Friday 13 March 2015

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Emergency as blaze threatens Chile port city

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VALPARAISO (AFP) - Chile declared a state of emergency and precautionary evacuation Friday of up to 16,000 people as a raging forest fire threatened the historic port city of Valparaiso, where 15 people died in blazes last year.The fire started Friday in an area of grassland and pine forest near a major thoroughfare connecting Valparaiso -- a UNESCO world heritage site once dubbed the jewel of the Pacific -- with several villages.Warm temperatures and strong winds fanned the flames and the blaze was spreading, destroying about 500 hectares (1,200 acres) of land and advancing to within just a few miles of Valparaiso.The precautionary evacuation was carried out under the supervision of military and police in villages near the city and evacuees were moved to shelters.There were no immediate reports of death or injury, but the national emergency office declared a red alert in the area.We have taken the decision to declare a state of emergency in Vina del Mar and Valparaiso... and preventive evacuation in a range from 4,000 to 16,000 people, depending on the progress of the fire, said Mahmud Aleuy, Deputy Interior Secretary.Valparaiso is still rebuilding after it was ravaged by fire in April last year.Thousands of homes were destroyed in the flames, particularly in Valparaisos poorer neighborhoods, perched precariously on the coastal citys tinder-dry hillsides, where dwellings built mostly of wood with tin roofs quickly became engulfed.The port city of 270,000 is about 120 kilometers (75 miles) from the capital Santiago.

Facebook buys shopping search engine TheFind

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SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - Facebook on Friday waded further into e-commerce with the acquisition of shopping search engine TheFind.com.For the last nine years weve worked hard to bring you a shopping experience thats easy, efficient and fun -- searching all the stores on the web to find just the right products youre looking to buy, TheFind said in a message at its website.We are now starting our next chapter by combining forces with Facebook to do even more for consumers.Terms of the deal were not disclosed.Members of TheFind team are joining Facebook, where they plan to put their technology to work making ads at the leading social network more relevant, according to the post.The acquisition will result in TheFind.com shutting down in the next few weeks.Facebook has been playing catch-up regarding searching for information at the social network and becoming a middle-man of sorts for online commerce.Together, we believe we can make the Facebook ads experience even more relevant and better for consumers, the social network said in statement.TheFind -- Everything you need when shopping to quickly decide what to buy and where to buy it -- will shutter the Silicon Valley base it has operated from since launching in 2006 and move team members to Facebooks campus in Menlo Park, California.

Football: United face defining period after Cup exit

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MANCHESTER (AFP) - Manchester United will begin a five-game period which could define their season when they seek to recover from the bitter disappointment of their FA Cup exit in a Premier League clash against Tottenham on Sunday.After the meeting with Spurs at Old Trafford, Louis van Gaals side take on Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea in their next four games as the battle intensifies to qualify for the Champions League via a top-four finish.Aston Villa are the other team United must face in that period but van Gaal is in little doubt that, with only 10 games left in the season and with Arsenal having ended Uniteds interest in the FA Cup quarter-finals last Monday, this span of games will be crucial.You are right. It is very decisive, the coming matches, van Gaal said.Of course, after a defeat at home, it is also important to see the reaction of the team.We play against a very good team in Tottenham. We are so close with a lot of clubs. We can be second or third. It is not a big difference I believe.Manchester United has to be one of the teams who has to play in the Champions League. We have seen that this year. It is not good, surely, if it is the second year (without Champions League football).But it is always possible because you never win every game and there are a lot of clubs who are going for it. But we have the confidence to reach the goal that we have set at the beginning of the season.Van Gaal must decide whether to continue with Wayne Rooney in attack.After abandoning the use of the England centre-forward in a midfield position, van Gaal has seen his player score three times in as many games but has warned that Rooney is not guaranteed to remain up front.Now, in this moment, I think it is better to play Rooney (in attack), he said.But it can be another line-up on Sunday. It depends on what I see, the game plan of my opponent and then also from the suspensions I have or the injured players.I have said that Rooney is a striker who can also play in midfield. He has shown that. He has also played - once - as a defensive midfielder.Back on trackBack to back victories have helped Tottenham move on quickly from their League Cup final defeat against Chelsea and Mauricio Pochettinos side head to Old Trafford knowing a third successive win would move them level on points with United.We are having a great time, said Pochettino. We go to Manchester United believing in our style and we will try to win three points.We have full respect for United but we are very focused on our game, which is the most important thing.A lot of teams are fighting for the same target and we are very close, so we know it is very difficult.We have 10 games left, we will try to win at Manchester United and after that we will see what happens.Harry Kane will again lead the Spurs attack after scoring twice in last weekends 2-1 victory at QPR and this week collecting his second successive Premier League player of the month award.Pochettino, though, this week singled out one of his lower profile players for praise, insisting left-back Danny Rose deserves international recognition for his efforts this season.The defender is in contention for a place in Roy Hodgsons England squad for the forthcoming Euro 2016 qualifier with Lithuania and the Spurs manager is in no doubt Rose should be handed a call-up.In my opinion, he has been the best English left-back this season, said Pochettino.His performances have been great but after that its Roy Hodgsons decision, not mine.

