Monday 6 April 2015

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Obama, Castro will have chance to meet: White House

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - US President Barack Obama and Cubas Raul Castro will have an opportunity for an historic face-to-face meeting at the Summit of the Americas this week, a senior White House official told AFP Monday.There will be time for the leaders of Cuba and the United States to meet, said Ricardo Zuniga, the National Security Councils Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs. There will be some type of interaction.Both Obama and Castro are attending the Summit of the Americas in Panama, which starts on Friday.Zuniga -- a top Obama aide who is credited with helping thaw tensions that had lingered long after the end of the Cold War -- described Communist Cubas participation, after years of bad blood, as historic.In December 2013, after five decades of bilateral antagonism Obama and Castro shook hands briefly at Nelson Mandelas memorial service in Johannesburg.A year later, Castro and Obama spoke by telephone, as the US leader announced they would seek to restore full diplomatic ties, including plans to re-open the US embassy in Havana.But the summit in Panama could see the first substantive meeting since John F. Kennedy was president a half century ago.Still, Zuniga played down suggestions of a formal bilateral sit-down -- which would thrash out points of contention between the two former foes.The only bilateral meeting that we have scheduled during the summit is between President Obama and President (Juan Carlos) Varela of Panama.

RugbyL: Radford relieved as Hull recover from derby despair

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LONDON (AFP) - Hull FC coach Lee Radford admitted the triumph over champions St Helens tasted even sweeter in the aftermath of his sides recent derby defeat.Injury-ravaged St Helens were forced to hand teenagers Ricky Bailey and Jack Ashworth their first starts and Hull took advantage to score a morale-boosting Super League win on Monday.A Tommy Makinson try and goal, allied to Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrooks effort, saw St Helens take a first half lead, but Jamie Shaul and Curtis Naughton crossed for Hull to keep it close.Leon Pryce and Jordan Turner swapped tries in the second half before one-time South Sydney Rabbitoh Fetuli Talanoa edged Hull ahead and Shaul grabbed his second to seal a 28-20 victory.The win came on the back of their loss to Hull KR in the 224th city derby and Radford could not hide his delight.I am really pleased for the group, the team and the owner, he said.It has been a really difficult camp from Thursdays result and the manner of the defeat.On the back of that disappointment, to pull ourselves off the canvas like we did, was impressive.It is a little bit of a war of attrition and it tends to be the team that wants it most that takes the spoils.Elsewhere on Monday, Warrington Wolves coach Tony Smith conceded his side had taken another knock to their confidence after losing their fourth consecutive game in a 22-14 defeat to Castleford Tigers.Stefan Ratchford and Ryan Atkins scored tries for Wolves after Jordan Tanseys opener but Luke Dorn levelled things up.Ben Roberts and Adam Milner then followed over in the second half, with Kevin Pennys late try proving scant consolation for Warrington.They didnt have to do an awful lot with the ball and we made too many errors, said Smith.Were down on a bit of confidence and some things weve normally done in the past arent quite sticking.Its just about hard work, we have to stick with it and keep working hard -- itll come around.Costly inaccuracyShaun Wane said inaccuracy cost his Wigan Warriors side dearly as the afterglow of their victory over St Helens was quickly dimmed with a 24-18 loss to Salford Red Devils.Wigan gained some measure of revenge for their 2014 Grand Final defeat by beating the Saints 12-4, but finished the weekend in fifth after an impressive Reds performance.Ben Jones-Bishop scored the pick of Salfords tries with a solo burst, while Niall Evalds (2) and Michael Dobson also found their way over the whitewash.Salford forward and former Parramatta Eel Weller Hauraki, already in trouble with the league for a high tackle at Huddersfield Giants, and Warrior John Batemen were sent off late on for their involvement in a brawl.Friday was tough and took a lot out of us, but the best team won and we didnt test them enough, Wane said.I think we were a little bit dumb with the ball but could still have won it if wed been a bit smarter.The red card incident seemed like a lot of blokes running in and doing nothing before the red cards. I will have to look at it in detail.

