Friday 9 January 2015

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Messi, Serena Williams back Asia schooling campaign

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UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - A campaign backed by sports stars Lionel Messi and Serena Williams was launched Friday to put millions of children in school, starting in Bangladesh, Indonesia and Nepal.The 1 in 11 campaign shines a spotlight on the 58 million children out of 650 million globally who are deprived of an education -- one in 11 school-age children.Messi and tennis star Williams are featured in a videoclip for the campaign organised by the UN childrens agency UNICEF, the FC Barcelona Foundation and the Qatar Foundations Reach Out to Asia (ROTA) organization.Organisers hope to raise up to $15 million from an art auction at Sothebys in London next month of donated works by Takashi Murakami, Damien Hirst and Jeff Koons, the first event in the fundraising effort.Funds will go to build schools and train teachers in Bangladesh, Indonesia and Nepal to put nearly half a million children in school, including many who are handicapped, said Essa al Mannai of ROTA.The goal over time is to expand the effort to more countries.

Tennis: Nadal hopes doubles win boosts Australian Open bid

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DOHA (AFP) - Rafael Nadal feels more confident about the Australian Open after winning the doubles title at the Qatar Open, but he cautioned that defeat in the years first Grand Slam will not define his season.The 14-times Grand Slam winner from Spain lost in the first round of the singles in Doha to Michael Berrer, a German qualifier ranked outside the top 100, but he sounded much more upbeat after his success in the final in partnership with Juan Monaco of Argentina.This has made it a positive week and I am going to be better prepared for Australia after winning this, Nadal said after the 6-3, 6-4 win with which he and Monaco beat Julian Knowle and Philipp Oswald of Austria.By playing doubles I can evolve quicker with my movement, even if it is different from singles. It helps the singles, and it helps to get the feeling of winning again, especially with a friend.One of Nadals biggest problems, apart from needing to recover physically and mentally after an appendectomy, and perhaps from ongoing back and wrist injuries, is that he has had very few matches since Wimbledon back in July.I am going to be better prepared not only because of extra matches but because I have also been doing the right things, practising for two hours every day.I want to arrive in Australia being competitive, thats my goal, he said, appearing to quash his suggestion after his loss to Berrer that he was unsure whether he would be ready to compete in the first Grand Slam tournament of the year at all.You can win, you can lose, but I am doing all the things I need to be ready for the action. Its a big motivation to be back at my best level as quickly as possible, and thats what I am trying to do.However, Nadal added that he still may not be 100 percent ready for the Australian Open when it begins in Melbourne in just 10 days time.If someone tells you they know how quickly they will recover they are lying, he warned.No-one knows that. No-one knows when they will be back at their level. I only know I have to keep working hard to be ready for Australia. But if that doesnt happen, I just have to work hard to be back for real.The American hardcourt tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami (in March and April) are important to him as is the French Open, in May and June and where he will be aiming for a 10th title.Every time I am playing matches that is important for me, he emphasised. Australia is very important, but after a long time out my vision is more global. I will try to be back for Australia, but my season doesnt end there.

Tennis: Poland into Hopman Cup final to face US

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PERTH (AFP) - Poland will face the United States in Saturdays mixed teams Hopman Cup final.The Polish team of Agnieszka Radwanska and Jerzy Janowicz qualified for the title decider with a 2-1 win over the French pairing of Alize Cornet and Benoit Paire on Friday.They will face the American duo of Serena Williams and John Isner in the final.Cornet kept Frances hopes of reaching the final alive with a brave three-set win over Radwanska in a performance inspired by her desire to honour her 12 countrymen killed in the Charlie Hebdo magazine attack on Wednesday.However, Janowicz then ensured the Poles would play in the final for the second successive year, his win over Benoit Paire in the mens singles meaning Poland could not be dislodged from the top of Group B.Janowicz eventually beat the misfiring Paire in straight sets, 6-4, 7-6 (8/6), after the Frenchman staved off four match points.Radwanska teamed with Grzegorz Panfil to reach last years final in the countrys Hopman Cup debut, but the Poles were beaten by Frances Cornet and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.The Poles won the shortened doubles, with only a single set played, 6-4.Radwanska said she was looking forward to the chance to atone for last years loss in the final.Hopefully this year we can win one more match, she said.But the USA are good players so it is going to be a tough one.Earlier, fifth-ranked Radwanska and 18th-ranked Cornet produced the match of the tournament in an epic singles encounter that the Frenchwoman eventually won 6-4, 2-6, 7-5.Cornet, beaten in the singles by Radwanska in last years final, described it as one of the best wins of her career.With Je Suis Charlie written on her tennis bag, the 24-year-old said she was horrified by the Charlie Hebdo killings and was determined to honour the victims on the court.Each time I was going to the chair I was seeing the message and it was coming to my mind, she said.I was thinking you are here, you have the chance to do what you like and play in front of this amazing crowd, so just have fun and give everything and try to win for them.It is a good thing, because I can bring even more this message when I win the match.For me it is very important because we have to be conscious that what happened is really, really bad and stay strong.In the evening session, Great Britain beat Australia 3-0 in a tie that had no impact on the final.Andy Murray wrapped up an impressive week of singles ahead of the Australian Open with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Marinko Matosevic, while Heather Watson had her first singles win of the tournament against world number 29 Casey Dellacqua, 6-3, 6-4.