Football: Terry tells Chelsea to forget Euro woe

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LONDON (AFP) - John Terry has challenged his Chelsea team-mates to put their painful Champions League defeat against Paris Saint Germain behind them when they resume their Premier League title challenge against Southampton on Sunday.Blues boss Jose Mourinho responded to the frustrating midweek loss to 10-man PSG by declaring his confidence in his players ability to bounce back after their bid for European success came to an abrupt halt.And his squad can justify that faith by tightening their grip at the top of the table with victory over Ronald Koemans side at Stamford Bridge.Mourinhos men are five points clear of second-placed Manchester City having played a game less than their nearest rivals.But the visit of a Southampton side aiming for a top four spot will provide a test of Chelseas resilience as the Blues attempt to add the English title to their League Cup triumph earlier this month.And Chelsea captain Terry admits there was no time for the players to feel sorry for themselves if they are to maintain their title bid.We have to pick ourselves up and go again at the weekend because its another big game against a very good Southampton side, Terry said.Weve got the League Cup out of the way, thats in our pocket, and now the Premier League is all weve got.Its a massive one to go for, were a few points clear and we need to keep that gap. We can only do that by responding and picking up three points at the weekend.We cant stay down because Southampton will come here on the front foot, theyre playing well and if were not at it well drop points.Hunger gamesMourinho revealed he had held a meeting with his players to dissect the PSG loss.And he points to the fact none of his players reported fresh injuries after that game as evidence of the hunger within his squad to put things right.My doctor told me, after the game, maybe tomorrow youll have a few injuries. Why? Because we lost, because people are sad, he said.Maybe therell be a couple of injuries. But zero injuries. Everybody wants to play.Chelseas away goals exit on Wednesday did not go unnoticed down at Southampton however.Southampton have dropped to seventh after winning just one of their last four games, but right-back Nathaniel Clyne believes Saints can capitalise on Chelseas woes.We saw them play against PSG and thought they looked a bit tired. Hopefully, we can capitalise on that, he said.We are fresh at the moment and, if we take the game to them, we can cause an upset.If we play the game we can play, it will be a good game, and hopefully we can get the points.It will be difficult - Chelsea are a good team with quality players, but we are up for the challenge.Clyne and his team-mates have enjoyed a 12-day break since their 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace and flew out to Switzerland for a training camp.The decision of manager Koeman to spurn the usual warm weather trip and head for the snow instead raised eyebrows but the Dutchman believes the contrast will benefit his side in the run-in.It was a good trip. It was something different, totally different to what were normally doing on a daily basis, he said.It was a different world, with different altitude to do some activities away from football and that was the most important. We came back to the training sessions this week to prepare for Chelsea.I also spoke to the team captains, Kelvin Davis and Jose Fonte about the trip. They mentioned Dubai and not snow but I said it was a good idea for the club.Some players were sceptical but everybody had a great time there.

