Tuesday 17 February 2015

Dunya TV

Dunya TV


Cyclone threatens Clarke's Aussie return

Posted:

BRISBANE (AFP) - Australias World Cup campaign as well as Michael Clarkes long-awaited return could be blown off course by a tropical cyclone which threatens to dump 30cm of rain on Brisbane in the lead-up to Saturdays clash with Bangladesh.Australias meteorology office has forecast an 80 percent chance of rain, with thunderstorms on Saturday when the game takes place at the Gabba.Beautiful sunshine at the moment, but I think thats it for the day -- we got a couple of days of wet weather, Australia coach Darren Lehmann said Wednesday.Well work out what the best XI is once it clears up. It might be different with overcast conditions and we might decide to play a different way, and it depends on the wicket.The uncertainty over the weather has created doubts over Clarkes scheduled return to the team after he missed last weekends 111-run opening win against England at Melbourne.Stand-in skipper George Bailey is the man expected to make way for Clarke but it could be that the wild weather will leave the captain kicking his heels until Australias third game of the tournament, against fellow co-hosts and title contenders New Zealand in Auckland on February 28.Lehmann insisted Australias selectors would not be influenced by outside feedback when they decide on who to drop ahead of the Gabba clash, with many critics demanding all-rounder Shane Watson be axed after his golden duck against England.You do listen to whats being said but at the end of the day you have got to make the right call for that particular game, Lehmann told SEN radio.You get all the callers and all the feedback but youve got to make the right decision and well always try and do that.

Tennis: Defending champion Nadal advances in Rio

Posted:

RIO DE JANEIRO (AFP) - World number three Rafael Nadal made an impressive return to competition after an Australian Open quarter-final loss, dispatching Brazils Thomaz Bellucci 6-4, 6-1 Tuesday at the ATP Rio Open.Defending champion Nadal, a 14-time Grand Slam champion, needed only 91 minutes in advancing to a second-round matchup against either Spanish compatriot Pablo Carreno Busta or Argentinas Carlos Berlocq.In the host city for next years Olympics, 2008 Beijing Olympic gold medal winner Nadal improved to 15-0 on Brazilian soil, having won titles at Costa do Sauipe in 2005, Sao Paulo in 2013 and Rio last year.The 28-year-old Nadal began his 2015 season in Doha, where he lost in the first round while defending his title. At the Australian Open, Nadal saw a 17-match win streak against Tomas Berdych end with a surprise exit.Clay-court maestro Nadal, who seeks his sixth French Open title in a row and 10th overall on Roland Garros clay later this year, elevated his play in the second set of his first match on the surface since last Junes Grand Slam final victory over Novak Djokovic.Belluccis third double fault of the match handed Nadal a break after five prior missed chances for a 3-2 lead, but the home hope broke back in the next game to level the opening set.Nadal and Bellucci exchanged breaks in the next two games before Nadal broke again for a 5-4 edge and held to take the first set after 51 minutes on a service winner.Nadal broke to start the second set and broke again at love for a 3-0 edge, taking 14 of the first 20 points contested, and held twice for a 5-1 edge.On Nadals third match point chance of the seventh game, Bellucci hit a forehand long to surrender the break and the match, falling in the first round for the fourth time in five events this year.Bellucci made 31 unforced errors to only 12 by the Spaniard.Nadal went 25-3 on clay last year and won three titles on the surface. He has the best clay court record in the Open Era at 318-24, including 45-7 in career clay-court finals.

UN Security Council calls for immediate end to Ukraine fighting

Posted:

UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - The UN Security Council urged Tuesday both sides in the conflict in eastern Ukraine to immediately cease hostilities, as fighting raged on despite a ceasefire.The Security Council called on all parties to immediately cease hostilities and abide by commitments agreed in Minsk, including facilitating access for the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to monitor and verify compliance with the Minsk Agreements, the Council said in a statement.The UN body expressed particular concern over continued fighting in and around Debaltseve, a key transport hub, between pro-Russian rebels and Ukraines army, despite a February 15 ceasefire.At a separate public meeting, the 15-member Security Council unanimously adopted a Russian-drafted resolution calling on all sides to respect the Minsk accords, particularly the ceasefire.Kiev and the rebels have accused each other of violating the truce. The withdrawal of heavy weapons, which was called for in the Minsk accords, has not taken place.Kiev and pro-Russian rebels agreed a peace roadmap on February 12 after marathon negotiations in Minsk involving the leaders of France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine.The plan, which builds on a previous failed protocol forged in Minsk in September, also lays out a roadmap for self-rule in the rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine.It calls for local elections to be held in the separatist regions, without setting a date.It also says Ukraine should regain full control of its eastern border, but only after local elections and constitutional reform -- to be adopted by the end of the year.The text of the resolution expresses grave concern at the tragic events and violence in eastern regions of Ukraine.