Golf: Tiger confirms return to Phoenix after 14 years

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PHOENIX (AFP) - Tiger Woods is looking to play later this month at the PGA Phoenix Open, an event the former world number one has skipped since 2001, Woods confirmed on his website on Friday.It will be great to return to Phoenix, the 14-time major champion said in an article posted on tigerwoods.com, which also confirmed that after playing in Phoenix from January 29 to February 1 he would play in the Farmers Insurance Open on February 5-8 at Torrey Pines.The crowds are amazing and always enthusiastic, and the 16th hole is pretty unique in golf. Torrey is a very important place to me. My pop took me there when I was younger, and I have a lot of special memories of watching the tour play there when I was growing up.Woods has not played in the tournament, known for rowdy fans and loud cheers, since a spectator tossed an orange onto a green while he was putting. Woods was heckled by a spectator in 1999 who was later found to have a gun at the time.The tournaments par-3 16th hole offers epic scenes unusual in golf of fans cheering and yelling as if they were at a ball game.Woods famously delighted the crowd with an ace at the 16th in 1997.Woods, chasing the all-time record of 18 majors won by Jack Nicklaus, returned last month from a four-month layoff due to a back injury at the Hero World Challenge in Florida.He had said he planned a 2015 schedule somewhat different from his usual campaign.The event in Scottsdale finishes on February 1, just ahead of the National Football Leagues Super Bowl championship spectacle in another nearby Phoenix suburb, Glendale.At Torrey Pines near La Jolla, California, Woods will be returning to a course where he has won eight times, and where he collected his most recent major title at the 2008 US Open.Woods, who recently celebrated his 39th birthday, is starting his 20th year on the PGA TOUR. He has amassed 79 career victories, second only to Sam Sneads 82 on the all-time list.

Rallying: Al-Attiyah stretches Dakar lead on Pacific coast

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IQUIQUE (AFP) - Qatars Nasser Al-Attiyah edged closer to a second Dakar Rally victory on Friday when he claimed his third stage win out of six along Chiles Pacific coast.Al-Attiyah, the 2011 champion, had already won the second and fourth stages and his latest triumph meant that Mini, who swept the 2014 podium, maintained their record of winning all the stages so far.The Qatari took the honours on the 318km timed stage from Antofagasta to Iquique on the shores of the Pacific with main rival Giniel de Villiers, the South African 2009 champion, second in a Toyota.It was de Villiers fifth podium finish this week while 2014 champion Nani Roma, also in a Mini, was third.However Romas hopes of hanging on to his title had already been shattered by losing six and a half hours on Saturdays opening stage.In the overall standings, Al-Attiyah stretched his lead by 37 seconds over de Villiers to more than 21 minutes.We did a good job and Im quite happy to win the stage. Its a good day for us again. We pushed a little bit in the dunes but we were really careful from the beginning because it was really not easy, said Al-Attiyah.The route today was just only really for buggies. Our time was really good and Im quite happy.Saudi Arabian rookie Yazeed Alrajhi, in a Toyota, was seventh on the stage, more than eight minutes off the pace and is almost half an hour behind Al-Attiyah in the overall standings. He remains in third spot.Stephane Peterhansel, the 11-time champion and best-placed Peugeot driver after the retirement of 2010 champion Carlos Sainz, finished half an hour behind Al-Attiyah to stand at close to two hours off the lead.Portugals Helder Rodrigues, on a Honda, won the motorcycling stage while Spains Joan Barreda stayed in charge of the overall title race.It was Rodriguess first win on the 2015 race, finishing in 3hours 40min 10sec.I started very badly with my body at the beginning of this rally. I had three days that were not so good. On day four I had a problem with the bike due to mechanical problems, but today I had a good stage, said Rodrigues.Australias Toby Price, on a KTM, was 1min 10sec behind while Portugals Paulo Goncalves, also on a Honda, was 1min 42sec off the lead.Barreda was sixth on the stage on his Honda, more than seven minutes behind Rodrigues, but still extended his overall lead over defending champion Marc Coma to 12min 27sec.Coma, on a KTM, was eighth on Friday.