Football: Celtic treble talk banned ahead of League Cup final

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GLASGOW (AFP) - Celtic take on Dundee United in Sundays League Cup final as they aim to complete the first part of what could be a potential domestic treble.The Hoops top the Scottish Premiership and face a quarter-final replay against United in the Scottish Cup next week after the sides played out a 1-1 draw at Tannadice last Sunday.It could be a memorable season for the Glasgow giants as Ronny Deila aims to become only the third Celtic manager to lead the club to a clean sweep of trophies in Scotland.However, Celtic striker Anthony Stokes insists that all treble talk has been banished from the Parkhead clubs dressing room as they fully focus on claiming the League Cup.The treble is on the cards and at a club like this you are expected to win every game - getting to semi-finals and finals arent good enough. You need to try and win the trophies, the Irish international said.But its a difficult ask. You look at Dundee United the other day, they showed great character in the game. And when you get so close to winning a trophy, teams dig deeper against you.We just need to focus on ourselves, worry about our performance, and if we perform to the standards we are capable of, then we will win the game.We are taking one competition as it comes. The treble is there and, of course, we want to do it - we want to win every trophy we are involved in. Ive said that before, but we just want to focus on Sunday first and its a big week coming up.Its a big day out and a big day for the fans and the club, and it could be another trophy in the cabinet. Thats what our main focus is on at the minute, preparing for that and making sure we turn up on the day and perform to our capabilities.The match at Hampden is the second of four clashes between the sides in a fortnight following last Sundays 1-1 draw in the Scottish Cup, with a league clash and the replay to follow.Past counts for nothingBoth sides have won one game each in their previous meetings in the league this season, with Celtic thrashing United 6-1 back in August while the Terrors triumphed 2-1 at Tannadice in December.However, United defender Jarek Fojut says the sides previous encounters this season will count for nothing when they clash again on Sunday.I am looking at this game the same way as I did the first one in the Scottish Cup, simply as a match to win, the Polish defender said.It will be a different game to the one at Parkhead earlier this season when we lost 6-1, or the one in December at Tannadice that we won 2-1, or even the cup tie at the weekend that we drew.We want to lift the Cup and it doesnt matter what has happened before. We will focus only on ourselves and hope we all have our best games at Hampden because I feel we will have to do that to win.Celtics Virgil van Dijk and Dundee Uniteds Paul Paton will be available for Sundays League Cup final between the sides after their bans were overturned.An altercation saw both players dismissed during last Sundays Scottish Cup tie.The Scottish Football Associations judicial panel overturned those red cards, freeing both players to play in the final.United striker Nadir Ciftci is suspended for the match while former United pair Gary Mackay and Steven and Stuart Armstrong, who signed for Celtic in January, are cup-tied.FixtureSunday (1500 GMT)Scottish League Cup final (Hampden Park, Glasgow)Dundee United v Celtic

Football: Spanish clubs unite in face of English onslaught

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MADRID (AFP) - It boasts the European champions at club and international level, the worlds two best players and the highest UEFA coefficient rating of any league in Europe, but La Liga is rushing to up its act when it comes to selling television rights.The English Premier Leagues record GBP 5.1 billion ($7.8 billion, 6.9 billion euros) deal to sell their rights to broadcasters BT and Sky Sports for the three seasons between 2016-19 has reverberated around Europe as a cause for concern for the competition on the continent.La Liga is the only major league in Europe where the teams continue to sell the rights to their games on a club-by-club basis rather than as a collective group.That has benefited some, namely Spanish footballs two giants Real Madrid and Barcelona, who have managed to obtain contracts worth an estimated 140 million euros a season, amounting to almost 50 percent of the whole pot when it comes to Spanish TV rights.While the arms race for the worlds biggest stars between Real and Barca has escalated in recent years, there has been an exodus of the best players from every other team in the top flight with England often the destination.Last seasons La Liga champions Atletico Madrid sold top-scorer Diego Costa and Filipe Luis to Chelsea, a year after losing Manchester Uniteds Radamel Falcao to the then free-spending Monaco.Indeed, Spains World Cup squad in 2014 did not contain a single player who didnt play for one of the top three in La Liga or abroad.What is happening right now in La Liga is shameful, Espanyol president Joan Collet told AFP in an exclusive interview.Collective bargainingThat those clubs that make the most earn in some cases 12 times more than the poorest is a scandal that doesnt happen anywhere else in Europe.In a bid to push the clubs into a collective agreement, both the Spanish Professional League (LFP) and the countrys football federation have pressured the government to pass a law that will force the clubs to bargain collectively with broadcasters from the 2016-17 season onwards.What is going to happen in the coming days is decisive for Spanish football, LFP president Javier Tebas said last week.The most immediate concern is the decree for the centralised sale of television rights.Tebas has even suggested the league could strike if a solution is not found before a meeting scheduled for March 25.Jose Maria Gay de Liebana, a professor of economics at the University of Barcelona and a respected commentator on the finances of Spanish football, concurs that the delay in agreeing a collective deal has left the game in Spain lagging behind off the field and could have even more drastic consequences on it.This generates a handicap for Spanish football, he told AFP.It means that the money doesnt come into Spanish football as it should and therefore it loses its competitiveness.Madrid and Barca need competition from the likes of Atletico, Sevilla, Valencia, Villarreal. They need strong clubs, that way there is a spectacle.Old failingsIf they are winning seven or 8-0 every week it doesnt arouse interest.Barcelona vice-president Manuel Arroyo admits that the Premier League deal is worrying, even for the Catalan giants given the financial muscle it will give their English rivals, but concedes it is the best way forward for La Liga.Barcelona are aware that this difference isnt sustainable and, therefore, we are in favour of working together so that the league can improve its income.Collet says that Espanyols negotiations for the 2015-16 season will see them net around 24 million euros, but believes a collective agreement could see them net 40-50 percent more.By contrast, a side of a similar stature in the Premier League can expect to make upwards of 100 million euros a season once the new deal comes in.However, Collet also has concerns that old failings could also derail a new system.Firstly, he insists that Spains traditionally late kick-off times on Saturday and Sunday nights minimises its impact in the lucrative Asian market.Even more significantly, he fears Madrid and Barcas dominant position could be reinforced by the proposed system whereby 50 percent of the revenue would be split evenly and the remaining half divided up based on factors such as league position and size of fan base.Yet, more than just the spectacle, there is also the future financial viability of the clubs to take into account.Despite overdue efforts to fight the problem, Spanish clubs are heavily indebted to the taxman to the tune of over 400 million euros.Collet is in favour of any increase in TV revenue that could come the clubs way being used to ease that debt.I have proposed publicly that when they pay us what we deserve, the clubs use that money to clear the debt with the tax authorities.If in the end the revenues are what we think they can be, the clubs could wipe out that debt in five to six years.

