Monday 15 December 2014

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Kerry meets European ministers on Palestinian UN bid

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PARIS (AFP) - US Secretary of State John Kerry jetted into Paris Monday for late night talks with European counterparts seeking to head off a UN crisis over a Palestinian bid for statehood.His US Air Force plane touched down at Orly airport, south of the French capital, after he spent almost three hours locked in talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Rome.Kerry was meeting over dinner with the foreign ministers of France, Britain and Germany inside the airport on a short stopover on his way to London, seeking clarification on a French-led bid to bring a resolution about the Palestinians to the UN Security Council.What we are hoping for is a resolution which everyone can get behind, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told AFP.Even if the Palestinians have a text in their hand, the Americans have already said that they will veto it, he said.So on the one hand this resolution cannot be accepted, but on the other that will clearly get a strong reaction from the Palestinian side.Earlier Netanyahu angrily rejected a Palestinian bid to set a UN deadline for an end to Israels occupation.We will not accept attempts to dictate to us unilateral moves on a limited timetable, the Israeli leader said before arriving in Italy.The Americans are seeking to avert an end-of-year showdown at the United Nations Security Council, which could present them with a diplomatic quandary.The Palestinians have said they will submit an Arab-backed draft text to the UN setting a two-year deadline for Israeli troops to withdraw from Palestinian lands as early as Wednesday.But Jordan said it had no immediate plans to push for an early UN vote.Jordans Ambassador Dina Kawar to the UN told reporters: Secretary Kerry is having meetings in Europe with a number of ministers so we are waiting to see what happens.The French text, which is more nuanced, would set a two-year timetable, but for concluding a peace treaty without mentioning the withdrawal of Israeli forces.Traditionally the US has used its power of veto at the UN Security Council to shoot down what it sees as moves against its close regional ally, Israel.But there is a growing impatience in Europe over the peace impasse amid fears the Middle East risks spiralling into even greater chaos.Several European parliaments have called on their governments to move ahead with the recognition of a Palestinian state.US officials told reporters accompanying Kerry that Washington has not yet decided whether to veto or back the French-led UN initiative.The US administration opposes moves to bind negotiators hands through a UN resolution -- particularly any attempt to set a deadline for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the West Bank.But a US veto risks running contrary to Washingtons avowed aim of a Palestinian state and would anger key Arab allies -- many of whom are much-needed partners in the US-led coalition against Islamic State militants.We will stand firm in the face of any diktat, the Israeli leader said ahead of Mondays talks.After his Paris talks, Kerry will then travel to London to meet with the chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat and the secretary general of the Arab League, Nabil al-Arabi, on Tuesday.Frances Fabius is also to meet with Arabi on Tuesday.Diplomatic sources say Paris is hoping to persuade the Palestinians to back their compromise resolution, rather than risk a US veto of the more muscular Arab version.But the Palestinians appear divided, as frustration grows over the snails pace of diplomatic efforts, with the decision resting with Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas.

US, Iran hold new nuclear talks in Geneva

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GENEVA (AFP) - Senior officials from the United States and Iran resumed talks on Monday over Tehrans disputed nuclear programme, a diplomatic source said, three weeks after world powers missed a deadline for reaching a deal.The two-day discussions in Geneva will be followed by a meeting on Wednesday involving the political directors of the other five permanent members of the UN Security Council, Germany and the European Union. I can confirm that the talks have begun, the diplomatic source told AFP, without giving further details.Acting Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman flew in on Monday to lead the US delegation, US officials said, while deputy foreign minister Abbas Araqchi is leading the Iranian side, according to media in that country.EU negotiator Helga Schmid will also take part in some of the bilateral discussions, ahead of the meeting of the full P51 on Wednesday.The meeting is not set to involve foreign ministers.It will be the first time the sides have met since failing to meet a November 24 deadline for a comprehensive deal with Iran on reining in its nuclear programme in exchange for an easing of crippling international sanctions.The global powers and Iran agreed to give themselves seven more months -- until June 30 -- to strike a deal, although they hope to have the broad outlines hammered out by March.A final agreement is aimed at ensuring Tehran will never develop nuclear weapons under the guise of its civilian activities.Iran denies that it is seeking the bomb and insists its nuclear activities are for solely peaceful purposes.