US condemns Ukraine ceasefire violation, warns Russia

Posted:

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US Vice President Joe Biden on Tuesday blamed separatist fighters and Russian forces as he condemned the violation of a three-day-old ceasefire in eastern Ukraine and warned of increased costs to Russia.Biden strongly condemned the violation of the ceasefire by separatist forces acting in concert with Russian forces, in and around the town of Debaltseve, the White House said in a statement after he spoke with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.The leaders of France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine agreed a ceasefire deal last week in the Belarus capital Minsk to end fighting between government troops and pro-Russian rebels which has claimed more than 5,400 lives in the past year.But separatists on Tuesday stormed the port town of Debaltseve, a violation of the ceasefire.If Russia continues to violate the Minsk agreements, including the most recent agreement signed on February 12, the costs to Russia will rise, the White House statement added.Biden and Poroshenko said the ceasefire violation was confirmed by the Special Monitoring Mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The vice president also strongly condemned Russia and the separatists for blocking access to Debaltseve by OSCE monitors, which is allowing the separatists to continue their attacks without inhibition, the White House said.Poroshenko, in a phone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, said the assault on Debaltseve, a strategic rail hub in Ukraines east, was a cynical attack on the truce brokered last week.

US to allow export of armed drones

Posted:

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States said Tuesday that it will allow for the first time the widespread export of armed drones to some allied countries as part of its global counterterrorism fight.Armed drones are a cornerstone of Washingtons battle against extremists in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria, Iraq and Yemen, although they remain hugely controversial and opponents say they frequently kill or maim civilians.The United States is the worlds technological leader in the development and deployment of military Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS, or drones), the State Department said in a statement.As other nations begin to employ military UAS more regularly and as the nascent commercial UAS market emerges, the United States has a responsibility to ensure that sales, transfers, and subsequent use of all US-origin UAS are responsible and consistent with US national security and foreign policy interests, including economic security, as well as with US values and international standards.The statement did not say which countries would be customers, but several allies are eager to get their hands on the hardware, with The Washington Post citing Italy, Turkey and the Persian Gulf.So far, the United States has sold its armed drones only to close ally Britain, the newspaper said.The technology is here to stay, a senior State Department official told the Post. Its to our benefit to have certain allies and partners equipped appropriately.Unarmed military drones, used primarily for intelligence, have been sold to a larger number of countries, including NATO allies, the Post said.

Suicide attacks kill 38 in NE Nigeria despite regional fight-back

Posted:

KANO (AFP) - Two suicide attacks in northeast Nigeria killed at least 38 people Tuesday, after Boko Haram razed a town and as violence raged across the embattled region less than six weeks from elections.The Islamist insurgency has already forced a delay in the vote, initially scheduled for February 14, and officials voiced hope that a regional military offensive could contain the bloodshed before the new polling day, March 28.But the latest wave of attacks blamed on the rebels underscored the challenge facing Nigeria and its neighbours -- Cameroon, Chad and Niger -- despite claims of major successes in the joint operation launched this month. Nigers President Mahamadou Issoufou vowed that his countrys involvement in the four-nation coalition would herald the end for the rebels, whose six-year insurgency has killed more than 13,000 people.Niger will be the death of Boko Haram, he told a cheering crowd after a protest against the insurgents in the capital Niamey.But Boko Haram has proved resilient throughout its deadly uprising an experts question whether the group can be overpowered in the short-term. In Nigerias Borno state, three assailants in a motorised rickshaw detonated explosives at a checkpoint at Yamarkumi village, four kilometres (2.5 miles) from the town of Biu, at about 1:00 pm (1200 GMT).The suicide attack killed 36 people and injured 20, a source at the Biu General Hospital told AFP, requesting anonymity. Most of the victims were child vendors and beggars that usually crowd the checkpoint to sell wares and beg for alms, the source added.Boko Haram has repeatedly tried to seize the Biu, 180 kilometres (110 miles) from the state capital Maiduguri, but has been repelled by troops and local vigilantes.Some four hours later, in Potiskum, the economic capital of neighbouring Yobe state, a bomber blew himself up inside Al-Amir restaurant, a popular chain in northern Nigeria. The restaurant manager and a steward were killed, while 13 staff and customers were seriously injured, a police officer and nurse the Potiskum General Hospital said. The bombings followed a raid late Monday in the Borno town of Askira Uba, some 25 kilometres south of Chibok, from where rebel gunmen kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls last April.Residents said homes and public buildings were razed, including the palace of the local chief, and hundreds of people were forced to flee.Aliyu Abdullahia, who fled to the nearby town of Mubi, claimed that soldiers refused to deploy from Chibok, where they have been stationed since a Boko Haram attack in September last year.Nigeria had long complained that lack of action from its neighbours had hampered efforts against Boko Haram and has said the new cooperation could prove decisive. Niamey said that more than 200 rebels were killed in its first cross-border raid on the southeast of the country and on Tuesday claimed to have averted a suicide attack in the Diffa region.On Monday, police in Diffa, which is currently under a state of emergency, claimed they had detained more than 160 people suspected of being allied to the outlawed group.Cameroons army separately announced that it had killed 86 militants and detained more than 1,000 people suspected of having links to Boko Haram in the countrys far north.But with access difficult to the remote regions increasingly at the centre of the conflict and communications often non-existent, there was no independent corroboration of the claims.Analyst Ryan Cummings of risk consultants Red24 said the regional forces may be repeating Nigerian tactics in the early counter-insurgency.Cummings said the numbers may not be indicative of actual Boko Haram support but rather point to local communities, particularly in Cameroons Far North region, arming themselves against the insurgents.This may be creating the perception that they are antagonistic towards government forces and therefore aligned to Boko Haram, Cummings, said in an email exchange.This would explain why casualties numbers of supposed Boko Haram militants are so high in comparison to relatively low figures among military forces.In violence unrelated to the Boko Haram uprising, explosions and gunfire at an opposition election rally in southern Nigerias Rivers state killed a police officer and injured four others, while a reporter covering the event was stabbed. The unrest happened in the hometown of President Goodluck Jonathans wife Patience. A political motive was likely, with tensions running high between Jonathans ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the main opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).

PM Nawaz to reach Quetta today

Posted:

QUETTA (Dunya News) - Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will reach Quetta on a two-day visit today (Wednesday). The prime minister will be briefed on security and political situation in Balochistan province.PM Nawaz Sharif will also chair Balochistan Apex Committee meeting at the Governor’s House. Army chief and CM Balochistan and other officials will also attend the meeting. Commander Southern Command, Lt Gen Nasir Khan Janhua will brief the meeting on security matters.

Jhang: 3 children burnt alive as van catches fire

Posted:

JHANG (Dunya News) – According to details, three children were killed and six other people were injured when a van caught fire due to petrol leakage near Jhang on night between Tuesday and Wednesday.The passengers were returning from Jhang to Layyah after attending a marriage ceremony. Rescue teams reached the spot and shifted the dead and injured to hospital.

Halep, Wozniacki advance in Dubai championships

Posted:

DUBAI (AP) - Top-seeded Simona Halep eased to a 6-2, 6-0 win over Daniela Hantuchova at the Dubai Tennis Championships on Tuesday.Except for six double faults, Halep put on a solid performance, saving the one break point she face, which came in her opening service game.I was fresh and running very well, said Halep, who has now beaten Hantuchova all four matches theyve played. My shots were very strong and deep. I played good tennis.Second-seeded Petra Kvitova overcame a one-set deficit to defeat Elina Svitolina 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the first evening match.Im not sure where I was in the first set, said Kvitova, the reigning Wimbledon champion. I dont think I was on the court. But that happens sometimes.Third-seeded Caroline Wozniacki served for the match three times before finally beating Samantha Stosur 4-6, 6-1, 7-5.The third-seeded Dane led 5-2 in the third set but struggled to close it out.They do say third time lucky, right? Wozniacki said. I was hoping for that.Wozniacki has been ill with a headache, sore throat and hoarseness since arriving in Dubai, and on the first point of the match a recurring left knee problem surfaced.After losing the first set, the former top-ranked player took a medical time out to have her knee treated.I thought I was long gone after that first set, Wozniacki said. Im happy to be through and to the next round.Fourth-seeded Ana Ivanovic, out with a broken toe since a first-round exit at the Australian Open, beat Sabine Lisicki 6-0, 6-3, while fifth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska defeated Caroline Garcia 6-3, 2-6, 6-3.Also advancing was 13th-seeded Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain, who withdrew from Sundays final in Antwerp against Andrea Petkovic with a neck injury. Suarez Navarro beat Camila Giorgi 6-3, 6-4.Three seeded players lost: Petkovic fell to Zarina Diyas 7-5, 6-3; Jelena Jankovic lost to Garbine Muguruza 6-3, 6-4; and Peng Shuai was beaten by Tsvetana Pironkova 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5).