Football: Pellegrini determined not to be pushed out at City

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LONDON (AFP) - Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini insists he plans to see out his contract at Eastlands even if the Premier League champions surrender the title to Chelsea.Pellegrini has come under fire after an indifferent spell which has seen Citys title defence falter and left their Champions League hopes in a precarious state after a 2-1 home defeat against Barcelona in the last 16 first leg.The Chilean, whose current deal expires in 2016, knows there is precedent for City to sack a title-winning manager, having done so to Roberto Mancini just two years ago, and rumours this week have linked Pellegrini with a move to Napoli.With City five points behind leaders Chelsea, who have a game in hand, Pellegrini desperately needs a confidence-boosting win at struggling Burnley on Saturday ahead of the return trip to Barcelona.But he is confident of surviving for at least another year regardless of this seasons finale.My future is very easy. I have contract here until June 2016 and I will finish my contract here and if I can extend my contract, I will extend my contract, he said.When I sign a contract, I always try to finish my contract in the amount of years I sign at the beginning.If I am not happy, maybe you try and finish your contract before (but) here I am very happy. I will continue without any problems until the end of my contract.Seeking solaceOn Sunday, Chelsea will turn back to domestic matters for solace following their dramatic and ill-tempered elimination from the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain in midweek.After victory over Tottenham in the League Cup final, Jose Mourinhos side looked poised to sweep all before them over the seasons final weeks, only to tumble out of European competition on away goals after a fiery 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.The conduct of Chelseas players, who swarmed around referee Bjorn Kuipers as he sent off Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and their failure to overcome 10-man opposition saw them pilloried in the British press on Thursday.They remain extremely well placed in the title race, but Southampton will be eager to exploit any frailty -- physical and psychological -- when they visit the Bridge on Sunday.We have to pick ourselves up and go again at the weekend now, said Chelsea captain John Terry. Theres enough experience in the squad to rally round and get everyone going again.Weve got the League Cup in the pocket and the Premier League is a massive one to go for. The manager said if we can win the Capital One Cup and the Premier League, it will be a very successful year.Southampton will come here playing on the front foot and if were not at it, well drop points and slip away in the Premier League.Arsene Wengers side host West Ham United on Saturday, bolstered by a 2-1 victory at Manchester United on Monday that took them into the semi-finals of the FA Cup.Arsenal also have one eye on the second leg of their Champions League last 16 tie at Monaco next week, when they must seek to overturn a 3-1 deficit, and Wenger says the time has come for his players to show their worth.You have to stand up to be strong enough, to fight, to show that you have the courage and that youre not inhibited because youre under pressure, and thats the difficulty of the modern player, he told the Arsenal website.Uniteds defeat by Arsenal left Louis van Gaals side with only a top-four finish to play for and they are under increasing pressure from Liverpool and also Tottenham, who visit Old Trafford on Sunday.Spurs have won on their last two trips to Old Trafford and should they repeat the feat, they would go level on points with United, who would sink to fifth place if Liverpool then won at Swansea City on Monday.FixturesSaturday (1500 GMT unless otherwise stated):Arsenal v West Ham United, Burnley v Manchester City (1730 GMT), Crystal Palace v Queens Park Rangers (1245 GMT), Leicester City v Hull City, Sunderland v Aston Villa, West Bromwich Albion v Stoke CitySunday (1600 GMT unless otherwise stated):Chelsea v Southampton (1330 GMT), Everton v Newcastle United, Manchester United v Tottenham HotspurMonday (2000 GMT):Swansea City v Liverpool