Six dead in US shootings, manhunt for suspect

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NEW YORK (AFP) - A gunman killed six people and seriously wounded another Monday in a series of shootings near the northeastern US city of Philadelphia, authorities said, as police hunted for the suspect.All seven victims have a familial relationship to the suspect, identified as 35-year-old Bradley William Stone, said prosecutors in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.Police said Stone -- possibly wearing military fatigues -- should be considered armed and dangerous.No possible motive was given for the shootings.One of the dead is believed to be a woman who was killed in her house in the middle of the night. Her neighbor told local media the suspect then left the home with her children.ABC television affiliate WPVI earlier said the suspect was believed to be a military veteran. The shootings took place at three different locations in suburban Philadelphia -- Souderton, Lansdale and Lower Salford.Police were searching in a fourth location, the town of Pennsburg, where Stone is a resident, prosecutors said.Reinforcements were rushed in to aid the manhunt for Stone, who uses a cane or a walker, according to police.

Football: Chelsea face PSG, Man City tackle Barca in last 16

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PARIS (AFP) - Jose Mourinhos Chelsea were drawn on Monday against Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City tackle Barcelona in two blockbuster Champions League last 16 ties.Chelseas reward for sailing into the knockout stages unbeaten was a testing match-up against the Qatari-backed French champions who they beat on away goals in last seasons quarter-finals.Chelsea secretary David Barnard told Sky Sports News: PSG are known to us as we played them in the quarters last year and theyve got David Luiz playing for them too.Its a good draw logistically too for our supporters.Both sides have very different squads from last year, so if it was PSG or anyone else, it wouldve been the same situation.Like PSG, English champions City will be out for revenge after being brushed aside 4-1 on aggregate by Barca at this stage in the last Champions League campaign.Citys director of football, former Barcelona player Txiki Begiristain, said: We have plenty of confidence with the way we qualified beating Bayern Munich at home and Roma away, so the players will be working hard to get fit and arrive in confidence for those games.We have improved our squad from last season and we have some real quality up front.Barcelona representative Andoni Zubizarreta said: It is the same draw we had a year ago, it was a very difficult game and we are going to look forward to it.Manchester City have an outstanding squad with a very good coach, a very good team and are very competitive.The last 16 draw staged at UEFAs headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, gave holders Real Madrid a palatable pairing against German side Schalke 04, coached by Roberto Di Matteo, who was in charge of Chelsea when they were crowned kings of Europe.Real met Schalke in last seasons last 16, easing through 9-2 on aggregate, en route to their tenth title.The balls come out as they come out, of course, we are the outsiders, but there is always the old football saying; form beats class, said Schalke board member Peter Peters optimisticallyLast years beaten finalists Atletico Madrid come up against Bayer Leverkusen.Arsenal, finalists in 2006, face their coach Arsene Wengers old club Monaco, Italian champions Juventus will have to overcome Borussia Dortmund, and German giants Bayern Munich, who beat Borussia in the 2013 final, play Shakhtar Donetsk.Our goal is to reach the next round, but in Adriano, they (Shakhtar) have the best goal scorer in the group stages.You cant underestimate this team in any case, said Bayerns marketing director Andreas Jung.Arsenal are appearing in the knockout stages for the 17th successive season, and club secretary David Miles reflected on their favourable draw.As the draw came out, it was evident a lot of the big teams had gone, so were pleased to have avoided them.Were certainly not taking anything for granted though against Monaco. Its the first time weve played them in a competitive match, so Arsene Wenger will be delighted to go back to one of his former clubs.Swiss outfit Basels reward for knocking out Liverpool at the group stage was a match-up with two-time winners Porto.The last 16 first leg games are scheduled for 17/18 and 24/25 February, with the second legs on 10/11 and 17/18 March.The final for Europes elite club competition will take place in Berlins Olympic stadium on June 6.