Tennis: Back pain forces out Querrey at Delray Beach

Posted:

DELRAY BEACH (AFP) - US sixth seed Sam Querrey was forced to withdraw with a sore back while leading his first-round match at the Delray Beach Open on Tuesday.Colombias Alejandro Gonzalez advanced to the second round with the American leading 6-3, 1-2.I had a sudden movement at the net and kind of jerked my back a little bit, Querrey said.Its an injury that I felt before, but never on a specific motion like this. My lower back just kind of tightened up and I cant really move it in any direction.Gonzalez will next face American Donald Young, whose hot streak of form -- he reached the semi-finals in Memphis last week -- continued with a 7-5, 7-5 defeat of Croatias Ivan Dodig.South African top seed Kevin Anderson and US second seed John Isner were each set to open in night matches against Australians, Anderson facing John-Patrick Smith and Isner meeting Marinko Matosevic.French fifth seed Adrian Mannarino defeated US qualifier Eric Quigley 6-4, 6-4 while US seventh seed Steve Johnson advanced 6-3, 4-1 when Kazakstans Mikhail Kukushkin retired due to illness and Serbian eighth seed Viktor Troicki outlasted Frances Stephane Robert 6-7 (3/7), 7-5, 6-1.Two Aussies won early, with Bernard Tomic eliminating Tunisias Malek Jaziri 6-3, 6-3 and qualifier Thanasi Kokkinakis downing Serbias Filip Krajinovic 6-2, 6-3.Two Asian players reached the second round as well, with Japanese qualifier Yoshihito Nishioka beating Dutchman Igor Sijsling 7-5, 6-1 and Taiwans Lu Yen-Hsun defeating Aussie Sam Groth 6-7 (6/8), 7-6 (7/5), 6-4.

Football: Courtois saves help Chelsea hold PSG

Posted:

PARIS (AFP) - A first-half away goal by Branislav Ivanovic and some fine goalkeeping by Thibaut Courtois put Chelsea in command of their Champions League last-16 tie with Paris Saint-Germain as Tuesdays first leg ended 1-1.Ivanovic headed in on 36 minutes after Gary Cahill had helped the ball into his path to give Chelsea the lead from their first and only real chance of the evening at the Parc des Princes.Edinson Cavani replied with a header of his own in the 54th minute and PSG enjoyed the bulk of the chances but Courtois intervened time and again to keep the Premier League leaders on level terms.We were winning 1-0 and we could have held on, but we know we are stronger at Stamford Bridge and we will try to qualify there, Chelseas Eden Hazard told Frances Canal Plus television after the game.We need to play better and create more chances because we didnt have many.Jose Mourinhos side should certainly fancy their chances of progressing to the quarter-finals when the second leg comes around in London on March 11, with Paris needing to score in that game to keep the tie alive.That was something Laurent Blancs side failed to do when the teams met in the last eight a year ago, allowing Chelsea to go through on away goals despite losing the first leg 3-1 in France.Seven points clear at the top of the Premier League, Chelsea are a stronger side than they were then, while PSG had been forced to deal with something of an injury crisis in the build-up to this game.With Lucas, Thiago Motta and Yohan Cabaye among the players on the sidelines, Blanc opted to start David Luiz in midfield against his former club while Marquinhos lined up in central defence despite being a doubt ahead of the game.Chelsea were at full strength but their chief creator, Cesc Fabregas, struggled to make an impact in the match up against the combative Luiz.In a cagey opening, it was the hosts who created what chances there were, with Blaise Matuidi the first to test Courtois on 11 minutes with a header from a Cavani cross.The Belgian goalkeeper was equal to that effort and was called into action again seconds later to keep out a Zlatan Ibrahimovic header from a Matuidi centre.Ibrahimovic and his fellow forwards were afforded little space in the final third and they had to wait until after the half-hour mark to trouble Courtois again, Cavani seeing his near-post header from Ezequiel Lavezzis corner turned behind.Chelsea were happy to soak up the pressure and hit Paris with a sucker punch nine minutes before the interval thanks to a rare attacking combination between three of their back four, Ivanovic stealing in behind Luiz to head home after Cahill had flicked on a John Terry cross.However, those defenders hardly covered themselves in glory as PSG drew level nine minutes after the restart, leaving Cavani completely unmarked to head home his 17th goal of the season -- his sixth in the Champions League -- from a Matuidi left-wing cross.With their backs to the wall, Paris came out fighting in the second half and Chelsea were again grateful to the outstanding Courtois as he saved from Ibrahimovic before Lavezzis follow-up was blocked.Courtois, again preferred to Petr Cech between the posts by Mourinho, then got his fingertips to a Luiz header from a Lavezzi free-kick.PSGs unbeaten record at home this season did not appear under threat in the closing stages, but they could not get the winning goal on the night.Cavani put a glorious chance wide of the far post 10 minutes from time and, when Ibrahimovic got a header on target in stoppage time, that man Courtois was on hand yet again to save Chelsea.