Mexico jails US producer 12 years for wife's murder

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MEXICO CITY (AFP) - A Mexican court has sentenced a former producer of the US television show Survivor to 12 years in prison for murdering his wife in Cancun, but prosecutors may seek a harsher sentence.Bruce Beresford-Redman, 43, was convicted Thursday of killing Monica Burgos, 41, his Brazilian-born wife of 11 years, at a beach resort during a family vacation in April 2010.Her naked and bruised body was found in a septic tank at the resort, two days after her husband reported her missing during a vacation with their two young children.In addition to the prison sentence, Beresford-Redman was also ordered to pay 43,000 pesos ($2,800) in compensation.The chief prosecutor for Quintana Roo state, Gaspar Armando Garcia Torres, said the 12-year sentence was light and that he would review the ruling to decide whether to push for 50 years.The producers lawyers said they will appeal the ruling on Friday, saying in a statement that the the trial was plagued with irregularities and the sentence was handed down without evidence against Beresford-Redman.Beresford-Redman became the prime suspect after witnesses reported hearing a loud argument between the couple. They had been married for 11 years.The producer was forbidden from leaving Mexico but returned to the United States, where he was eventually detained and extradited back to Mexico in 2012.In the extradition order, a US prosecutor said Beresford-Redman was suspected of killing his wife to cash in on her life insurance, get custody of the children and continue an extramarital affair with a colleague.US embassy spokesman Mark Johnson said Beresford-Redman has been getting consular assistance since his arrest. The last jail visit by a consular officer was on February 25.We will continue to follow this case closely and provide all possible consular assistance, Johnson told AFP.

Thousands rally in Brazil in defense of Petrobras

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SAO PAULO (AFP) - Tens of thousands of people demonstrated across Brazil on Friday in support of scandal-plagued state oil giant Petrobras and in defense of democracy, ahead of a weekend protest against President Dilma Rousseff.Protesters hit the streets in 24 state capitals around the country, including a wet Sao Paulo, where organizers estimated 100,000 people marched in a defiant and colorful rally, as police kept a close watch.Many wore the red of Rousseffs ruling Workers Party.I am for Dilma, in defense of democracy, but I am also against corruption, Gerson Tadeu Conti, a doctor, 67, told AFP outside the headquarters of Petrobras, in Sao Paulo.Nearly 150,000 people rallied around Brazil, said the Single Confederation of Workers (CUT). Police put the number at 32,000.They were also demanding political and agrarian reform, and an end to corruption.In Rio de Janeiro, a range of speakers -- student representatives, trade unionists, petroleum workers, bank employees -- all took turns to speak to the crowd from the top of a truck in the city center, before marching to a Petrobras office.I defend Petrobras because its our heritage. But I also want politicians to be able to manage without corruption because it affects the image of our country, Rubens Pessanha, 50, an oil sector worker, told AFP.Fridays protests mark the beginning of what promises to be a turbulent few days for the under pressure Rousseff, with growing calls for a major turn-out against her on Sunday.Just months into a new term, her ruling coalition has been badly tainted by the graft scandal that has enveloped Petrobras, Brazils biggest company and once a source of pride for many in the country.Dozens of political figures -- some close allies of Rousseff -- and former Petrobras executives are under suspicion over a scheme facilitating corruption and money laundering that saw an estimated $3.8 billion creamed off inflated contracts over a decade.Nobody has yet been convicted, but some of the alleged wrongdoing took place while Rousseff was chairwoman of the Petrobras board. She is not being investigated.

