Tuesday 24 February 2015

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Football: Suarez scores brace as Barcelona down Man City

Posted:

MANCHESTER (AFP) - Luis Suarez returned to haunt Manchester City by scoring twice as Barcelona took control of their Champions League last 16 tie with a 2-1 away win on Tuesday.Suarez was a thorn in Citys side last season, scoring 31 goals as Liverpool pushed Manuel Pellegrinis team all the way in the title race, and his first-half brace set Barcelona on the way to a repeat of their 4-1 aggregate win over the same opponents from this time last year.But Sergio Aguero struck in the 69th minute to give City something to build on in the second leg on March 18 and they were spared a heavier defeat in stoppage time when Lionel Messi won a penalty following a foul by Pablo Zabaleta, only for Joe Hart to save his spot-kick and for him to head the rebound wide.Another echo of last years tie means that City will travel to Camp Nou without left-back Gael Clichy, however, after he followed Martin Demichelis and Zabaletas example from 2014 by getting sent off for two bookable offences.Pellegrini had opted for a cautious approach when the teams first met a year ago, fielding Alvaro Negredo as a lone striker and packing the midfield, but he changed tack dramatically for the reunion by using Edin Dzeko up front alongside Aguero in an adventurous 4-4-2 formation.It was a gameplan that unravelled at dizzying speed, as the decision to deploy Fernando as a sole holding midfielder in the absence of the suspended Yaya Toure gave Barcelona acres of space to flood into.Vincent Kompany volleyed a lofted pass from Messi narrowly wide of his own goal, Demichelis blocked from Messi and Suarez hit the side-netting before Barcelona broke through in the 16th minute.Messis right-wing cross struck Kompany on the back as he covered Suarezs run towards the near post and the former Liverpool talisman pounced to lash a left-foot shot across Hart and in.In response, Dzeko headed wide from Clichys cross, but Barcelona were already in control, with Messi nonchalantly nutmegging David Silva inside his own half shortly before Suarez hared onto Neymars pass and forced Hart to make a sprawling save.The second goal arrived on the half hour and had Messi at its root, the Argentine jinking past three players and finding Jordi Alba, whose low cross was gleefully touched home by the sliding Suarez.Neymar saw a lob hacked off the line by Kompany, Hart saved bravely from Messi and Dani Alves hit the bar with a mishit cross, before Samir Nasri finally drew a save from visiting goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen on the stroke of half-time.Ter Stegen had rather more to do in the opening stages of the second half, but City could not convert the initial opportunities they made.Dzeko squandered two headed chances -- putting one wide and sending another straight at Ter Stegen from six yards out -- while the German also caught a header from Demichelis and saw Aguero fire a shot just wide.Clichys first booking arrived in the 59th minute when he tripped Ivan Rakitic, shortly before City introduced Fernandinho for Nasri and Champions League debutant Wilfried Bony in place of Dzeko.With 21 minutes remaining, Aguero gave City a lifeline, gathering a neat back-heel from Silva and ghosting past Gerard Pique before slamming home.Clichys second booking, for a clumsy kick at Alves, dampened the mood, but Messis penalty mishap gave the home fans inside the Etihad Stadium late encouragement.

Football: Tevez, Morata strike as Juve battle past Dortmund

Posted:

TURIN (AFP) - Carlos Tevez and Alvaro Morata struck for Juventus as the Italian champions secured a 2-1 Champions League last 16 first leg win over Borussia Dortmund in Turin on Tuesday.However, Massimiliano Allegris hosts were left lamenting a host of missed chances and conceding an away goal that could prove costly heading towards the decisive second leg on March 18.Juventus coach Allegri had warned of the threat of Dortmunds potent counter-attack, but it was from such a move that Tevez broke the deadlock on 13 minutes.The ball was fed out to Morata, who controlled well before launching a run down the left flank and firing in a shot which keeper Roman Weidenfeller pushed into the path of Tevez for the Argentinian to bundle over from a yard out.Juventus looked to be in their stride but the hosts joy was ended minutes later following a howler by Giorgio Chiellini.The central defender slipped on the edge of the area, missed the ball completely and clattered into Leonardo Bonucci.Marco Reus waltzed in to collect and had enough time to pick his spot against a rooted Gianluigi Buffon before levelling on 18 minutes.Juventus tried to hit back, Tevez cutting back for Morata at the byeline only for the Spaniards header to spin wide of Weidenfellers upright.But the reality of Dortmunds away-goal leveller appeared to take hold.Juve looked out of sorts for long spells in the opening half as Borussia moved the ball around with ease, albeit without capitalising. On 33 minutes midfielder Nuri Sahin had time to unleash a long-range effort that swerved late before Buffon parried with both hands.Pogba looked far from his sparkling best and to make matters worse, Juve lost influential midfielder Andrea Pirlo on 37 minutes after he pulled up with a suspected hamstring strain.Yet Juve took the lead against the run of play just before the interval.Tevez collected a long ball from his own half and set up Pogba on the left for the Frenchman to deliver a low cross which Morata glanced inside Weidenfellers far post with the inside of his boot.Juve resumed in positive fashion but spurned several clear chances to put the result beyond doubt.Bonucci narrowly failed to make contact with a corner swung in from the left after it bounced off Weidenfeller, while at the other end former Torino striker Ciro Immobile saw his angled drive held by Buffon as the visitors enjoyed possession.Juve spurned a great chance just before the hour when Dortmund skipper Mats Hummels lost possession to Tevez in midfield but Pogba wasted the opportunity in the area after collecting Moratas long ball from the right.A probing cross by Stephan Lichsteiner was then headed on by Morata into path of Tevez, who ballooned over from 10 yards out.The Argentinian edged closer when he fired a low drive amid a rabble of players on the edge of the area which crept inches wide of the upright.Dortmund saw a rare chance go amiss when Immobile fired a yard over Buffons crossbar from 20 metres.He was replaced moments later by Jakub Blaszczykowski, prompting a tactical switch which saw Aubameyang move into the strikers role.But Juve continued to dominate.Tevez was sent through on the right to force Weidenfeller into action and from the corner Chiellini was allowed to rise above Aubameyang to fire a powerful header just over.Five minutes from full time Roberto Pereyra, who had replaced Pirlo, missed a great chance when he was sent through by Tevez only for his angled low drive to sneaked just past the far post.

Olympics: IOC head salutes Rio efforts

Posted:

BRASILIA (AFP) - International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach on Tuesday praised preparations for next years Rio Games despite concerns over polluted water in Guanabara Bay, which will host sailing, and transport issues which authorities hinted could be overcome by declaring a public holiday for the duration.I am very satisfied, Bach said as he left Rio for talks in Brasilia with President Dilma Rousseff ahead of a three-day meeting of the IOCs executive committee.The IOCs coordination commission has been visiting venues to determine progress.Ahead of meeting Rousseff, Bach noted a great deal of progress since last year in an interview with Brazilian television.And the 61-year-old German former Olympic fencing champion was even more upbeat after he had held his meeting with the president.Our Brazilian hosts are taking responsibility, said Bach.We have full confidence that these games will be safe games and that the world will feel very welcome here in Brazil. Im absolutely sure it will be done. Since the Games were awarded to Rio, the first ever South American hosts, in 2009, the city has been racing against the clock to overhaul creaking infrastructure for an event costing around $14 billion overall.Last year, IOC vice-president John Coates slated Brazils organization as the worst ever amid fears transport improvements including a new metro line were behind schedule.In addition, environmental campaigners and athletes alike have slammed Guanabara Bays refuse-strewn waters which biologists say also risks contamination from superbacteria in adjoining rivers which is resistant to antibiotics. Coates eventually retracted his comments after the IOC set up a task force designed to monitor preparations more closely.Rio state governor Luiz Fernando Pezao insisted preparations were progressing smoothly.Everything is under control. There are some delays as always with Olympic preparations, but nothing major, Pezao told reporters.I am sure we will be ready on time, said Pezao, adding Rio would do its utmost to reduce the flow of sewage into the Bay, while not necessarily reaching the official 80 percent target promised in its Games bid.We very much want to get to 60, 70, 80 percent for the Games. The important thing is the Games allow us to have an ongoing legacy for the population, Pezao said.Last month, Rios state environment secretariat indicated a Rio university study showed the target could not be reached inside a decade without billions more investment.City mayor Eduardo Paes meanwhile suggested he would declare a holiday for the duration of the August 5-21 Games -- Rio enacted a similar policy for World Cup matches last year -- to enable Olympic fans and tourists, as well as Games delegations, to get around the city more easily.Paes said he would consult with firms to suggest that people take holidays during the Olympic period. I dont want people to leave the city, we want them to stay. But mobility in the city will be greatly affected because of the Olympics, Paes said.