Football: Saint-Etienne next in epic PSG trophy hunt

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PARIS (AFP) - Paris Saint-Germain face eight games in 23 days as they chase four trophies, beginning with a French Cup semi-final against Saint-Etienne on Wednesday.With the clock ticking down on an epic sweep the Parisians are in high morale after beating bitter rivals Marseille 3-2 at the Stade Velodrome on Sunday to return to the top of Ligue 1.Paris and St Etienne have won the Cup 14 (eight and six respectively) times between them and with second tier Auxerre hosting mid-table Guingamp, who are the current Cup holders, in the other semi-final on Tuesday, the big guns will feel this is the toughest obstacle to overcome on the way to lifting the cup.For PSG, the big games are coming thick and fast as they sit a point clear of Lyon at the top of the league.They also take on Bastia at the Stade de France in the League Cup final next Saturday before welcoming the mighty Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-final, first-leg next Wednesday.In that bruising but morale boosting win over Marseille, Paris lost two key players to potentially long-term injuries as David Luiz and Thiago Motta left the pitch with muscle problems.PSG midfielder Blaise Matuidi said the injuries were worrying for the upcoming matches, but promised the team would fight to the end.His coach Laurent Blanc was euphoric with the Marseille win, but his face clouded over the injuries. Well savour the victory, but we paid an expensive price, he mused.But Paris can still count on Zlatan Ibrahimovic against St Etienne, although the talismanic Swede goes before a disciplinary commission on Thursday after making scathing comments about the referee and France itself following PSGs 3-2 top flight defeat at Bordeaux on March 15.AS he is also banned against Barcelona for the first-leg, Blanc will be expecting a fully-committed performance in the Cup from the star striker, who was rumoured this week to have applied for an American work visa.St Etienne coach Christophe Galtier has asked his players to play without fear after three defeats to the Parisians so far this season.They havent lost a single match at home in any competition this season, so well have to play beyond ourselves, he told the clubs website.He also revealed theyd be playing a busy, pressing game and that the team had been working on their penalties, as there are no replays in the French Cup.Well go Paris to play, well be generous on that level, because we dont want to come away with any regrets, he said.In their last outing, fifth placed St Etienne drew 1-1 at fourth placed Monaco, but welcome back two top players in Jeremy Clement and Max-Alain Gradel for the PSG match.In Tuesdays game, the holders take on an Auxerre side dreaming of recapturing the glory days.After many years in the top flight Auxerre were relegated in 2012.They had won a league and cup double under legendary coach Guy Roux in 1996 while also lifting the cup in 1994, 2003 and 2005.Fixtures (both 1900 GMT)TuesdayAuxerre v GuingampWednesdayParis Saint-Germain v Saint-Etienne

S. Korean businessmen travel to Kaesong over wage dispute

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SEOUL (AFP) - A group of South Korean businessmen travelled to the Kaesong joint industrial zone in North Korea on Tuesday to address a damaging wage dispute hanging over their companies there.The North announced last month that it would unilaterally raise the wages of the roughly 54,000 North Korean workers employed at the 125 South Korean firms operating in Kaesong.South Korea demurred, insisting that employment conditions in the zone could only be adjusted with the agreement of both sides.With the Norths unilateral proposal supposed to take effect Friday, the South Korean owners are concerned their company managers might come under intense pressure to comply.The 17-member delegation undertaking the one-day trip on Tuesday was led by Chung Ki-Sup, who heads the council of South Korean companies operating in Kaesong.Another delegation member, Yoo Chang-Geun, told reporters they would talk to the local company managers and push for a meeting with the North Korean authorities.Until now, Pyongyang has rejected Seouls requests for official talks on the dispute, arguing it has no need to consult over its legitimate right to amend working conditions in Kaesong.The South has cited an existing agreement that any wage rise has to be agreed by a joint committee overseeing the management of the park, which lies some 10 kilometres on the North side of the border.The Norths proposal would increase the average monthly sum the South pays for each worker -- including allowances, welfare and overtime -- from $155 to $164.Seouls Unification Ministry has sent an official letter to the South Korean companies in Kaesong, reportedly threatening disciplinary measures if they yield to the Norths pressure on the wage issue.In 2013, the North effectively closed down the industrial park for five months by withdrawing its workers following a surge in military tensions.Many of the South Korean firms operating there, mostly manufacturers of low-priced household goods, are still reeling from financial losses from the shutdown.Born out of the sunshine reconciliation policy initiated in the late 1990s by then-South Korean president Kim Dae-Jung, Kaesong opened in 2004 and proved remarkably resilient, riding out repeated inter-Korean crises that closed down every other facet of cooperation.The Norths decision to pull out its workforce in 2013 took most by surprise, especially as it was the North that reaped the greatest financial benefit from its operations.The hard currency wages paid by the South Korean firms in Kaesong are kept by the state, which passes on a fraction -- in local currency -- to the actual workers.The South Korean businesses get cheap, Korean-language labour, as well as preferential loans and tax breaks from the South Korean government, which also effectively underwrites their investment.