US does not want to see Syrian regime 'collapse': CIA

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NEW YORK (AFP) - CIA Director John Brennan said Friday the United States does not want to see a chaotic collapse of the Syrian regime as it could open the way to Islamist extremists taking power.The spy agency chief said Washington had reason to worry about who might replace President Bashar al-Assad if his government fell, given the rise of the Islamic State group and other jihadists in Syria.I think thats a legitimate concern, Brennan said when asked if the US government feared who might succeed Assad.Speaking at an event at the Council on Foreign Relations, he said that extremist elements including the IS group and Al-Qaeda veterans are ascendant right now in some parts of Syria.The last thing we want to do is allow them to march into Damascus.Thats why its important to bolster those forces within the Syrian opposition that are not extremists, Brennan said.The US military is funding the training and arming of moderate Syrian rebel forces but the effort is only now getting off the ground.Washingtons stance is that Assad should have no role in Syrias future but President Barack Obamas administration and other governments wanted to see a political solution that would ensure a representative government, he said.None of us, Russia, the United States, coalition, and regional states, wants to see a collapse of the government and political institutions in Damascus, Brennan said.IS exploits digital mediaInterviewed before a live audience by PBS television journalist Charlie Rose, the CIA chief also described the viral nature of the threat posed by the Islamic State group, saying it represented a change from previous terror organizations.IS is skilled at exploiting social media to spread its propaganda and recruit, enabling it to extend its reach in a way that was difficult to track and deter, according to Brennan.ISIL demonstrates a very worrisome development. It has been a phenomenon that has snowballed in terms of its resonance and appeal, he said, using an alternative acronym for the group.The emergence of the Islamic State extremists in Iraq has seen Washington and Tehran waging war against the same common adversary.Asked about possible coordination between Iran and the United States against the IS, Brennan suggested the two arch-foes are cooperating indirectly through Iraqi partners to defeat the jihadists.Theres an alignment of some interests between ourselves and Iran when it comes to fighting the IS jihadists in Iraq, he said.We work with closely with the Iraqi government. The Iranians work closely with the Iraqi government as well, he said.Brennan also defended negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program, saying the US government has weighed key aspects of a potential agreement with great care.The talks between world powers and Iran have raised a political firestorm in Washington, with Republican opponents of Obama accusing his administration of preparing to make damaging concessions to Tehran.But the CIA chief insisted there was no reckless push for a deal.This is not something thats being done in any haphazard way, he said.He added he was confident that the United States and other powers taking part would insist on minimum requirements that we are not going to reduce.

Formula One: Van der Garde won't race in Melbourne Grand Prix

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MELBOURNE (AFP) - Formula One driver Giedo van der Garde Saturday said he would give up his right to compete in the Australian Grand Prix, ending a legal saga which threatened to overshadow the season-opening race.With respect to the interest of motorsport, and F1 in particular, I have decided to give up my legal rights to race this weekend at the Melbourne Grand Prix, the Dutch driver said on his Facebook page.As I am a passionate race driver this decision has been very difficult for me, he wrote, while a Victorian state court confirmed the Australian legal battle had ended.Former reserve driver van der Garde took the case to court after claiming he was guaranteed a seat for the 2015 season by Sauber last year but they reneged on the deal.Instead, the Swiss outfit had opted for heavily sponsored drivers Felipe Nasr and Marcus Ericsson.Van der Garde originally took his case to a Swiss arbitration tribunal, which ordered Sauber to keep him on the team. A Victoria Supreme Court ruling backed that decision on Wednesday, enforcing it in Australia.Sauber appealed the ruling but lost, and the outfit faced a potential contempt of court action if they failed to agree to the Australian courts decision.In the Victorian Supreme Court on Saturday, it was revealed that legal teams for the two sides had continued discussions through the night, before coming to an acceptable arrangement.My management will continue talks with Sauber early next week to find a mutually acceptable solution for the current situation that has now arisen, van der Garde said.Ericsson and Nasr were both listed on the boards as Saubers drivers on Friday.