Football: Ronaldo leads Real World Club Cup charge

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RABAT (AFP) - World player of the year Cristiano Ronaldo enters the Club World Cup stage on Tuesday as he heads the all star cast from Real Madrid in their semi-final against Mexican side Cruz Azul in Marrakesh.The 10-time European Champions go into the game in superb form on a run of 20 consecutive victories and with their talisman Cristiano Ronaldo having scored 25 goals in 15 league games this season.Weve had an unforgettable year, winning a lot of titles, especially La Decima (10th Champions League title), and are in a good position in the league. We now go to the Club World Cup with the intentions of winning it, said their coach Carlo Ancelotti after the 4-1 win at Almeria at the weekend.Ronaldo though wont be just a one man team.Goalkeeper Iker Casillas looks to have returned to form after a worrying slump, French international Karim Benzema is in devastating form up front and Welshman Gareth Bale is also flourishing.However, Colombian star James Rodriguez and German World Cup winning midfielder Sami Khedira will miss the semi-finals, but Ancelotti says both should be back for the final if Real qualify.Cruz Azul will want to make the most of their good fortune in the quarter-final against Australias Asian champions Western Sydney Wanderers.They trailed until the last minute of regular time against 10-man Wanderers before levelling and then went on to win 3-1, which also saw their opponents have another player sent-off, in extra-time.Its a huge match for us and they (Madrid) go out favourites, said Cruz coach Luis Fernando Tena.But football is a funny game and anything can happen, added the coach, who guided Mexico to Olympic gold in 2012.Real Madrid, though, can count on Mexican striker Javier Hernandez for some inside knowledge on Reals rivals.Hell (Hernandez) get a game and we are lucky to have him here, hes performing really well in training every day, said Ancelotti.Real Madrid have a massive fan base in the country, which lies just across the Mediterranean but the torrential rain that ruined the quarter-finals in Rabat has seen the semi switched to Marrakesh, 350km to the south, despite the 45,000 fans who had bought tickets.Ancelotti, who is seeking his second World Club Cup as a coach having won it with AC Milan in 2007 after winning the Champions League, said he expected a tough battle with his opponents. Cruz Azul are a quality side, with lots of experience and many players who have previously played in Spain and who know our style. They play good football, said Ancelotti.But my players are in tip-top shape both mentally and physically, he insisted.The other semi-final pitches Argentine outfit San Lorenzo, who boast Pope Francis as a fan, against surprise package Auckland City of New Zealand.Auckland edged African champions Setif 1-0 to reach the semi-finals as the Oceania champions grabbed the lead after 52 minutes through central defender John Irving.San Lorenzo won the Libertadores Cup but have also just finished the Argentine League in 8th.Their coach Edgardo Bauza, known as the boss, led San Lorenzo to their first continental title by beating Nacional of Paraguay 2-1 on aggregate.