Fate of Boston bomber entrusted to US jury

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BOSTON (AFP) - The fate of Boston bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev will be entrusted to jurors Tuesday when they start deliberating the guilt of the 21-year-old American accused of carrying out the deadly 2013 attacks.Three people were killed and 264 others wounded in the twin blasts at the citys marathon, the worst attack in the United States since the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.Government prosecutors portrayed the Muslim immigrant, who became a US citizen in 2012, as a callous terrorist who carried out the bombings to bring holy war to the northeastern US city and punish the United States.Tsarnaevs lawyers admit that he planted one of the bombs, but have portrayed him as a feckless accomplice, bullied or manipulated into taking part by his more radical elder brother.From Tuesday, the jury must decide whether Tsarnaev is guilty on 30 counts related to the April 15, 2013 attacks, and the subsequent murder of a police officer, a car jacking and a shootout with police while on the run.Seventeen of those charges carry the possibility of the death penalty.The first stage of the one-month trial wrapped up Monday with closing statements from the government and the defense, and lengthy jury instructions from federal Judge George OToole.If Tsarnaev is convicted, the trial will enter a second stage, when the jury determines whether he should be executed or spend the rest of his life behind bars without parole -- the only sentencing options available.Prosecutors spent four weeks building their case, calling 92 witnesses in an effort to paint Tsarnaev as an active and willing bomber alongside his elder brother, who was killed by police while on the run.Wanted to punish AmericaHe wanted to terrorize this country. He wanted to punish America for what it was doing to his people, assistant US attorney Aloke Chakravarty told the court in an emotional closing statement on Monday.That day they felt they were soldiers, that they were bringing their battle to Boston, added Chakravarty.They portrayed a cold, callous killer -- a marijuana-smoking, laid-back student who had recently failed a number of exams and become an avid reader of the Islamist literature that investigators found on his computer.They claimed he was self-radicalized as early as high school, plotted the attacks up to a year in advance and was influenced by the teachings of US-Yemen cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, who was killed in a drone strike in 2011.The prosecution showed the jury photographs and videos, filling the court with the screams of victims, the sight of blood, and the panic, fear and chaos after the bombings.This was a cold, calculated terrorist act. It was intentional. It was bloodthirsty, said Chakravarty.Prosecutors say the brothers carried out the attacks as partners to avenge the deaths of fellow Muslims overseas after learning how to build pressure-cooker bombs through Al-Qaeda English-language magazine Inspire.He emphasized the appalling injuries that killed eight-year-old Martin Richard, Krystle Campbell, 29, and Lingzi Lu, 23, and the murder of police officer Sean Collier, who was shot five times.Martins father sat in the gallery as Chakravarty described how his son was torn apart in the explosion.His entire body was shattered, broken, eviscerated, burnt. There wasnt a part of his body that wasnt destroyed.Milk and TwitterJust minutes later, Tsarnaev casually bought milk, then headed to the gym, laughing and joking with friends and posting a message on Twitter calling himself a stress free kind of guy, prosecutors said.Chakravarty read aloud from a message he left in a boat in a suburban garden, the hideout where the defendant was eventually arrested, criticizing the US government over the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.Defense lawyer Judy Clarke, who has saved some of Americas most notorious convicts from the death penalty, said Tsarnaev deserved to be condemned but that the attacks would never have happened without Tamerlan.The last few weeks we have come face to face with tragedy, suffering and grief in dimensions that none of us imagine could be possible, she said.For this suffering, destruction and profound loss there is no excuse. No one is trying to make one, she added.Tamerlan built the bombs, murdered Collier, downloaded the bomb-making instructions, brought the ingredients, the backpacks and his fingerprints were all over the evidence, Clarke said.Lets be honest about what the evidence actually shows, Clarke said. Lets look at the varying roles.Massachusetts has not executed anyone since 1947, and Roman Catholic bishops in the state on Monday reiterated their opposition to the death penalty.