Portugal hit by anti-austerity strike

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LISBON (AFP) - Schools, hospitals, courts and state offices across Portugal were hit by a day-long strike on Friday called by civil servants fed up with austerity-linked salary and job cuts.Banners were put up in front of many institutions proclaiming closed due to the strike. The protest was called by federations linked to the two main trade unions, the CGTP and UGT.Civil servants have had enough, its a cry of revolt, they cannot make any more sacrifices, said Ana Avoila, the coordinator of a group staging the protest.Surgical procedures in hospitals were delayed or cancelled, while the main union of teachers claimed that a million pupils from kindergarten age to high schoolers could not attend classes.Garbage disposal facilities and public transport were also affected.Portugals centre-right government has embarked on a major belt-tightening plan. The parliament last year passed a law providing salary cuts of between 3.5 percent and 10 percent for civil servants earning 1,500 euros or more a month.It also extended the 35-hour working week by five hours to 40.In May last year, Portugal exited a three-year, 78-billion-euro ($88-billion) bailout programme from the European Union and International Monetary Fund but the government still has to cut spending to meet budget targets.The civil servants have suffered the most punishment due to the policies imposed by the troika of lenders, said Luis Lobo, a spokesman for the teachers union, referring to the IMF, EU and the European Central Bank.Since 2011, our salaries have gone down by 11 percent, he said.Since the start of the austerity programme in 2011, more than 71,000 jobs in the public sector have been cut.

Devastating storm pounds Pacific Island of Vanuatu

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SUVA (AFP) - A devastating tropical cyclone has smashed into the South Pacific island nation of Vanuatu and is believed to have caused widespread destruction, with fears Saturday that dozens of people may have died.Communications were knocked out in much of the region by Cyclone Pam, a maximum category five storm, and aid agencies said it could be several hours before a clear picture emerged.The UN office for the co-ordination of humanitarian affairs said Saturday it was checking an unconfirmed report of 44 dead.People spent the night in makeshift shelters, the Red Cross Pacific regional head Aurelia Balpe told AFP, as Pam, packing winds of more than 250 kilometres (155 miles) per hour, slammed into the island.The storm crossed the main Vanuatu island where more than 65,000 people live and a group of islands further south which are home to 33,000 people.The Australian Bureau of Meteorology, which has been monitoring the storm, said most parts of Vanuatu had been affected.The storm reportedly changed course at the last minute, hitting the capital Port Vila harder than expected.Its really bad out there. The wind is howling with a deep roar that just doesnt let up. Anyone not in shelter now is in mortal danger, the administrator of the Humans of Vanuatu Facebook page wrote.The news reports that a communications tower on Ambrym island has fallen down. There seem to have been fatalities, but of course its impossible to confirm just now.Power was out in much of Vanuatu and communications were cut, although aid agency Save the Children said Pam is feared to have caused widespread damage and it was preparing to mount a humanitarian response.Red Cross was also assessing what was required in terms of food, medicine and shelter.The Vanuatu Meteorological Service has forecast very destructive hurricane-force winds, torrential rain and flash flooding for most of Saturday.

