tests could not detect the virus in their blood.The team found that in both cases, the virus was unable to replicate in immune cells due to mutations in its genetic code.The researchers suggested spontaneous evolution between humans and the virus, a process called endogenisation that is believed to have neutralised other viruses in humans in the past.A similar process has been witnessed in a population of koalas that has integrated an AIDS-like virus into their genes, neutralised it, and were passing resistance on to their offspring.We propose that HIV cure may occur through HIV endogenisation in humans, the team wrote.These findings suggest that without therapeutic and prophylactic strategies, after several decades of HIV/host integrations and millions of deaths, it is likely that a few individuals might have endogenised and neutralised the virus and transmitted it to their progeny, they added.We believe that the persistence of HIV DNA can lead to cure, and protection, from HIV.The approach hitherto has been the opposite: to try and clear all traces of HIV from human cells and from cell reservoirs where they hide.We suggest that persistence of integrated HIV DNA is not a barrier, but on the contrary, may be a prerequisite to HIV cure, said the study authors.We propose a new vision of HIV cure through integration, inactivation and potential endogenisation of a viral genome into the human genome.- Not unique -The team said they did not believe the two patients were unique or that the phenomenon was new.And they called for massive sequencing of human DNA, particularly from Africans who had been exposed to HIV for longest, to find further proof.Only one person is thought to have ever been cured of HIV: Timothy Ray Brown who had bone marrow transplants as a treatment for leukaemia, from a donor with resistance to HIV.A baby given anti-AIDS drugs immediately after birth for 18 months, was at first also thought to have been cured, but the virus later came back.
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