Sony Pictures CEO: call to Google got 'The Interview' out

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LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The network was crippled. Days before Thanksgiving, Sony Pictures employees had logged onto computers that flashed a grim message from a hacker group calling itself Guardians of Peace. Soon personal information for tens of thousands of current and former workers was dumped online, including Social Security numbers and the purported salaries of top executives. Five Sony-produced movies, including the unreleased Annie, appeared on file-sharing websites. Thousands of private, and sometimes embarrassing, emails hit the Internet.They came in the house, stole everything, then burned down the house, Michael Lynton, the movie studios CEO, said in an interview with The Associated Press on Thursday. They destroyed servers, computers, wiped them clean of all the data and took all the data.More than six weeks later, the studios network is still down and is expected to remain so for a few weeks, as techs work to rebuild and get it fully back online. In that time, Sony has been thrust into the geopolitical spotlight as the target of an unprecedented corporate cyberattack that the United States has attributed to North Korea. In a wide-ranging interview Lynton talked about the isolation and uncertainty created by the attack and the unique position the company found itself in, in a case thats undoubtedly being closely watched in boardrooms around the world.We are the canary in the coal mine, thats for sure, Lynton said. Theres no playbook for this, so you are in essence trying to look at the situation as it unfolds and make decisions without being able to refer to a lot of experiences youve had in the past or other peoples experiences. Youre on completely new ground.In the early hours of the hack, workers scrambled to find ways to communicate with the studios 7,000 employees and keep the business running. Some dug through basement boxes for old BlackBerrys so they could email securely and others turned up long-unused check cutters so workers and vendors could get paid by paper check. A close-knit senior management team of 10 to 15 people relied initially on word of mouth, an emergency notification system and town hall meetings to disseminate information and calm fears. Managers were told to be visible during commissary mealtimes and gathered with 80 to 90 employees at a time at buildings across the lot to offer updates.People relied on each other and its a good thing they relied on each other, because there wasnt a lot of assistance coming out of the community, except for the FBI, Lynton said.While most Sony employees already were on the Everbridge emergency notification system, workers recruited the rest to sign up. If he had to do it again, Lynton said he would have made it mandatory to already be on it. Senior managers created text and phone trees to communicate and held twice-daily meetings. Thirty to 40 people worked day and night through the Thanksgiving holiday. When employees arrived to work on Monday, one week after the Nov. 24th hack, a concierge-like desk greeted them to help get them signed onto a temporary email system set up by the technology team.The focus, Lynton said, was on answering questions and curbing fears as well as maintaining operations. People were upset and scared and managers were tasked with trying to assure them and providing information updates two to three times a week. Focusing on operations and making employees feel safe helped keep Lynton and his senior managers afloat.As long as you could stay true to that, it felt OK, it actually felt OK, he said. They werent ideal circumstances, and of course, when you went home your kids or your spouse would say to you, Geez, how is it, and its a very difficult thing to recount because every day you go into the office thinking one thing and go home with a completely different set of events than youd imagine. All my colleagues felt the same way.The Federal Bureau of Investigation and investigative firm Mandiant were brought in within the first week. Lynton is effusive in his praise of the FBI, which camped out in a special set of rooms in the center of Sonys lot and conducted multiple hour-long clinics on a sound stage for 400 to 500 Sony employees at a time. The meetings covered identity theft and also some computer security tips.But with constant data leaks and rolling threats coming in from the hackers, Lynton said his team had to work hard to not be too reactive and to make measured decisions.The whole series of events, not just for myself, but for everybody in the company, had so many twists and turns to it that every time you thought you were going down a path, every time people thought we got this in hand, the next thing you knew wed have another threatening email come through two days later or another series of events, Lynton said.And the story was about to take another turn. As the studio grew closer to a planned Christmas Day release of the Seth Rogen and James Franco comedy The Interview, which