No arrest close in shooting of Ferguson cops: police

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FERGUSON (AFP) - Investigators are working around the clock and have many leads but are not close to arresting anyone over the shooting of two police officers in racially charged Ferguson, a police chief said Friday.Nearly 48 hours after the officers were shot just when a demonstration was ending, St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar admitted to reporters: I cannot tell you at this point that an arrest is imminent. There is certainly nobody in custody.When we get to the point where we feel like we have active leads, if we can do anything through you to have the community assist us, we will certainly let you know.Ferguson hit the headlines in August when a white policeman fatally shot unarmed black teenager Michael Brown, setting off protests that spread to major cities across the United States and triggered a national debate about police tactics, especially in relation to African Americans.Last week a scathing US Justice Department report faulted Ferguson for using its police and municipal court to generate revenue by targeting the African-American majority in the St. Louis suburb of 21,000.Wednesday nights shooting came hours after Fergusons embattled police chief Thomas Jackson resigned. The city manager and municipal judge have also quit.One of the police officers was hit in the face, the other in the shoulder, sparking a manhunt for those responsible and putting the flashpoint town on edge once more.Neither police officer was seriously hurt.Police raided a red-brick bungalow on Thursday and took in three people for questioning. They were later released and detectives Friday appeared no closer to finding who was responsible for the shooting.Please appreciate the fact that we have a situation where many leads come in to us, Belmar said. There were several leads that came in to us regarding that specific house. We were able to investigate that.He added: The detectives are looking into this investigation around the clock. They will not rest until we get to the point of where we have a conclusion regarding this investigation.Officers are concernedSince Thursday, St. Louis County Police and Missouris highway patrol have taken over responsibility for monitoring the nightly protests outside Fergusons police station.President Barack Obama condemned Wednesdays shooting during an appearance on the Jimmy Kimmel Live late-night TV talk show.What had been happening in Ferguson was oppressive and objectionable and was worthy of protest, Obama said, referring to Browns death and the findings that black Americans were targeted by overzealous policing in the town, where most of the force is white.But there was no excuse for criminal acts, he said.Calls for Fergusons Republican mayor James Knowles to resign have been growing, but he told CNN that he intends to remain in the office that he won by acclamation last year, prior to Browns shooting.There are ways to remove me if that is the will of the people, Knowles said, referring to the ability for local residents to petition for the recall of a disliked elected official.Knowles told National Public Radio that Ferguson remains tense.Officers are concerned for their safety. Residents are concerned for their own safety right now, he said.Separately, in the Midwest state of Wisconsin, coroners said another unarmed African-American high-school student fatally shot by police was struck in the head, torso and upper body.

US stocks end volatile week lower

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NEW YORK (AFP) - The rising dollar and sinking oil prices dragged US stocks lower in a volatile week that also included the Apple Watch launch and news of Disneys Frozen movie sequel.The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended at 17,749.31, down 107.47 points (0.60 percent). The blue-chip index had triple-digit swings on four of the weeks five sessions.The broad-based S&P 500 shed 17.86 (0.86 percent) to 2,053.40, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index lost 55.61 (1.13 percent) at 4,871.76.The market is very volatile right now because investors have a lot of questions, said Alan Skrainka, chief investment officer at Cornerstone Wealth Management.The dollar finished the week at a 12-year peak against the euro after the European Central Bank launched monetary stimulus Monday.That came on the heels of a strong US jobs report that increased expectations the US Federal Reserve would move more quickly to lift interest rates.Markets spent much of the week brooding over the speed of the dollars ascent, as well as the problems associated with a strong greenback, such as the drag on US exports and the hit to emerging economies that hold dollar-denominated debt.It also hurts the foreign earnings of US companies.If you look at the causes for market weakness today, many point to the very significant move higher in the dollar, said David Levy, portfolio manager at Kenjol Capital Management.This certainly is viewed negatively by US multinationals earning most of their revenues outside.Oil drops againThe strong greenback also acted as an anchor to oil prices, which are denominated in dollars. US crude prices finished the week at $44.84 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, down nearly 10 percent from last week.US oil production remains elevated, prompting a warning by International Energy Agency that US crude inventories are near capacity amid a global crude oversupply.Lower oil prices offer consumer relief with lower gasoline prices. But they also have bruised petroleum-linked equities and have sparked worries as a sign of economic weakness.In corporate action, Apple stayed in focus with the launch of the Apple Watch, which can handle messaging, calls and various apps. The device has lifted hopes for yet another winning new product.But Apple also suffered embarrassment when a nearly 12-hour outage of iTunes and other popular online services depressed sales worldwide.Disney won cheers from younger fans when it made official its plans for Frozen 2, a sequel to the 2013 animated movie that earned nearly $1.3 billion and spawned a host of merchandise and theme park initiatives.General Motors announced $5 billion in share repurchases, averting a proxy fight with activist investor Harry Wilson.Merger activity remained robust, especially in the highly acquisitive pharmaceutical industry.Ireland-based Endo International offered $11.25 billion to acquire Salix Pharmaceuticals in a deal that would quash a rival bid from Valeant Pharmaceuticals International.Mall giant Simon Property also went public with a hostile bid for Macerich, which owns and operates shopping malls in the western US, valued at $22.4 billion.Next weeks calendar includes corporate earnings from FedEx and Tiffany.But the weeks most closely-watched event will be Wednesdays statement by the Fed, which is expected to keep alive the prospects of a rate hike in 2015, perhaps as early as June.Whatever the Fed says will be critical, said Tom Cahill, a portfolio strategist at Ventura Wealth Management.
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