Turkey lifts ban on Twitter after it removes photos of slain prosecutor

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ISTANBUL (AFP) - Turkey on Monday blocked access to Twitter, Facebook and YouTube over the publication of images of a Turkish prosecutor killed by leftist militants during a hostage standoff last week. The online sites were inaccessible for many users in Turkey, with the Hurriyet newspaper saying that service providers received an order from prosecutors to block those three internet giants as well as other websites.The authorities set a deadline of four hours for Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to remove the offending content. Facebook was initially the only one to comply with the deadline and access to the social network was restored accordingly, Tayfur Acarer, head of countrys telecommunications authority (TIB), told Hurriyet. The ban on Twitter was also lifted later after it also gave in to Turkeys demand, said Bulent Kentles, the secretary general of the union of Internet service providers (BSE). However a Twitter source, who did not confirm that the social media platform had complied with Turkeys demand, said the company planned to appeal the Turkish court order.Discussions with YouTube were ongoing, Hurriyet quoted Kentles as saying. YouTube.com ran the text of a court ruling on its site saying an administration measure had been implemented by TIB. Hurriyet said the order blocked a total of 166 websites which published the images, including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.Publication of any material related to the hostage standoff amounted to terrorist propaganda inciting people to hatred and violence and disturbing the public order, the court ruling read. The ban was widely circumvented as well as mocked by many of Turkeys almost 12 million Twitter users, with one user named @BinaShah writing: Come to Turkey and disconnect (possible new tourism slogan).The hashtag TwitterisblockedinTurkey quickly made it to Twitters top world trending topics. Prosecutor Mehmet Selim Kiraz and his two captors linked to the Marxist Revolutionary Peoples Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) were killed after a shootout at a courthouse in Istanbul last Tuesday. The DHKP-C had published pictures showing one of the militants -- his face concealed by a scarf with the groups red and yellow insignia -- holding a gun to the hostages head in the prosecutors offices. The images were circulated on social media while the siege was going on and were published by several Turkish newspapers as well as news websites. A day after the standoff, Turkish prosecutors launched a probe into four newspapers for disseminating terrorist propaganda after they published the controversial images. Turkeys presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said on Monday that the bans were to do with the publishing of the prosecutors picture, describing it as unacceptable.What happened in the aftermath is as sad as the incident itself... There is no such freedom anywhere in the world, he told a news conference in Ankara. European Parliament member Marietje Schaake of the Netherlands took to Twitter to condemn the ban as another disproportionate response restricting press freedom. Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu had caused controversy after he revealed he had personally denied accreditation to the funeral of Kiraz for media organisations who had used the image of the captive prosecutor.Freedom of the press is as important as mourning and respect. Freedom of the press is as important as not playing into the hands of terrorist propaganda, Davutoglu said.President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) have been repeatedly criticised for using court orders to block critical websites, topping a Google table for content removal requests.Last year the search engine also accused Turkey of intercepting its Internet domain, redirecting users to other sites.The government blocked Twitter and YouTube in March 2014 after they were used to spread a torrent of audio recordings implicating Erdogan -- then premier -- and his inner circle in an alleged corruption scandal. Turkeys parliament last month approved legislation to tighten the governments control over the Internet by allowing it to block websites without prior judicial authorisation, sparking outrage both at home and abroad.Erdogan has also made no secret of his disdain for social networks, comparing them to a murderers knife and once famously vowing to eradicate Twitter.