spoofs an assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the hackers shifted from providing fodder for gossip columnists to instead fanning fears of terrorist attacks. Threats of violence reminiscent of September 11, 2001, against theaters planning to show The Interview prompted major theater chains to pull the movie, forcing Sony to say it would cancel the films Christmas Day release.The company immediately faced a litany of criticism over free speech and censorship from all sides, from Hollywood actors like George Clooney to the President of the United States, who said during a press conference that Sony made a mistake. In the midst of the firestorm, the FBI formally announced it had linked the attack to North Korea.We were so taken by surprise by the events...that we didnt have a plan at that moment to go forward, Lynton said.President Barack Obama said at the time that his administration would respond to the hacker break-in at Sony, and later issued additional sanctions against North Korea. The U.S. government was not responsible for sustained electronic attacks that crippled North Koreas Internet infrastructure last month, however, two senior U.S. officials told The Associated Press on Thursday.Lynton said Sony always planned to release The Interview, it just initially didnt know how to.We probably in retrospect should have said were exploring other options, because thats exactly what we were doing, he said. Almost immediately after the theater chains pulled out Lynton said he was on the phone trying to find a way to get the film out, especially after suffering through the prior three weeks of data dumps and what could only be described as extortion.Wed already spent a lot of money, millions and millions of dollars, to get a national audience to release a picture, the last think you want to do is then haltingly bring the movie out, he said. But cable, satellite and digital companies told Sony they were wary of running the film during the holidays, a traditionally high-selling period, out of fear of becoming targets for hacker attacks too.Lynton then called Google Chairman Eric Schmidt, who he recalled told him: this is what weve been waiting for. Schmidt agreed to help get the film out on Google Play and YouTube. Sony built its own website and Microsofts X-box and Apples iTunes also ultimately agreed to release the film, Lynton said. Sony purposely priced the online version of The Interview at $5.99 rather than a typical $9.99 or higher to avoid accusations of price gouging and to ensure more people could see it after the free speech criticisms it had weathered. The movie launched online on Christmas Eve and independent theaters also stepped up to screen the film on Christmas Day. Sony became an unintended test piece in a new film release strategy of putting out streaming video at the same time as a theatrical release.The film, which had a $40 million production budget, has so far made more than $31 million from its online and on-demand release, Sony said earlier this week. That is the most lucrative digital release for a Hollywood film so far. The Interview is currently playing in 558 theaters and has been rented, streamed or purchased 4.3 million times. It had originally been forecast to earn about $30 million in its opening weekend alone in a few thousand theaters, however.Lynton said the studio views the release of a film on on-demand video and in independent theaters as still experimental.You would never take a movie of this size and do what we did with it in the end, Lynton said. Its true, it proved to be that kind of experiment, but it certainly wasnt planned. The theatrical experience is important, Lynton said, especially for comedy because people love to laugh with each other.Had this not come along the way it had, we wouldve proceeded exactly the way we planned to do it, which is to put it out on 3,500 plus screens, he added.Throughout, Lynton said senior management focused on keeping the business going. One manager ensured Annie would still release over Christmas, another made sure Black Friday went off without a hitch for DVD sales and replenishment was made available for all DVDs, another focused on all television shows shipping on time. As a result, the company didnt lose a single day of television or film production and Lynton said losses are expected to be very manageable and not disruptive to the wellbeing of the company.He declined to provide a cost estimate but said prior numbers that have circulated arent accurate.Meanwhile, most forensic on-site work at Sony is complete and remaining techs are focused on getting the system back online. Lynton said its likely another week before email is back up and running and two to three weeks before the network as a whole is back online. The company is now working on identifying lessons learned and trying to determine what should or shouldnt be changed going forward.I know that we were adequately prepared, Lynton said about the companys technology and security. Just not for an attack of this nature. Nobody could have withstood an attack of this nature.