Olympics: Rome to lead Italy bid for 2024 Games

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ROME (AFP) - Rome will spearhead an Italian bid for the 2024 Olympic Games, Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said Monday vowing a strong campaign to win the event.Italy became the first to announce a bid taking advantage of new International Olympic Committee rules allowing events to be staged in more than one city.Speaking at the headquarters of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) during an end-of-year medals ceremony, Renzi said: We are standing side by side with CONI because in September 2015 we will officially present our candidature to host the 2024 Olympic Games.The prime minister said Rome would be the centrepiece of the Games bid but that all the cities, from Florence and Naples to Sardinia could be involved.We dont intend to simply participate in the bidding process, this is a challenge we would like to win. We will do everything we can until 2017 when the final decision is made, added Renzi.The Italian capital, which last held the summer Games in 1960, shelved plans to bid for the 2020 event two years ago due to concerns over rising costs as the country battled an economic crisis. Turin held the Winter Olympics in 2006.But with new rules passed by the IOC last week allowing countries to stage competitions across several cities, potential bidders are now able to spread the costs.Renzi said he would put together an organisational structure that would be committed to making sure Italy wins this match.He added: Rome will be the centrepiece of the project, then it will be up to CONI to decide which other cities will be involved.Rome is the first city to officially announce it will bid for the 2024 Games, but the Eternal City can expect a tough competition.The US Olympic Committee is to decide this week between Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston or Washington for a probable American bid.The German Olympic Sports Confederation (DSOB) this month voted unanimously to bid to host the 2024 or 2028 Summer Games, with Berlin or Hamburg as the host city.Paris is to decide in January whether to stage a bid and the Azerbaijan capital, Baku, and Doha -- both beaten by Tokyo in the bid to host the 2020 Games -- are potential candidates.South Africa could be represented by bids from Durban or a joint Johannesburg-Pretoria bid.Cities must make applications by September 15 next year. The IOC will choose a final list of candidate cities in May 2016 and make a final decision at a congress in Lima in mid 2017.The IOC last week passed a raft of reforms to make hosting the Games a more attractive and more affordable for bidding countries. The changes allow the Games to be hosted by two cities, or two countries. The cost of bidding will also be cut.IOC President Thomas Bach called the new rules historic and a major step forward in the organisation of the Olympic Games.The 2014 Winter Games in Sochi cost Russia an estimated 50 billion dollars and IOC members believe the spiralling costs have put many countries off hosting the four-yearly showpiece.Earlier this year Norway, Stockholm, Krakow and Lviv all pulled out of the running to host the 2022 winter Olympics, leaving just Beijing and Almaty in the running.

Squash: David happy with win over Egyptian teenager

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CAIRO (AFP) - Malaysias seven-time womens world squash champion Nicol David overcame a tough early challenge before seeing off plucky Egyptian teenager Yathreb Adel 11-9, 11-6, 11-3 in their world championships first round clash in Cairo on Monday.Adel, one of several outstanding Egyptian youngsters with hopes of succeeding the Malaysian legend one day, showed she has the skill to harbour such ambitions during a first game in which the 18-year-old led 8-6.It required Davids vast experience to extract a couple of important errors on vital points, after which the second and third games became progressively less difficult.It was very special to win that three-love, David claimed.It was my first time against Yathreb: shes a skilful player, so you have to expect anything. Im pleased to get through like this.Later Laura Massaro, the titleholder from England, encountered similar problems while surviving an even tighter opening first round by 11-3, 13-11, 8-11, 11-7 against another outstanding 18-year-old from Egypt, Mariam Metwally, a world junior semi-finalist.I had to draw her - shes the only player in the draw Ive never seen play before, said Massaro.I spent the afternoon on the internet trying to find and watch clips to get a feel of what it was like to play her.The world champion had to save a game ball at 11-10 in the second game, without which she might have sunk into serious trouble against an opponent who put together sequences of points with fluent attacks.Massaro also showed a welcome willingness to pitch a creative short game into the tactical mix, to adapt to cooling evening conditions which made a deadening ball fall a little shorter.Massaro next plays Annie Au, the ninth seeded Hong Kong player, while David faces Emily Whitlock, a surprise survivor from England.Three seeds were beaten.The most notable was 19-year-old Nour El Sherbini, the fourth seed, who was beaten 11-6, 12-10, 4-11, 15-13 by her 17-year-old compatriot, Nouran Gohar, the world junior runner-up, who was more light-footed mobile and mobile in conditions where movement was at an even higher premium than usual.As if this did not do enough to advertise the extraordinary wealth of young Egyptian talent, world number three Raneem El Weleily only came through after squeezing through a combative first game in which she was struck above the eye by the racket of Habiba Mohamed, the 15-year-old world junior champion, before conceding a worrying third game, and surviving only by 11-9, 11-6, 9-11, 11-7.The other seeds to fall were Jenny Duncalf, the number 13 from England, a world finalist three years ago in Rotterdam, and Madeline Perry, the number 12 from Ireland and a former British Open finalist.These upsets were also setbacks for the older generation, with the 32-year-old Duncalf losing 11-8, 11-5, 11-5 to Whitlock, her English compatriot, and the 37-year-old Perry being beaten 14-12, 11-7, 5-11, 11-7 by Joshana Chinappa.That helped make it another good day for India.Later Chinappas fellow Commonwealth gold medallist, Dipika Pallikal, made a great comeback to win 9-11, 10-12, 11-6, 11-4, 11-7 against Samantha Teran, the former world number 11 from Mexico.