Boeing clings to lead over Airbus in long-haul jets

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NEW YORK, April 7, 2015 (AFP) - Boeing is fighting tough efforts by rival Airbus to score big gains in the market for long-haul jets, a segment of the massive aircraft market that the US giant has dominated.Neck-and-neck with Boeing in sales of single-aisle, 150-200 passenger jets, Airbus has badly lagged its US archrival in wide-body aircraft with 250-450 seats.But Airbus has high hopes for its new A350, which it says is setting a new standard of efficiency in its class with a lightweight, carbon fiber composition that can save up to 25 percent in fuel consumption.Airbus believes the A350 can compete with Boeings classic 777 aircraft as well as the its heavily-touted 787 Dreamliner, which also boasts carbon fiber construction to cut weight.But Boeing executives say they are confident the US companys lead will stick.Airbus still dont have the market coverage we do, especially on the upper end of the market, said Boeing marketing vice president Randy Tinseth.You see it with the orders. You see it with the market share. They are just not doing that well.Tinseth said Airbus would need to develop a new version of its A350 with 450 seats to compete with the Boeing 777-9X.But some analysts see a more competitive landscape than Boeing is letting on.If you exclude the 777-9X, the other models can run the same routes with the same capacity and a similar level of performance, said Michel Merluzeau, an analyst at Frost & Sullivan.Airbus has got a foot in the market of the 787 and a foot in the market of the 777, Merluzeau added.Jumbo jet demand risingThe appeal of long-haul aircraft is the same for both of the world-leading aircraft makers: greater profits.Whereas Boeings smaller 737 line sells for $78-$113 million, the 787 is listed at $218-$297 million and the 777 at $269-$388 million.A new round of jumbo plane orders is expected from carriers seeking to cut their fuel costs. Demand for the bigger planes will reach 7,800 units worth about $1 trillion in the coming 20 years, according to Airbus.Boeing currently leads with about 55 percent of the market. It has logged 1,105 orders for the 787 against 780 for the Airbus 350, according to the most recent figures.But Airbus has had some major wins of late. In November, US carrier Delta Air Lines announced a firm order for 25 new A350 widebodies.You cant debate the fact that it is a massive endorsement of your product line, said Airbus chief operating officer for customers, John Leahy.Airbus chief executive Fabrice Bregier has set a goal of winning more than half the global market.To win market share, it is offering aggressive commercial terms to carriers, as suggested by Airbus accounts: in 2014, Boeing had a profit margin of 10.7 percent per order compared with six percent at Airbus.Boeing remains a step ahead in the race for delivering large planes, producing ten 787s per month since the middle of 2014 with plans to reach 12 per month in 2016.Airbus plans to produce 15 of the A350 in 2015 with output reaching 10 per month in 2018.Boeing should be able to maintain its market share through the end of this decade, said an analyst note from Trefis.Recent successful launches by Boeing in the 777 and 787 lines should allow it to maintain its lead over Airbus in the wide-body airplane segment, Trefis added.

Samsung Electronics flags 30.5 percent on-year drop in Q1 profit

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SEOUL (AFP) - Samsung Electronics on Tuesday flagged better-than-expected profits for the first quarter, with rising demand for memory chips helping offset slumping smartphone sales.The South Korean electronics giant -- the worlds top mobile producer -- flagged an operating profit of 5.9 trillion won ($5.4 billion) for the January-March period.The estimate was down 30.5 percent from a year ago, but beat average analyst forecasts of around 5.5 trillion won, and was up 11.5 percent from the previous quarter.Sales reached 47 trillion won, down 12.4 percent from a year ago, Samsung said in its quarterly earnings estimate.The company has seen profits sag since late 2013 due to heightened competition in an increasingly saturated smartphone market that it had dominated for years.Samsung has faced a double challenge from US arch-rival Apple in the high-end smartphone market and rising Chinese firms like Xiaomi in the mid- and low-end market.Tuesdays estimate, which comes ahead of audited results to be released later in the month, did nor provide a net income figure.Chip sales cushionIt also gave no breakdown of divisional earnings, but analysts attributed the better-than-expected performance to profits from high-margin chip sales which helped cushion the downturn in its overgrown mobile sector.The company -- which produces a range of electronics products from chips to household appliances -- saw profits in its semiconductor division jump 35.7 percent on-year in the fourth quarter.The firms newly upgraded chipmaking plants also helped cut production costs, Song Myung-Sup, analyst at HI Investment & Securities.Sales hovered below analysts expectation but profits rose, meaning the firm boosted profit by spending less rather than selling more, Song said.South Koreas largest firm by value saw its share price rise 0.61 percent in morning trade on the Seoul stock market.The firms new flagship smartphone -- Galaxy S6 -- will help boost profits in the second quarter after sales begin this month, Song said.The sixth edition of Samsungs high-end smartphone -- unveiled last month -- was well received by critics, who described it as a match for Apples latest iPhone 6.Nam Dae-Jong, analyst for Seoul-based Hana Daetoo Securities, said the new handset would help turn things around for Samsung after the much-criticised Galaxy S5 flopped last year.I estimated the second-quarter operating profit at 6.4 trillion won but plan to raise it, Nam said.Samsung hopes the new Galaxy model will re-establish the company as the clear global smartphone market leader.Several market trackers had Apple and Samsung tied in worldwide smartphone sales in the fourth quarter of 2014, while at least one suggested Apple had regained the throne it lost to Samsung back in 2011.