Golf: US confirms Love as captain, more time for picks

Posted:

PALM BEACH GARDENS (AFP) - Davis Love was confirmed Tuesday as the United States team captain for the 2016 Ryder Cup and a new system allowing more weeks for captains picks was also unveiled.Love, given the chance at redemption after his 2012 team suffered the worst last-day American collapse in history, was named a week after the Golf Channel reported his selection, the PGA of America making it official with a posting on its website.The group also announced that the qualifying process for eight berths on the 2016 team will be extended by two weeks compared to the 2014 teams timetable and that three wildcard picks will be made two weeks after that with a final pick not chosen until after the season-ending Tour Championship.Later selections will ensure players who are on form in the playoffs can have their efforts considered when team spots are decided, a concern last year when picks came before the final tournaments.Love captained the 2012 team that lost 14 1/2 - 13 1/2 at Medinah after leading 10-6 entering Sundays singles matches. Europe matched the largest last-day comeback in Ryder Cup history, the 1999 rally at The Country Club in the Battle of Brookline by a US team that included Love.I am thrilled to be the Team USA captain and represent our country as we work to win back the Ryder Cup, Love said. It is a great honor to be in the position to help build the team, but our mission doesnt end there. What we accomplish in 2016 at Hazeltine must serve as the foundation for future USA Ryder Cup teams.Entering next years matches at Hazeltine in suburban Minneapolis, Americans have lost eight of the past 10 Ryder Cups, including the past three in a row and six of the past seven meetings with Europes top golfers.Love captained the 2012 team that lost 14 1/2 - 13 1/2 at Medinah after leading 10-6 entering Sundays singles matches. Europe matched the largest last-day comeback in Ryder Cup history, the 1999 rally at The Country Club in the Battle of Brookline by a US team that included Love.A Tom Watson-guided US side lost last year at Gleneagles and divisions among the players led to the creation of a task force to improve the US Ryder Cup effort.It was that group, which included Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, that selected Love and made changes to how the next team will be chosen.A subset of the task force will continue as an ongoing Ryder Cup committee, including Woods, Mickelson and Love. The group will identify future captains and consult on a wide array of Cup-related matters. Its members helped install changes to the player and captain selection process.Our sincere thanks to the members of the Ryder Cup task force for their commitment to drive change that we all believe will result in a better process for Team USA going forward, PGA of America president Derek Sprague said.Among the changes are rules that two of four US vice captains must be past US Ryder Cup captains.Eight players will make the US team from the lengthened qualifying points system, which again emphasizes results from the year the Cup is played and major championships.It will run from the start of 2015 and run through August 28, 2016, the scheduled final day of the Barclays, the first US PGA Tour playoff event.Three of the four captains picks to be made by Love will be announced after the conclusion of the BMW Championship on September 11, 2016 but the final captains choice will not be made until September 25, 2016, after the conclusion of the season-ending Tour Championship.Northern Irelands Darren Clarke was selected last week as European captain for the 2016 Ryder Cup.Love, who named Tom Lehman as an assistant captain, becomes the eighth man to captain multiple US teams, but only the second to have another chance after a loss.Love, 50, was the 1997 PGA Championship winner. He had a 9-12 with 5 halved record in six Ryder Cup appearances.

Struggling Younis denies retirement tweet

Posted:

BRISBANE (AFP) - Out of form senior Pakistan batsman Younis Khan denied on Wednesday tweeting a plan to retire from one-day internationals after the ongoing World Cup, saying he was working hard to come good for his team.A tweet from a supposedly official Younis account on Tuesday said he was going to retire from white-ball cricket after the World Cup and continue to play Tests.However, Younis insisted he did not have a Twitter account of his own.I have no Twitter account and its (the story about his retirement) fake, Younis told AFP on Wednesday. I am working hard to come good in batting and have not decided anything like that.Younis has been a subject of severe criticism from former Pakistan players after scores of six and nought in Pakistans defeats in their first two matches of the World Cup.He was asked to open the innings in Pakistans first match against arch-rivals India in Adelaide, a promotion which backfired.Since arriving on the New Zealand tour last month, the 37-year-old has managed just 78 runs in eight matches, including four warm-up games and two one-day internationals prior to the World Cup.Pakistan next play Zimbabwe in a Pool B fixture in Brisbane on March 1, a game they must win to harbour realistic hopes of qualifying for the quarter-finals.Former Pakistan captain turned commentator Ramiz Raja has urged Younis to quit one-day internationals. I beg of Younis. Thank you for your services to Pakistan cricket but please leave this ODI side now, Raja told a Pakistan television channel on Tuesday.I think Younis should tell the management he should be rested.Javed Miandad, another former Pakistan captain, lashed out at team management for asking a struggling Younis to open.Whats the rocket science of promoting Younis Khan as an opener?, Miandad wrote in his column for the International Cricket Council website.If you are not an opener you tend to struggle against the new ball and if you are not in form, it only compounds your problems, said Miandad, also a former Pakistan coach.Younis has scored 7,203 runs in 263 one-day internationals and his selection in the 15-man squad only came after he scored a century during the 3-2 one-day series defeat by New Zealand in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) last year.Prior to that series, he was dropped from the one-day side which lost to Australia, also in the UAE.He scored 468 runs, including three hundreds and a best of 213, in the 2-0 win over Australia in the Tests which led the selectors to recall him for the New Zealand series in the UAE.

Obama vetoes Keystone pipeline bill

Posted:

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Barack Obama issued the most significant veto of his six-year presidency Tuesday, blocking legislation allowing the Keystone XL oil pipeline to be built between Canada and the United States.In defying the Republican-controlled Congress, Obama made good on a long-standing veto promise and set the stage for a battle in the 2016 presidential election.The 1,179-mile (1,900-kilometer) TransCanada-built pipeline would transport crude from oil sands in energy-rich Alberta province to a network of pipelines that reach across the United States to the shores of the Gulf of Mexico.Obama says he is not against the project in principle, but accused legislators of trying to circumvent longstanding and proven processes for gauging whether Keystone is in the national interest.The bill has earned my veto, he said.The pipeline is the subject of several governmental studies, some of which are ongoing.Republicans, who cite a State Department assessment last year that the Keystone project would have minimal environmental impact and create 42,000 construction jobs, accused Obama of hiding behind process and of killing employment opportunities.The presidents veto of the Keystone jobs bill is a national embarrassment, said House Speaker John Boehner.The president is just too close to environmental extremists to stand up for Americas workers.Obama may ultimately give his stamp of approval to the project, but as of now his veto stands as a flexing of political muscle and a push back against new-found Republican power as the two parties jockey for position ahead of next years White House race.President Obama said hed veto this attack on his executive authority, and he kept his word, Michael Brune, executive director of the conservation group Sierra Club, said in praising the move.The president has all the evidence he needs to reject Keystone XL now, and we are confident that he will.Overriding Obamas veto is possible, with a two-thirds majority in the Senate and House of Representatives, but getting enough Democratic support will be a heavy political lift.A Senate aide said the chamber will hold an override vote before March 4.Many critics, mainly Democrats, have warned the project has potential oil spill risks and would actually create very few permanent jobs. Environmentalists say extracting the heavy petroleum from Albertas oil sands will exacerbate climate change.Democrats also have broadly denounced provisions which exclude TransCanada from certain fees and taxes as a giveaway to a foreign firm.Keystone approval would have handed a foreign company a license-to-leak on American soil because it keeps the special favors and exemptions that allow companies that ship or refine tar sands oil to dodge paying into the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund -- leaving American taxpayers to foot the bill in the event of a spill, top House Democrat Nancy Pelosi said.Canadas Minister of Natural Resources, Greg Rickford, said he still believed the pipeline would be built.This is not a debate between Canada and the US. Its a debate between the president and the American people, who are supportive of the project, Rickford said.It is not a question of if this project will be approved -- it is a matter of when.TransCanada vowed to keep fighting to get Keystone XL over the line.Keystone XL is in the national interest of the United States and should be approved and constructed, the firm said in a statement.