Remembered: CES founder 'Analog Jack' Wayman

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LAS VEGAS (AP) -- The man who started the Consumer Electronics Show in 1967 was known affectionately as Analog Jack by family and friends.Jack Wayman died in August at the age of 92. He loved a good gimmick (a phone on his bedside featured a statuette of Marilyn Monroe whose skirt would waft up when it rang) but wasnt the most tech-savvy by modern calculations, laughed son Jack Wayman Jr. as he waited in the audience before the events opening keynote speech this week.When the elder Wayman decided he needed an email address, he called Jack Jr. to set it up, then later phoned to ask if he had gotten any email yet.It didnt stop him from enjoying the latest and greatest gadgets, though. He liked small ultrahigh-definition televisions. He wasnt crazy about 3D. He would have been surprised to see as many car companies as there were at the show this year, 10 total, Wayman Jr. said.The International CES in Las Vegas is now the largest trade show in the Americas, with more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space the size of about 35 football fields. CES takes over the Las Vegas Convention Center, the Sands Expo and several nearby hotels. More than 160,000 people attended in 2014. The show opened to the public on Tuesday and closes Friday.Hundreds of tech companies use the gadget show as a platform to unveil new products. Hot trends this year included Internet connectivity in everyday products such as cars and appliances and the growth of online video as an alternative to traditional television broadcasts.On large screens flanking the stage earlier this week, the Consumer Electronics Association paid tribute to Wayman:Innovator. Icon. Hero. Mentor. Friend.

Bobcat trapped in car grille to return to Arizona forest

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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — An Arizona bobcat that survived getting stuck inside an oncoming car is going back into the wild.Arizona Game and Fish Department officials say the bobcat will be released Friday into Tonto National Forest after being rescued a week ago.A couple driving in Scottsdale on Jan. 2 hit the animal after it darted into their path.Upon reaching their destination, the man inspected his Mazda sedan and saw the very much alive bobcat trapped in the plastic grille.Game and Fish employees sedated the 7-pound animal and removed it.The bobcat has spent the past week at the Southwest Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Scottsdale, where it was evaluated by a veterinarian.Game and Fish officials called the bobcats survival without any major injuries a New Years miracle.

Interstate pileup leaves road covered in 500 pounds of fries

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SALEM, S.D. (AP) — A six-vehicle pileup on Interstate 90 in South Dakota left the road covered in 500 pounds of McDonalds french fries.The Argus Leader reports that emergency personnel in McCook County in the southeast part of the state spent Friday morning removing the fries from the road.Emergency Manager Brad Stiefvater says the vehicles collided near Salem due to zero-visibility conditions on the interstate due to snow. No one was injured.One of the vehicles involved was a semi carrying a load of McDonalds french fries.Emergency Manager Brad Stiefvater says crews had to use a plow to remove fries that spilled onto the road.

Lahore church observes Milad event, pays respect to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

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LAHORE (Daily Dunya) – In an unprecedented event in history of the subcontinent, Bishop House Catholic Church in Lahore on Friday observed Milad-e-Nabi (PBUH) event together with Minhajul Quran Interfaith Relations.Members of various faiths attended this special event. Dr Raheeq Abbasi, Arch Bishop Sebastian Francis Sha, Sardar Ramesh Sindh, Dr James Chinon, Father Francis Nadeem, Kashif Nawab, Pandit Bhagat, Yousaf Binjori, Faizur Rehman Durani, G.M. Malik, Raja Zahid, Ghulam Murtaza Alvi, Qazi Faiz, Raja Nadeem and Sohail Ahmed Raza addressed the gathering.Leaders from the minority religious communities congratulated Muslims in Pakistan and said that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) brought the message of peace, love and harmony to the world. They said that terrorism doesn’t even have a distant relation with Islam.Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) central president thanked the Arch Bishop and the administration of the Catholic Church for organizing the event.Urdu version of this story appeared in Daily Dunya on January 10, 2015

Australia declare 2nd innings at 251-6 in 4th test

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SYDNEY (AP) - Captain Steve Smith declared Australias second innings at 251-6 prior to the start of the fifth day of the fourth test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, setting India a target of 349 runs to win on Saturday.Smith made 71 off 70 balls late on day four and surpassed Bradmans record of most runs in an Australia-India series, as the hosts scored quickly in the final session in an attempt to conjure a victory in a match that seemed destined for a draw.Chris Rogers made 56 his sixth straight half century and Joe Burns smashed 66 off 39 balls.The odds of victory are stacked against the visitors with the highest successful fourth-innings run chase at the SCG being 288, achieved by Australia against South Africa in 2006.