Tennis: Djokovic out to make most of his moment

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MIAMI (AFP) - Novak Djokovic, entering the 141st week of his career at number one in the world and fresh off a milestone fifth Miami Masters title, just wants to keep up the pace as long as he can.Im trying to enjoy the moment and also utilize this time of my career. Im feeling confident and physically fit, Djokovic said Sunday after a gritty three-set triumph over Andy Murray in the Miami final.Im trying to use that. Thats what Im thinking about right now, added the 27-year-old Serb, who goes into the European claycourt season highlighted by the French Open having won the three biggest tournaments of the first quarter of the year: the Australian Open and both the Indian Wells and Miami Masters.I am aware that this cannot go forever, Djokovic said. There is going to be eventually a change of generations, some players that are going to start playing better and be stronger.But until that time comes, Im going to try to stay as long as I can on the top and fight for the biggest titles.With 4,000 points separating him from Federer at number two in the world, Djokovic is poised to finish at number one in the world for the fourth time in five years.His 22nd ATP Masters victory is just one short of Roger Federers 23 on a list led by Rafael Nadals 27.Djokovic became the first player to sweep the back-to-back titles at Indian Wells and Miami for a third time.Its the kind of achievement that he says fuels his ambition.Of course I do pay attention of that, he said. Any kind of achievement that goes into history books Im hugely proud of and I appreciate it very much, because I work hard for it and I do cherish it.Djokovics victory in Melbourne was his eighth Grand Slam triumph and his first since becoming a father and husband last year.He says having a family had added a new dimension to his successes on court.A rigorous fitness regime allows him to play at a high level tournament after tournament, while coach Boris Becker has helped him hone his mental game.He needed all of his physical reserves in punishing heat and humidity against Murray.But after a second-set dip in his energy level he roared back for a 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 6-0 triumph -- his seventh straight win against the Scot.I managed to, again, rely on the energy supply that I have in my legs and my fitness to basically hold on and make it all the way through the match (to) play the third set the way I have played, like I havent really been exhausted too much even though we played over two and a half hours.But fitness isnt everything, Djokovic said, especially on the games biggest stages.Obviously tennis is an individual and very complex sport, he said. It requires a right balance between the physical preparation and mental strength and emotional, I would say, calmness and self-belief.You kind of holistically need to approach it and be at your top.

Golf: Tiger excites with superb Masters practice round

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AUGUSTA (AFP) - Tiger Woods thrilled Masters fans with a strong practice round Monday at Augusta National, solid chips and approach shots signaling a return to form by the 14-time major champion.Woods, who missed last years Masters due to back surgery, excited spectators with a late-afternoon practice round alongside long-time pal Mark OMeara.Dont ever underestimate Tiger, OMeara said. I saw some good signs out there.Woods, who has sunk to 111th in the world rankings, made his first public shotmaking display since withdrawing from Torrey Pines after only 11 holes in February with back issues and a woeful short game.On Monday, Woods arrived by plane from Florida in the afternoon and went directly to Augusta Nationals practice chipping area, where he hit about 70 shots with no sign of the horrid form from prior events, and driving range, where he spent slightly under an hourDuring the workout, comfortable-looking Woods appeared to be listening to music, dancing at times, and was smiling and relaxed, sharing hugs with OMeara, former swing coach Sean Foley and past British Open winner Darren Clarke.After sending his first tee shot well left into pine trees near the adjacent ninth fairway, Woods blasted over the trees to five feet from the cup for a birdie and practiced his chipping on the hole as well.Woods put his approach at the par-5 second 30 feet from the cup but missed an eagle putt. At the third he chipped within inches of the cup. At the par-3 fourth his stopped his tee shot 10 feet from the cup.At the seventh Woods put his approach three feet from the cup. At nine, he chipped to 20 feet and sank the long par putt.Woods casual manner and successful shotmaking harkened back to the form that made Woods a four-time Masters winner, his most recent green jacket victory coming 10 years ago.The manner was a sharp contrast to recent struggles in a year where he has managed only three 72-hole finishes in the past 13 months.World number one Rory McIlroy, who would complete a career Grand Slam and win his third major in a row by capturing his first green jacket on Sunday, practiced Monday alongside two amateur debutantes, reigning British Amateur champion Bradley Neil of Scotland and American Byron Meth, the US Public Links champion.It was a blast, Meth said. The whole experience was awesome.Rivals watch Tiger tooAs excited as people are about McIlroys run at history, curiosity over Woods stole the show Monday.Theres always a buzz when hes in the field, Swedens second-ranked Henrik Stenson said. Its good to see him back in action and see where his game is at.We want him back. We need him back, said American Brandt Snedeker. He brings a lot of drama. I would love to see him in it on Sunday.Australias fifth-ranked Jason Day hopes to stay under the radar with the most attention on McIlroy, US star Jordan Spieth and especially Woods.Everyones excited and interested to see how he performs this week, what the state of the game is for him, because hes such a huge part of golf, Day said.It definitely makes it a lot easier. I guess people are still watching me, but they are interested to see if Rory can make it happen. They are seeing how Jordan goes and seeing what Tiger has got.Reigning US Open champion Martin Kaymer of Germany, who has endured a comeback of his own, said Woods must have a mental fight as well as a physical one with all the attention on his game.Mentally, it must be quite exhausting and we know how important the mental part is in golf, Kaymer said. Sometimes I look at it and find it quite sad how people treat the whole subject.Hopefully hes strong enough, he has people to talk to, and he finds a way to compete as good as he can. Because we all know when hes around, somehow it does make us play better, as well.I never experienced someone who played better than him in my era... for me, what I have seen and what I have experienced, hes the man.At the same time, Kaymer hopes to see McIlroy complete his slam, even if its not this year.I wish him the best, Kaymer said. If he doesnt do it this week, I hope hes going to do it in his career. I think it will complete you more as a player.