Four dead as two Turkish military jets crash: army

Posted:

ANKARA (AFP) - Four members of Turkeys military were killed on Tuesday when two air force jets crashed in the Malatya region in the southeast of the country, the Turkish army said. The armed forces said in a statement that it lost radar and radio contact with two RF-4E reconnaissance aircraft as they were conducting a planned night training. The planes took off from Malatya airbase at 1600 GMT and lost communication with the base at 1705 GMT, the online statement said. Search operations were immediately started. The wreckage of our two planes was discovered and unfortunately four pilots were martyred. The army said the two jets crashed because of an accident but gave no further information on the cause of the incident nor why the two jets crashed apparently simultaneously.Each plane was reported to have been carrying a pilot and a co-pilot. There were no survivors.Private NTV channel said that rescuers as well as rescue helicopters, fire crews and ambulances were deployed to the scene after locals reported explosions. It added that heavy fog was preventing the vehicles from reaching the area.

Nearly 50 injured as California train hits truck

Posted:

OXNARD (AFP) – At least 51 people were injured Tuesday when a Los Angeles-bound commuter train smashed into a produce truck that had become stuck on the tracks, authorities said.The stranded vehicle exploded into a fireball after being hit by the four passenger cars and the locomotive pushing the Metrolink train, officials said.Three passenger coaches came to rest on their side after flying off the rails near Oxnard, about 75 miles (120 kilometers) from Los Angeles, a spokesman for Metrolink said.A total of 48 passengers and three crew were on board the train when it crashed, at around 5:45 am (1345 GMT). Twenty-eight people were hospitalized, with seven formally admitted for further treatment, officials told a press conference.Patients were being treated for spinal injuries and multiple fractures, Ventura County Emergency Medical Service spokesman Steve Carroll said.The 54-year-old driver of the truck -- which appeared to have been ripped into two by the impact -- was found by police wandering around one mile from the crash site.Initial reports had said police arrested the man after he had fled the scene.However, Oxnard assistant police chief Jason Benites later told reporters the truck driver had not been formally detained.Hes not under arrest, he said. However, I can say we are looking into this with regard to any acts that may require a criminal investigation.Benites said it was not clear why the driver had mistakenly turned right onto the tracks from an adjacent street.Were having discussions with the driver, he said, adding that the truck was stuck on the tracks.Fire Department spokesman Joe Garces said the driver of the train had spotted the truck and had begun slowing down before the crash.We do not know yet the exact speed the train was traveling at impact but the emergency protocols had been initiated before the incident, Garces told KTLA television.A passenger on board the train told of panic as the train raced through the fireball caused by the explosion.As I was coming through the crossing I had a feeling of death come over me, Joel Bingham told KTLA. I thought Oh my god, we could die. We went from 60 mph to a stop and we all lived. I cant believe it, he added. The three toppled cars are reported to have been fitted with a crash energy management system, which prevents crumpling of the carriages by absorbing the force of impact. They remained intact after the accident.A Metrolink spokesman said the engineer and conductor of the train were among those injured.The National Transportation Safety Board, the federal agency that investigates serious rail, road and aviation accidents, wrote on Twitter that it would launch a probe into the train wreck.Metrolink said on Twitter that train services has been suspended between Oxnard and the neighboring town of Camarillo. It urged commuters to find other ways of getting to work.Please consider using alternate transportation. We are reaching out to bus agencies for assistance. Buses not available at this time, Metrolink tweeted.The Los Angeles Times reported that the Metrolink rail line, which has seen two multi-fatality crashes over the past decade, has made a renewed push to improve safety and restore public confidence.In 2008, 25 people were killed when a Metrolink train crashed head on into a freight train in the Los Angeles district of Chatsworth, the deadliest accident in Metrolinks history.

Nearly 50 injured as California train hits truck

Posted:

OXNARD (AFP) – At least 51 people were injured Tuesday when a Los Angeles-bound commuter train smashed into a produce truck that had become stuck on the tracks, authorities said.The stranded vehicle exploded into a fireball after being hit by the four passenger cars and the locomotive pushing the Metrolink train, officials said.Three passenger coaches came to rest on their side after flying off the rails near Oxnard, about 75 miles (120 kilometers) from Los Angeles, a spokesman for Metrolink said.A total of 48 passengers and three crew were on board the train when it crashed, at around 5:45 am (1345 GMT). Twenty-eight people were hospitalized, with seven formally admitted for further treatment, officials told a press conference.Patients were being treated for spinal injuries and multiple fractures, Ventura County Emergency Medical Service spokesman Steve Carroll said.The 54-year-old driver of the truck -- which appeared to have been ripped into two by the impact -- was found by police wandering around one mile from the crash site.Initial reports had said police arrested the man after he had fled the scene.However, Oxnard assistant police chief Jason Benites later told reporters the truck driver had not been formally detained.Hes not under arrest, he said. However, I can say we are looking into this with regard to any acts that may require a criminal investigation.Benites said it was not clear why the driver had mistakenly turned right onto the tracks from an adjacent street.Were having discussions with the driver, he said, adding that the truck was stuck on the tracks.Fire Department spokesman Joe Garces said the driver of the train had spotted the truck and had begun slowing down before the crash.We do not know yet the exact speed the train was traveling at impact but the emergency protocols had been initiated before the incident, Garces told KTLA television.A passenger on board the train told of panic as the train raced through the fireball caused by the explosion.As I was coming through the crossing I had a feeling of death come over me, Joel Bingham told KTLA. I thought Oh my god, we could die. We went from 60 mph to a stop and we all lived. I cant believe it, he added. The three toppled cars are reported to have been fitted with a crash energy management system, which prevents crumpling of the carriages by absorbing the force of impact. They remained intact after the accident.A Metrolink spokesman said the engineer and conductor of the train were among those injured.The National Transportation Safety Board, the federal agency that investigates serious rail, road and aviation accidents, wrote on Twitter that it would launch a probe into the train wreck.Metrolink said on Twitter that train services has been suspended between Oxnard and the neighboring town of Camarillo. It urged commuters to find other ways of getting to work.Please consider using alternate transportation. We are reaching out to bus agencies for assistance. Buses not available at this time, Metrolink tweeted.The Los Angeles Times reported that the Metrolink rail line, which has seen two multi-fatality crashes over the past decade, has made a renewed push to improve safety and restore public confidence.In 2008, 25 people were killed when a Metrolink train crashed head on into a freight train in the Los Angeles district of Chatsworth, the deadliest accident in Metrolinks history.

Pakistan has vigorous commitment to counter terrorist, says Kerry

Posted:

WASHINGTON (APP) - US Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday said Pakistan has displayed a vigorous commitment to defeat violent extremists groups in the wake of December 16, 2014 terror attack on the Army Public School.Testifying before Senate Appropriations Committee on the Obama Administrations request for State Departments $ 50.3 billion discretionary funding in the FY 2016 Budget, Secretary Kerry told lawmakers that the United States intends to spend $3.4 billion to reinforce our partnerships and diplomatic engagement with Afghanistan and Pakistan.The United States is working with Islamabad to counter terrorist groups that threaten the two countries shared security, he said.Last month, I met with the countrys leadership for our annual Strategic Dialogue and found in the wake of the December 16 terrorist attack on the Army Public school that murdered 132 children a vigorous commitment to take on and defeat violent extremist groups.In recognition of our long-term engagement with the Pakistani people, we are also helping to promote development, energy security, health, and education, Kerry added.The top American diplomat said the fight against violent extremism continues in Central and South Asia.Speaking about Washingtons relationship with India, Kerry said at the same time, through constant diplomacy and the exchange of historic visits by our heads of government, we have strengthened our ties with India, the worlds largest democracy, on economic issues, security cooperation, science, and clean energy.On Afghanistan, the US Secretary of State said, this year the country will exercise full responsibility for its security forces, making possible a significant reduction in the US military presence.We will, however, continue to consult with Kabul on security matters, and to administer a robust train, advise, and assist mission. We are also requesting $1.5 billion to support the new Afghan unity government as it strives to implement reforms and improve economic performance.This aid will be targeted at helping Afghanistan to move ahead through better governance, investments in health, education, and infrastructure, and the equitable treatment of women and girls.

Nisar calls for forging unity to eliminate terrorism

Posted:

LONDON (Online) - Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has said Islam and terrorism are two different things.Talking to media in London on Tuesday, he said it has been negated to correlate Islam with terrorism in the unanimously approved resolution at the Washington summit.The Minister said some forces are fulfilling extremists agenda by linking Islam with terrorism. He said 99 percent of the people, who died in the war on terror, were Muslims and how Islam can propagate militancy. He said a section of western society is jesting Muslims religious personalities for its vested interests.He said the west must do more to stop the spread of Islamophobia and to vilify the great religion of Islam. He said the entire Muslim world condemned the attack on a satirical journal in Paris, but how irony it was that the paper republished caricatures of the Holy Prophet and this practice must be stopped.Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan stressed the need for regional and international coalition against terrorism.He said relationship between the United States and Pakistan are improving more and both the countries have unanimous views to curb terrorism.