Ebola toll rises to more than 6,800: WHO

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GENEVA (AFP) - More than 6,800 people have now died from the Ebola virus, almost all of them in west Africa, the World Health Organization said Monday.The UN health agency reported that as of December 13, there had been 18,464 cases of infection from the deadly virus in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, and 6,841 people had died.WHO did not provide an update of cases in other countries, but last week said the death toll remained the same: six in Mali, one in the United States, and eight in Nigeria, which was declared Ebola free in October.Spain and Senegal, which have both been declared free from Ebola, meanwhile counted one case each, but no deaths. - Sierra Leone -Sierra Leone, which last week overtook Liberia as the nation with the most infections, counted 8,273 cases and 2,033 deaths on December 13.The toll up until December 10 stood at 8,069 cases and 1,899 deaths.- Liberia -Liberia, long the hardest-hit country, has meanwhile seen a decrease in the rate of transmission in recent weeks.As of December 9, the country counted 7,797 cases and 3,290 deaths, up from the 7,765 infections and 3,222 deaths tallied two days earlier.- Guinea -In Guinea, where the outbreak started nearly a year ago, 2,394 Ebola cases and 1,518 deaths were recorded as of December 13.Three days earlier, the country counted 2,354 Ebola cases and 1,462 deaths.- Healthcare workers -Ebola, one of the deadliest viruses known to man, is spread only through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person showing symptoms such as fever or vomiting.People caring for the sick or handling the bodies of people infected Ebola are especially exposed.As of the latest figures up to December 7, a total of 639 healthcare workers were known to have contracted the virus, and 349 of them had died, WHO said.

Dutch launch 'intelligent bicycle' that warns of danger

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THE HAGUE (AFP) - The Netherlands on Monday launched its first-ever intelligent bicycle, fitted with an array of electronic devices to help bring down the high accident rate among elderly cyclists in the bicycle-mad country.Developed for the government by the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), the intelligent bicycle prototype runs on electricity, and sports a forward-looking radar mounted below the handlebars and a camera in the rear mudguard.A commercial-available bicycle is expected to be on the market in the next two years and should sell for between 1,700 euros ($1,800) to 3,200 euros per bicycle.The forward and rearward detection devices on the test bike are linked through an onboard computer with a vibrating warning system installed in the bicycles saddle and handlebars to alert cyclists to impending danger. The saddle vibrates when other cyclists approach from behind, while the handlebars do the same when obstacles appear ahead.It also has a cradle in which a computer tablet can be inserted, to wirelessly connect and talk to the bicycle through a dedicated application.The mounted tablet also flashes a bright signal if there is an approaching obstacle in the bicycles path, like a lamppost, or if another cyclist comes up from behind intending to pass.Accidents often happen when cyclists look behind them or get a fright when they are passed at high speed, said Maurice Kwakkernaat, one of TNOs research scientists involved in the project.The onboard system utilises technology already at work in the automotive industry, he said.Kwakkernaat said the devices would be useful for cyclists propelled along by the bicycles electrical motor, which can reach a top speed of 25 kilometres per hour (16 mph).More and more elderly people are using a bicycle, not only for short distances, but also for longer distances, Dutch Environment and Infrastructure Minister Melanie Schultz van Haegen told AFP.This type of bicycle is truly needed in the Netherlands because it will help us down bring the number of elderly people who are injured every year and allow them to continue enjoy cycling, she said.In the Netherlands, bicycles outnumber the population of 17 million by at least one million and there are some 25,000 kilometres of bicycle path in the country.Those statistics are set to grow as more and more people take to two-wheeled transport, leading to congestion and an increased risk of injury.Last year, 184 cyclists died in the country, of which 124, or 67.0 percent, were older than 65, according to the Centrals Statistics Office (CBS). The year before, 200 cyclists died, the overwhelming majority of victims also being elderly.The current prototype weighs a hefty 25 kilogrammes (55 pounds) but researchers are working on making the on-board systems smaller.