Shakhtar holds 10-man Bayern to 0-0 draw in Champions League

Posted:

LVIV (AP) - Xabi Alonso was sent off in his 100th Champions League game as 10-man Bayern Munich was held to a 0-0 draw by Shakhtar Donetsk in their last 16 first-leg match on Tuesday.On a freezing night in Ukraine, Bayern had the better chances but was thwarted by determined defending from Shakhtar and some poor shooting.Bayern played the last 25 minutes with 10 men after midfielder Alonso was red-carded, having picked up his second booking for a poor tackle on Alex Teixeira.The match was played in Lviv in western Ukraine because Shakhtar has been left homeless by the conflict in the east of the country, where its home city of Donetsk is a separatist stronghold.The result means Shakhtar will progress to the quarterfinals on the away goals rule if the second leg March 11 in Munich ends in a score draw.Thomas Mueller had the best chances of the game for Bayern, including a scuffed shot from a good position after 11 minutes. He was fed by Franck Ribery near the penalty spot on 31 minutes, but his snatched effort went flying over the bar.Shakhtars Olexandr Rakitskiy had tested Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer shortly beforehand with a free-kick that the German caught but fumbled, scrambling to rescue it as Shakhtar players closed in.That proved to be Shakhtars only shot of a game in which the Ukrainian team created very little, despite playing most of the second half with a numerical advantage.Bayern appealed for a penalty on 83 minutes when the ball struck the fallen Rakitskiys arm, but the referee waved play on.In Tuesdays other Champions League last 16 clash, Edinson Cavani salvaged a 1-1 draw for Paris Saint-Germain at home to Chelsea.

Boxing: Pacquiao, Mayweather must decide soon, says Roach

Posted:

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Time is running out for Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather to book a May 2 showdown, Pacquiaos trainer Freddie Roach said Tuesday.Amid a welter of reports in recent weeks that a deal for the much-anticipated bout was all but done, Roach warned that a decision would be needed soon if both fighters are to prepare adequately.We are getting really close, Roach said of reaching a cut-off for declaring a May 2 fight a reality.I need eight weeks. That window is getting smaller and smaller.In fact, Roach said, he could make do with a slightly shorter training camp with Pacquiao, the eight-division world champion who said Monday in the Philippines that a deal was near.On an eight-week schedule, the first fortnight would be core training and general conditioning, Roach said.The boxing would start six weeks out, because if you go more than six weeks with Manny youll burn him out because of his work ethic.Pacquiao is 57-5 with two draws and 38 knockouts, while Mayweather is 47-0 with 26 knockouts.Fight fans around the world have clamored for years for a showdown between the boxers widely regarded as the best pound-for-pound fighters of their generation.The Sunday Telegraph in Britain reported that the pair had agreed to a $250 million deal, although on Sunday night in New York, Mayweather said in a brief television interview during the NBA All-Star Game that nothing had been signed by either party.Last year, Mayweather used the occasion of his 37th birthday on February 24 to announce his opponent for a May 3 bout -- plumping for Argentinas Marcos Maidana and snubbing Englands Amir Khan.A similar birthday announcement by Mayweather would make for a nine-week lead time to a May 2 fight.Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum last month ignited buzz over the fight when he said negotiations had been narrowed down to extraordinarily small points.On Tuesday, however, Arum took himself out of the prophecy business.I know nothing, Arum said of the state of negotiations as he attended a public workout at Roachs Wild Card gym for Chinese fighter Zou Shiming.Roach, however, thinks the fight -- which ran aground in 2009 -- will happen.I think were close enough it will happen sometime in the near future, Roach said. Floyd says he wants to fight. Manny says he wants to fight. Fights get made like that.Pacquiao said this week he had agreed to the Mayweather camps demands regarding drug testing.Published reports citing sources close to the Filipino ring icon have also said he has agreed to give Mayweather the lions share of what promises to be the biggest pay-day in boxing history.I think it would be the biggest fight of all time, Roach said. A lot of it has to do with the world were living in -- you have pay-per-view almost everywhere.Those pay-per-view revenues have added another wrinkle to the negotiations, since the fighters are under contract to rival US telecasters, Showtime and HBO.If fight fans do get the bout theyve been waiting for on May 2, Roach has no doubt who will bring the fireworks, with Pacquiao ready to take some risks to make an exciting fight.Thats not something he expects from Mayweather, a slick defender who Roach believes is reluctant to risk his unbeaten record.I dont think he really cares about the fans, Roach said of Mayweather. I think he just wants to do enough to win. Mannys not like that. Thats why Mannys been knocked out a few times. That could happen again, but Id rather see a fighter get knocked out trying to win than just trying to go the distance.

Oil prices gain in choppy trade

Posted:

NEW YORK (AFP) - World oil prices rose Tuesday, reversing earlier losses, as traders kept an eye on the crisis in crude exporter Libya.US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for March delivery advanced 75 cents to settle at $53.53 a barrel, on the contracts final day of trade.In London, Brent North Sea crude for April delivery, the global benchmark, settled at $62.53 a barrel, up $1.13 from Monday.WTI touched a low of $50.81 during the day before clawing back into positive territory in the last hour of trade.Its been a pretty impressive move, said Bob Yawger of Mizuho Securities.Yawger said that traders appeared to be readjusting their bets as the contract expired.I dont really see a fundamental reason for the rally, he said, adding that the Department of Energys weekly inventories report would probably be bearish for the market.Typically released on Wednesdays, the DoE report was rescheduled to Thursday because of Mondays public holiday.Last weeks report showed US crude inventories reached their highest levels on record.Yawger noted that Iraq has slashed some of its exports but that news had been out late Monday, so this is not what has supported the market for the last minutes here.Phil Flynn of Price Futures Group said that largely offline supply in Libya was supporting oil prices.Infighting and sabotage in Libya has reduced output to 150,000 barrels a day, down from a high of almost 1.5 million barrels per day, he said.Flynn said the beheading of Christians in Libya by militants affiliated with the Islamic State group showed the threat from the Islamic fundamentalist extremists is expanding.Risk premium in oil may start to come back and the glut of oil may tighten faster than many people think, he said.

Euro heads higher despite impasse in Greek talks

Posted:

NEW YORK (AFP) - The euro picked up ground on the dollar and other major currencies Tuesday despite the failure to reach a deal on Greeces bailout restructuring.Traders moved out of safe havens for moderately more risk, sending US Treasury yields sharply higher and also selling down the yen.The euro gained 0.5 percent on the greenback, 1.0 percent against the Swiss franc and 1.1 percent on the yen.The gains came well before reports emerged suggesting Greece could possibly compromise on accepting an extension of its eurozone bailout to engineer a more sweeping restructuring with creditors. Until now Athens has steadfastly refused to extend the existing program, demanding instead a conditions-free bridge loan.Even so, analysts said traders were throwing off caution.Schadenfreude is the only way we can describe the reaction of the euro after the failure of talks on Monday, said Neil Gilbert at Forex.com.While it may be true that Greece has until the end of the month to figure out what they can or will do, the recent rally in the euro across most currencies almost appears to be laughing at the misfortune of the struggling nation.

No comments:

Post a Comment