Oil slips as traders expect new rise in US inventories

Posted:

NEW YORK (AFP) - Oil prices slipped Tuesday as traders estimated a key report will show another increase in US crude inventories that already are at record levels, exacerbating the global oversupply.US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for April delivery fell 17 cents, closing at $49.28 a barrel.In London, Brent North Sea crude for April, the global benchmark, closed at $58.66 a barrel, down 24 cents from Mondays closing level.Both futures contract had fallen sharply on Monday and Friday as traders worried about abundant global supplies amid slower economic growth, with no sign of a slowdown in rising US crude stockpiles.On Wednesday the US Department of Energy issues its weekly report on US crude and product stocks.Well probably have another build in US inventories that will put downward pressure on prices, said James Williams of WTRG Economics.Experts polled by Bloomberg News project inventories to have risen by 3.75 million barrels last week, from 425.6 million barrels total the previous week.Globally, crude supplies were boosted as oilfields in eastern Libya resumed pumping to the port of Hariga after a pipeline was repaired.The partial return of supply from Libya is weighing on the Brent price despite its sustainability being anything but certain, said Commerzbank analysts in a note to clients.Crude prices have fallen more than 50 percent since June. Prices have risen off their January lows following a slowdown in US drilling activity, but analysts say the volatility is likely to continue for some time.It is apparent by now that drilling in the US will slow, global production growth is expected to be lower, and demand, at least in the US, is reacting positively to lower prices, British bank Barclays said in a report.In short, the market is forecast to remain oversupplied for most of 2015, but expectations beyond that are for more balanced fundamentals.

Dollar little changed after Fed chair's testimony

Posted:

NEW YORK (AFP) - The dollar traded little changed against the euro and yen after Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen signaled a cautious approach to raising near-zero interest rates.Yellen, preparing the ground for a rate increase as early as mid-year, stressed that although the economy was now growing steadily, the labor market still shows cyclical weakness and inflation continues to fall.A high degree of policy accommodation remains appropriate, Yellen told the Senate Banking Committee.The Federal Open Market Committee, the Feds policy board, still considers it unlikely that it will need to hike the federal funds rate for at least the next couple of meetings, she said, effectively putting the earliest hike in mid-June.The Federal Reserve is in no rush to raise interest rates, Kathy Lien of BK Asset Management concluded.While the central bank governor expressed optimism about the economic outlook and inflation, she provided no signal on when interest rates would rise, Lien said.As a result, forex traders were sorely disappointed but equity and Treasury traders celebrated by sending stocks to record levels and Treasury prices higher.The euro also was supported after eurozone finance ministers agreed that Greeces proposed reforms were sufficient to extend the debt-riven countrys bailout, due to expire Saturday, to the end of June.Meaningful upside for the euro should remain a challenge given that Greeces stopgap debt measure only puts a momentary lid on the nations debt woes. Fears of a Greek exit and bankruptcy could flare anew in the months ahead, which could cap interest in the euro, said Joe Manimbo, senior market analyst at Western Union Business Solutions.

Scotland, Afghanistan both eye maiden World Cup win

Posted:

DUNEDIN (AFP) - Scotland and Afghanistan are each targeting a first-ever Cricket World Cup victory when they meet in Dunedin on Thursday.Both of the minnow nations have given more fancied opposition a scare at this years tournament but are yet to win a match.Afghanistan looked a realistic prospect of upsetting Sri Lanka last weekend when they reduced the former world champions to 51-4 before a Mahela Jayawardene century consigned them to a four-wicket defeat.Scotland gave co-hosts New Zealand some nervous moments when they took seven wickets as the Black Caps, one of the tournament favourites, chased a paltry 143-run target.Both of the non-Test playing associate nations have now lost two from two in their Pool A matches and have virtually no chance of reaching the quarter-finals, making a maiden victory their major goal for the tournament.The Scots, who have appeared at two previous World Cups but are still yet to win a match, followed up their stirring display against New Zealand with a lacklustre 119-run loss to England.But captain Preston Mommsen said his team were not disheartened and were putting in the hard graft needed to prepare for the Afghanistan match.Its a critical game for us, he said. Having played them quite a bit in recent times, its important that we put in a big performance.Scotland and Afghanistan have played each other eight times in one-day internationals, with the Scots on the wrong end of a 5-3 losing record.But they inflicted a heavy 150-run defeat on their opponents last time they met in Dubai last month, when Afghanistan were bowled out for 63 as medium pacer Josh Davey ran riot and ended with figures of six for 28.We know what we have to do to overcome them, said Scotland assistant coach Paul Collingwood, the gritty former England batsman.Collingwood said that elusive first victory was a major motivating factor for his side.Were not just here to enjoy the World Cup, were here to win games and well keep battling and trying to play the positive cricket we know can hopefully bring us a win.Afghanistans attack will be led by Hamid Hassan, who is shaping up as the cult hero of this years tournament, with his red bandanna and face paint in the national colours.He is Afghanistans leading wicket taker at the tournament with five dismissals, including Sri Lankas Kumar Sangakkara, which he celebrated with an unsteady cartwheel down the pitch.Hassan once described Afghanistan, who are making their tournament debut, as the Rambo of the cricket world and admits his look is based on the movies star Sylvester Stallone.I think that there is a similarity in the story of Rocky and the Afghanistan cricket team -- we both started at the bottom and gradually made our way up the rankings, he said.Many of Afghanistans players learned their cricket in refugee camps after fleeing their war-torn nation and a win in their first World Cup appearance would be a major achievement.

Sri Lanka seek World Cup lift

Posted:

MELBOURNE (AFP) - Perennial contenders Sri Lanka will fear their own inconsistent form more than their opponents when they meet Bangladesh in the World Cup at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Thursday.The Islanders, losing finalists in the last two editions, have had an uninspiring start to the 2015 event, with their batsmen struggling to cope with the conditions in New Zealand.Angelo Mathewss men were thrashed by the co-hosts in the tournament opener in Christchurch, going down by 98 runs after New Zealand had piled up 331 for six.A scare awaited them against Afghanistan in Dunedin, as the minnows fought tooth and nail before the Test side scraped through on the back of a century by the ever-reliable Mahela Jayawardene.Having been shot out for 232, the spirited Afghans reduced Sri Lanka to 18 for three and then 51 for four but failed to build on the momentum as Thisara Perera smashed an unbeaten 47 off 26 balls at the end.Having left New Zealand with two points from as many games, Sri Lanka will hope the change in scenery and conditions in Australia will galvanise their campaign.Sri Lanka, the 1996 champions, have proved far superior to Bangladesh, winning 32 of 37 one-day internationals against their Asian rivals so far, and their record in the World Cup is even better.Bangladesh were hammered by 10 wickets in 2003 and by 198 runs four years later in the teams only two previous World Cup meetings and Sri Lanka will be overwhelming favourites to extend the streak.Mathews admitted his team needed to raise their game with both bat and ball, but former captain Jayawardene preferred to look ahead positively.To play a tough match like the one against Afghanistan is probably a good thing because we handled a tough situation, he said. But there is a lot of room for improvement.If we can keep working at it and get everything right, it will be great.Star batsmen Kumar Sangakkara and Tillakaratne Dilshan are still to fire, but Sri Lankas main concern will be the indisciplined bowling which saw 16 wides and a no-ball conceded against Afghanistan.Pace spearhead Lasith Malinga has given away 125 runs in two matches at this tournament so far, showing he is a long way away from striking top form after recovering from ankle surgery last year.Bangladesh, meanwhile, find themselves in the enviable position of being unbeaten after two games after their second match against mighty Australia was washed out in Brisbane.The Tigers avenged the loss to Afghanistan in the Asia Cup at home last year with a comfortable 105-run win in Canberra, and now stand a good chance of qualifying for the quarter-finals out of Pool A.Two wins in their remaining four group matches will steer Bangladesh into the knockout phase, but with Sri Lanka, England, New Zealand and Scotland awaiting them, the task ahead is not easy.Former Zimbabwe captain Heath Streak, who is Bangladeshs bowling coach, said gaining a point against Australia meant his team could look ahead to the rest of the tournament with confidence.There is a lot in this game for us. If we can upset Sri Lanka who are obviously the favourites, it will give us a chance to make the quarter-finals, Streak said.The boys are very excited about it. 160 million people in Bangladesh are wishing them well and the boys are focused on the job at hand.Bangladesh, who will play at the MCG for the first time, have lost seamer Al-Amin Hossain, who was kicked out of the tournament for breaking a team curfew and replaced by Shafiul Islam.
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)