Greenland ice loss may be worse than predicted: study

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MIAMI (AFP) - A warming planet may lead to swifter ice loss on Greenlands ice sheet, and faster sea level rise for the rest of the world than previously predicted, scientists said Monday.Two separate international studies raised concern about the pace of ice melt on the worlds second largest ice sheet after Antarctica, and suggested that scientists may have underestimated the variable behavior of Greenlands ice. The current models do not address this complexity, said Beata Csatho, an associate professor of geology at the University at Buffalo and lead author of the paper in the Proceedings of the national Academy of Sciences, a peer-reviewed US journal.Currently, scientists use simulations based on the activity of four glaciers -- Jakobshavn, Helheim, Kangerlussuaq and Petermann -- to build forecasts of melting into the ocean.But the new PNAS study used NASA satellite data to look at nearly 100,000 points of elevation and how they changed from 1993 to 2012, painting a much fuller picture of where melting has happened in the past. Researchers also came up with a new number for how much ice has been lost in recent years on Greenlands ice sheet. For 2003-2009, the time period with the most accurate data, 243 metric gigatons of ice were lost annually, adding about 0.68 millimeters of water to the oceans each year, said the PNAS study.This information is crucial for developing and validating numerical models that predict how the ice sheet may change and contribute to global sea level over the next few hundred years, said co-author Cornelis van der Veen, professor in the department of geography at the University of Kansas.A second study in the December 15 issue of the journal Nature Climate Change projects that lakes atop Greenlands ice sheet will become twice as common in the next 50 years as they are today, and by moving from the coasts to the inland areas they could have a major impact on the way the ice sheet melts.The bodies of water, known as supraglacial lakes, are darker than other areas, attracting more sunlight and leaking water that can cause ice nearby to melt.Supraglacial lakes can increase the speed at which the ice sheet melts and flows, and our research shows that by 2060 the area of Greenland covered by them will double, said lead author Amber Leeson from the University of Leeds School of Earth and Environment.When the lakes get large enough, they begin to drain through fractures in the ice, making the entire ice sheet more slippery and prone to faster melting.Researchers had never before simulated the future behavior of these lakes, which have already been migrating slowly inland since the 1970s.But using data from the European Space Agencys Environmental Remote Sensing satellites, they made new simulations of how meltwater will flow and pool on the ice surface to form supraglacial lakes in the years to come.Today, the bulk of Greenlands ice sheet is too cold for these lakes to form and they are restricted to band along the coast.The band has already gained 35 miles (56 kilometers) since the 1970s, and by 2060 the area where these lakes can form will have crept inland up to 68 miles, or about double the area they cover today.Greenlands ice sheet is considered an important factor in sea level rise from climate change, and has been expected to contribute nine inches (22 centimeters) by 2100.Since prior projections did not include the changing behavior of these lakes, those projections may be far short, said the researchers, but just how short has yet to be forecast.Because ice losses from Greenland are a key signal of global climate change, its important that we consider all factors that could affect the rate at which it will lose ice as climate warms, said co-author Andrew Shepherd, also from the School of Earth and Environment at the University of Leeds.Our findings will help to improve the next generation of ice sheet models, so that we can have greater confidence in projections of future sea-level rise.