Tokyo stocks open 0.73% higher

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TOKYO (AFP) - Tokyo stocks opened 0.73 percent higher on Tuesday with investor sentiment lifted by a weaker yen and gains on Wall Street.The Nikkei 225 index at the Tokyo Stock Exchange rose 141.05 points to 19,539.03 at the start.The dollar was at 119.49 yen early Tuesday, compared with 119.52 yen in New York late Monday and down from 119.05 yen in Tokyo earlier Monday.A weaker yen is positive for Japanese exporters as it makes them more competitive abroad and increases profits when repatriated.The euro bought $1.0932 and 130.63 yen on Tuesday against $1.0928 and 130.60 yen in US trade.The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.66 percent Monday on easing concerns about Federal Reserve interest rate increases following poor jobs data.Surges in petroleum-linked equities also contributed to boosting the market as US oil prices rallied above $50 a barrel.

Football: Pellegrini won't write off City's title bid

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LONDON (AFP) - Manuel Pellegrini refused to write off Manchester Citys fading bid to retain the Premier League title despite a 2-1 defeat at Crystal Palace that left them nine points adrift of leaders Chelsea.Pellegrinis side have just seven games to close the gap and while City manager Pellegrini insisted he was happy with his sides performance at Selhurst Park on Monday, their recent results suggest there is little chance of the champions reviving their challenge.An inconsistent display in south London condemned City to a third successive away loss in the league for the first time since 2011 and Pellegrinis team have now won just four of their last 11 league games.However, the Chilean says his immediate concern is Sundays derby clash with Manchester United at Old Trafford, and not their prospects of overhauling Chelsea.We are not thinking about Chelsea and titles. We go each game and try to win. At the end of the season, we will see, Pellegrini said when asked about Citys hopes of winning the league.Every point you drop makes it more difficult, but its the same answer. We are not thinking about the title... Just about the next game at Old Trafford.Citys failure to mount a more convincing title defence and the manner of their last 16 exit from the Champions League has raised questions about the managers future at the club.But an unflustered Pellegrini said: Im never concerned about my job. Thats the only thing Im never concerned about.I do my work and am very happy. You maybe have a difficult season, but you never worry about things like this.Difficult momentsGlenn Murrays fifth goal in five games set Palace on course for the win in the 34th minute, although Pellegrini and his players were convinced the effort should have been ruled out for offside.Jason Puncheon added a second with a 48th minute free-kick and while Yaya Toure gave City hope of a comeback with a 78th minute strike, Palace repelled the visitors late pressure.In different moments in football, you can win or lose. I hope we continue playing like we did today and we are more lucky, added Pellegrini.Its difficult to understand the result. We played a very good game from beginning to end, had a lot of chances to score.Crystal Palace scored the first goal which was clearly offside, and then a beautiful free-kick.Its difficult to understand, but football happens like this.Palace manager Alan Pardew offered Pellegrini some hope the title race may yet produce some more twists and turns.Its difficult now, nine points the gap. A long haul, he said.But psychologically for Chelsea, with all the pack closing in on them, the next defeat or draw for Chelsea will be a big test. You wouldnt want to lose that kind of lead.City are going to have to play on that. Theres a long way to go still, a lot of points up for grabs.But I can only look at us: we came up against a committed team; they werent lacklustre or poor. They were very good and we had to ride our luck.The win continued Palaces revival under Pardew and having established themselves in mid-table, the manager believes the club can now start looking towards next season.We have 39 points on the board, so wed like to think well be back here in the Premier League next year, he said.My job gets more difficult now after beating the champions here. Expectations will be higher. We have to keep improving on it.