Lahore: TTP commander, 2 accomplices killed after joint action by police, security agencies

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LAHORE (Dunya News) – Taliban Lahore commander and presumed mastermind of Wagah Border attack Asadullah who goes with the aliases Roohullah and Qureshi was killed in Lahore along with two accomplices in a joint encounter by police and security agencies on early Saturday, Dunya News reported.The police and the security personnel raided a house at Barki Road area of Lahore and gunned down at least two members of the banned terrorist group.After accomplices were killed, TTP Lahore commander Asadullah blew himself up with suicide explosives.Asadullah was mastermind of Wagah Border attack and was possibly planning another terrorist attack.

Sirisena sworn in as Sri Lanka's new president

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COLOMBO (AFP) - Maithripala Sirisena was sworn in as Sri Lankan president Friday after a shock victory over veteran strongman Mahinda Rajapakse in an election dominated by charges of corruption and growing authoritarianism.Sirisena took the oath of office hours after Rajapakse conceded defeat, saying he accepted the decision of Sri Lankans who turned out in force on Thursday to vote him out after 10 years in office.Sirisena said Sri Lanka would mend its ties with the international community, in a clear reference to Rajapakses falling out with the West over allegations of wartime rights abuses by the military.We will have a foreign policy that will mend our ties with the international community and all international organisations in order that we derive maximum benefit for our people, he said.We will work with friendship and brotherhood and cooperation with all states.Celebratory firecrackers were heard in Colombo as Sirisena was sworn in on the capitals Independence Square along with the new prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe.People want a new political culture. I dont want anyone taking the law into their own hands, Wickremesinghe, the head of the opposition United National Party (UNP), told a press conference.Sirisena, a former health minister who united a fractured opposition to pull off an unlikely victory, thanked Rajapakse for a fair election that allowed me to be the president.He was elected with 51.28 percent of the votes, to the former leaders 47.58 percent.It was a remarkable setback for a leader who had appeared certain of victory when he called snap polls in November.US President Barack Obama praised the successful and peaceful vote and congratulated the outgoing administration on a swift and orderly transfer of power.Beyond the significance of this election to Sri Lanka, it is also a symbol of hope for those who support democracy all around the world, Obama said.Sirisena has promised sweeping reforms of the presidency and said he will transfer many of its executive powers to parliament.He said he would serve only one term after being elected on a tide of resentment against Rajapakse.The former leader rewrote the constitution after his re-election in 2010 to remove the two-term limit on the presidency and give himself more powers over public servants and judges.During the campaign, Sirisena said he had warned Rajapakse to change his ways or risk new unrest in the country.He was leading the country down a dangerous road to destruction, he said at one point, promising a constitutional revolution if elected.Rajapakse enjoyed huge support among majority Sinhalese voters after overseeing the end of a separatist war by ethnic Tamil rebels in 2009.But critics say he failed to bring about reconciliation in the years that followed his crushing victory over the Tamil Tiger guerrillas.He is also accused of undermining the independence of the judiciary and has packed the government with relatives, sparking resentment even within his own party.Rajapakse fell out with the West over allegations his troops killed 40,000 Tamil civilians at the end of the civil war, and refused to cooperate with a UN-mandated investigation.He cultivated close links with China, which has invested heavily in Sri Lanka, seeking to counter rival regional power Indias influence.Beijing on Friday downplayed suggestions the new leadership could impact its projects in Sri Lanka.The opposition has promised to address international concerns over war crimes and normalise relations with Western nations and India, whose Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Sirisena.Sirisenas decision to run triggered a slew of defections and became a rallying point for disaffection with Rajapakse and his powerful family.His vision for the country ties in closely with the free-market policies of the centre-right UNP which provided him with the political base to contest the election.But analysts say he faces a challenge to unite the rainbow coalition of parties from right-wingers to Marxists that helped him secure victory.The vote passed off largely peacefully, although there were some reports of intimidation in Tamil areas.The president had come under international pressure, with Washington urging him to ensure peaceful and credible polls.The election came days before a visit to the island by Pope Francis which some Catholic leaders had said should be cancelled in the event of violence.Election monitors said large numbers of people had voted in the Tamil-dominated former war zones of the north and east, which are heavily militarised.Tamils are Sri Lankas largest minority, accounting for 13 percent of the population and helped bring down Rajapakse by supporting his rival.We voted to get our dignity back, said a Tamil journalist who asked not to be named.We may have good roads and a new railway line, but what we want is to live in peace.