Oil prices slide to new five-year lows

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NEW YORK (AFP) - Global oil prices slid to new multi-year lows Monday after a top OPEC official suggested that speculation largely was driving the market lower, indicating the cartel would keep output unchanged.US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for January delivery lost $1.90, closing on the New York Mercantile Exchange at $55.91, its lowest level since early May 2009.The European benchmark, Brent North Sea crude for January delivery, settled at $61.06 a barrel in London, down 79 cents from Fridays closing level.Oil staged a small rally in early European trading from steep losses last week but that quickly evaporated, roiling European stock markets.Oil prices have plunged roughly 50 percent since June, weighed down by plentiful supplies, the stronger dollar and weak demand arising from the struggling global economy, according to analysts.The move in oil was shown to be a dead-cat bounce and prices rolled over and erased most stock market gains with them, said Jasper Lawler, an analyst at CMC Markets UK.Lawler said lower oil prices almost unequivocally boost demand in the longer term but the realization is setting in for markets that part of the reason prices are falling rapidly right now is because global demand is slowing.On Sunday, Abdalla Salem el-Badri, the secretary general of the 12-nation Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, hinted that speculation was behind the steep price declines.When we look at supply and demand, there is a rise (in supply) but only a modest one that should not have led to this 50 percent drop, Badri told reporters at a conference in Dubai. Speculation is strongly contributing to pushing prices down.The OPEC oil cartel decided last month to maintain its current production level despite pleas by some producers to cut output in order to curb the price drop.The idea that the oil market will balance itself leaves the downside open, since it could well happen at a significantly lower price level, said Tim Evans of Citi Futures.

Yen gains on euro, dollar after Abe poll victory

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NEW YORK (AFP) - The yen gained against the euro and dollar Monday after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe won re-election in a snap poll billed as a referendum on his economic policies.The yen edged up to 146.50 to the euro and 117.81 to the dollar as Abe won handily in an election Sunday marred by a small turnout of voters.It left no challenge in his way as he presses to reflate the Japanese economy through a package of more easy money and still-awaited business and social reforms.Boris Schlossberg of BK Asset Management noted that Abes election victory on Sunday propelled the yen higher but then it sagged backward on a disappointing Tankan business survey which showed the countrys manufacturing sector continues to slide.But another tumble in crude oil prices Monday also lent it support.The price action in USD/JPY meanwhile remains volatile but contained to the 120.00-118.00 corridor, Schlossberg said.It should stay there until the end of the Federal Reserves two-day policy meeting on Wednesday, he added.The Federal Open Market Committee will give updated US economic forecasts and could change its predictive language for an interest rate hike to give it some flexibility of movement without shocking markets which it does move.The dollar traded up slightly against the euro ahead of the opening of the FOMC meeting Tuesday.

Amla seeks winning home captaincy start

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CENTURION (AFP) - Hashim Amla will be seeking a winning start when he captains South Africa for the first time in a home Test match when a three-match series against the West Indies starts at SuperSport Park on Wednesday.Amla leapfrogged one-day international captain AB de Villiers to be given the Test captaincy following the retirement of long-serving Graeme Smith last season. Under Amlas leadership, South Africa gained away wins against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe earlier this year and his team will be strong favourites to continue the winning run against a West Indian side with modest credentials.The West Indies have lost ten of 12 previous Tests in South Africa, managing just one win and one draw. They currently languish in eighth place on the International Cricket Council Test rankings, while South Africa are number one.There are some question marks about the home sides batting order, however, following the retirements of Smith and Jacques Kallis, their all-time leading run-scorer, while the reliable JP Duminy may miss the whole series because of a knee injury.The opening pair of Alviro Petersen and Dean Elgar may be vulnerable against experienced West Indian fast bowlers Kemar Roach and Jerome Taylor, with Petersen not having made a century in 23 previous Test innings, which have yielded only three fifties, while Elgar is a relative newcomer to the Test opening role. Left-hander Stiaan van Zyl is expected to make his Test debut in place of Duminy at number six or seven.South Africa still have world-class performers in Amla and De Villiers, who are expected at four and five, while the hosts have a powerful fast bowling attack in Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel.On a pitch that usually favours fast bowlers, the West Indian bowling looks reasonable but a perennial problem for the tourists has been inconsistent batting. With Darren Bravo missing for personal reasons and Chris Gayle because of injury, they are likely to rely greatly on Marlon Samuels, who hit a double century in a warm-up match last week, and the 40-year-old Shivnarine Chanderpaul.Teams:South Africa (likely): Hashim Amla (captain), Alviro Petersen, Dean Elgar, Faf du Plessis, AB de Villiers, Stiaan van Zyl, Quinton de Kock (wkt), Robin Peterson or Kyle Abbott, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel.West Indies (from): Denesh Ramdin (captain, wkt), Kraigg Brathwaite, Devon Smith, Leon Johnson, Marlon Samuels, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Jermaine Blackwood, Jason Holder, Kemar Roach, Jerome Taylor, Sulieman Benn, Sheldon Cottrell, Assad Fudadin, Shannon Gabriel, Chadwick Walton (wkt).Umpires: Billy Bowden (NZL), Aleem Dar (PAK).TV umpire: Paul Reiffel (AUS).Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI).