Bust of Edward Snowden sneaked into, removed from NYC park

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NEW YORK (AP) - Suddenly, in the middle of the New York night, Edward Snowdens face appeared deep in a public park.A 4-foot (1.2-meter)-high, 100-pound (45.36-kilogram) sculpted bust of the whistleblower now exiled in Russia was sneaked into Brooklyns Fort Greene Park on Monday before dawn.Animal New York, a city news website that first reported the incident, said the mysterious perpetrators were a small group of artists admirers of the former contractor who had leaked classified information from the National Security Agency to the media.The activists hoisted the bust to the top of a Revolutionary War memorial, adding his name to a column, according to Animal New York.The website says the group allowed it to document installation of the statue on the condition that it not reveal the identities of the artists.Snowdens artistic appearance was short-lived.At daybreak, police said city parks officials ordered the sculpted Snowden removed. And by evening, his bust was being held at Brooklyns 88th Precinct pending an investigation.The idea for the tribute was conceived by two New York City-based artists, joined by a West Coast sculptor, Animal New York said.In a statement to the online outlet, they said they had updated the memorial to American POWs who died during the Revolutionary War to highlight those who sacrifice their safety in the fight against modern-day tyrannies. It would be a dishonor to those memorialized here to not laud those who protect the ideals they fought for, as Edward Snowden has by bringing the NSAs 4th-Amendment-violating surveillance programs to light.

Haiti floods kill six, damage thousands of homes

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PORT-AU-PRINCE (AFP) - The first heavy rains of the wet season flooded parts of the Haitian capital Port-au-Price over the weekend, leaving at least six dead and damaging 8,000 homes, authorities said Monday.Raging floodwaters swept two children aged three and seven to their deaths in the Delmas district of the capital, and a 24-year-old woman was killed when a church wall collapsed on her house.Three more people died in the western, coastal Carrefour district of the city.Haiti, the poorest country in the western hemisphere, is prey to torrential Caribbean storms and Port-au-Princes garbage-choked drainage channels struggle with the worst downpours.Some citizens are still living rough or in substandard housing five years after a devastating earthquakes killed more than 200,000 people and levelled entire neighborhoods.The head of civil protection in the capital region, Nadia Lochard, said that more than 8,000 homes had been flooded in the latest rains, mostly in the Cite Soleil slum and Tabarre suburb.Officials said the weather forecast looks less menacing for the remainder of the week, but Haitis annual rainy season normally begins in April and more storms are expected.

Chile opens debate on marijuana bill

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SANTIAGO (AFP) - Chiles congressional health committee approved a bill Monday that would legalize the cultivation of marijuana for private recreational or medicinal use, sending it to the floor for a full debate.The bill would take marijuana off the list of hard drugs in the socially conservative country and make it a soft drug like alcohol.It would allow people over the age of 18 to grow up to six cannabis plants for their own use, or for use by minors if they are patients using the substance as part of a prescribed treatment regimen.But it would maintain the countrys ban on using marijuana in public and limit the amount a person can possess to 10 grams.The committees aim is not to allow the indiscriminate use of marijuana, said committee chairman Luis Castro, a member of President Michelle Bachelets Socialist party.This is only about allowing (marijuana use) in medical situations when prescribed by a doctor and when grown at home.The bill now moves to the full Chamber of Deputies before passing to the Senate, a legislative process that could take years.Currently, Chileans are allowed to consume marijuana in private, but it is illegal to sell or grow the drug.The bill comes as Chile prepares its first legal cannabis harvest on Tuesday under a special permit granted for a medical marijuana project in La Florida, an affluent district in the capital Santiago.Various Latin American countries are considering an overhaul of their drug laws.Uruguay kicked off the revamp in 2013 with a world-first law that fully legalized and regulated marijuana, allowing users to grow the plant or buy it at pharmacies -- though it has not been fully implemented yet.
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