Kerry to meet Iran counterpart next week in Geneva

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WASHINGTON (AP) - Secretary of State John Kerry will meet Irans foreign minister in Switzerland next week to discuss the current state of nuclear negotiations as a March target date for the outline of a deal approaches, the U.S. State Department said Friday.After a trip to South Asia, Kerry will see Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Wednesday, a day before negotiators resume with detailed talks in Geneva on Jan. 15, department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters. En route to India this weekend, Kerry will stop in Munich, Germany, for a private meeting with the Sultan Qaboos bin Said of Oman, whose country played a key role in the secret U.S.-Iran talks that led to an interim nuclear accord with Tehran, she said.Iran and six powers the U.S., Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany are hoping to agree on a framework by March and a final agreement by June 30 that would address international concerns that Iran is using a civilian atomic energy program to hide efforts to develop nuclear weapons. Under the terms of the interim deal, the U.S. and other nations are providing relief from sanctions to Iran with an eye toward easing and eventually lifting the penalties if Tehran agrees to a final pact and complies with it.In Tehran, Irans official IRNA news agency reported Friday that Zarif and the rest of the Iranian delegation would see Kerry, as well as the other delegations, in Geneva before the larger group meets. Earlier this week, Irans supreme leader said the U.S. cannot be trusted to lift sanctions in a future nuclear deal and that Tehran should instead develop an economy of resistance.Kerrys Iran-related meetings in Munich and Geneva will bookend a trip to Ahmedabad, India, where he will lead a U.S. delegation to an international conference of government officials, business executives and innovators that will focus on sustainable economic growth and be opened by Indias prime minister.While in Ahmedabad, Kerry will also meet the prime minister of Bhutan, in what will be the highest-level meeting ever between the two countries, Psaki said.After leaving Geneva, Kerry will visit Bulgaria for talks with officials there on security cooperation, energy diversification and the bilateral trade and investment relationship, she said.

At least 26 US kids die of flu in 'bad' season: officials

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MIAMI (AFP) - A particularly bad flu is sweeping the United States, killing 26 children so far this season and nearly doubling hospitalizations among people over 65 in the past week alone, officials said Friday.The reason is the predominant strain of flu this year is H3N2, a variety that has shown itself in prior years to be more virulent than other kinds.Even more, the vaccine that is supposed to protect against the annual flu is missing its mark because two-thirds of the H3N2 strains that experts are seeing were not included in this years flu shot, said the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.It is shaping up to be a bad year for flu, said CDC chief Tom Frieden in a conference call with reporters.H3N2 is a nastier flu virus than the other flu viruses.At week seven of the typically 13-week flu season, the virus is now widespread in almost the entire country, he said.Flu typically infects five to 15 percent of the population. It can be dangerous in those with weak immune systems, including the elderly and children.Frieden said hospitalization rates among people over 65 are rising sharply, going from 52 per 100,000 last week to 92 per 100,000 this week.That is high but typical for H3N2 seasons, Frieden said.The last H3N2 season was in 2012-2013, and the cumulative hospitalization rate among the elderly that season was 183 per 100,000.We wouldnt be surprised to see something similar happen this year, Frieden said.An update on the effectiveness of this years vaccine will be released in the coming weeks. While Frieden said he expect to find the vaccine to be weaker than usual, he said authorities are still urging people to get their flu shot because it may offer some protection against other strains of the flu that are circulating.He also called for doctors to give antiviral drugs, like Tamiflu, to patients if they get sick.In the context of an H3N2 predominant season, with a less effective vaccine, treatment with anti-flu drugs is even more important than usual, he said.Scientists have found that anti-flu drugs can reduce symptoms, shorten the duration of symptoms and reduce the risk of complications, he said.Anti-viral flu medications are greatly under-utilized but if you get the flu and you get medicines early they could keep you out of the hospital, they could keep you from having to go into the intensive care unit and they might even save your life.Most people do not know the anti-viral drugs exist and fewer than one in five high-risk patients get treated, he said.
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