Injured Aussie skipper Clarke to go under knife

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SYDNEY (AFP) - Australian captain Michael Clarke will undergo surgery on his injured right hamstring on Tuesday, Cricket Australia said, as the 33-year-old fights to remain in the game.Clarke has switched focus to getting fit for the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, which starts on February 14, after being forced off in the victorious first Test against India at the weekend.Michael was assessed by a surgeon in Melbourne early this evening (Monday) and will be undergoing surgery tomorrow to repair his injured right hamstring, team doctor Peter Brukner said.Whilst surgery is not always required with hamstring injuries, Michael has substantial damage to a key part of the hamstring tendon and it was felt the best course of action was to surgically repair the damaged area.His recovery and the timing of his return to play will be dependent on the surgeons advice and how well he recovers in the coming weeks.Injury-jinxed Clarke admitted there was a chance he would never play cricket again after his latest setback.Cricket Australia said an update on the surgery would be provided in due course.

Big tech aims at talent shortage with 'Hour of Code' campaign

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SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Call it the thinking mans ice bucket challenge: an hour of code.Last week, everyone from U.S. President Barack Obama to top model Karlie Kloss tried their hand at writing software for one hour in the global campaign by nonprofit Code.org to make coding less intimidating to students and teachers.The Hour of Code campaign, which ended on Sunday, was the latest step by large tech companies to help boost American interest in computer science as they face a shortage of qualified engineers and developers in the United States.Code.org, which offers online tutorials in coding, has the financial backing of tech leaders, including Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Facebook Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg, who have called for more computer training in schools and U.S. immigration reform to allow more programmers and other technology specialists into the country.The nonprofit also raised just over $5 million to expand the Hour of Code to 100 million students worldwide in a crowdfunding campaign that ended on Sunday. Google Inc, Salesforce.com Inc and others have agreed to match donations made to the Indiegogo campaign, according to Code.org.More than 75 million people have used Code.org to study code since December 2013, when it launched the first weeklong Hour of Code campaign.Last week, Obama wrote his first line of code: moveForward(100);, enabling Elsa, the character in a video game based on Disneys hit animated film Frozen, to move forward 100 pixels. Code.org now plans to sell T-shirts printed with that line of Java script, said angel investor Hadi Partovi, who founded Code.org last year with his brother, Ali.The nonprofit says just 10 percent of U.S. schools teach computer science. Partovi said many students and teachers are under the mistaken impression that coding is for geniuses.He added that the coding campaign is part of a larger effort to get every U.S. school to add computer science to its curriculum rather than help tech giants hire engineers.Were getting third-graders to code, said Partovi, who worked at Microsoft and has advised many companies, including Facebook. Who knows if any of these corporations will even exist when these kids graduate from college?
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