Saturday 2 May 2015

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Football: United in Champions League 'rat race'

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MANCHESTER (AFP) - Louis van Gaal admits Manchester United are locked in a rat race for a place in next seasons Champions League after a surprising 1-0 home defeat to West Brom allowed rivals Liverpool to move to within four points.United have now lost three consecutive league games for the first time in over 13 years and failed to score over the same span for the first time since August 2007, a sequence that has seen van Gaals team go four hours and 45 minutes without a goal.Maybe you remember all my press conferences when I said it will be a rat race until the very end, said van Gaal whose side are fourth in the table.I was the only one because we were seven points ahead at the time.But I said it was still possible (being caught). Im aware of that and my players shall be aware of that. It was unlucky but this is the third match in a row we lost and we didnt score.Its now in the hands of my players. We have to work very hard to keep their confidence up because we have everything in our own hands. We are four points ahead but our goal is a now a little bit more difficult than before.Its what you expected already before the game. They parked the bus and then its always difficult to attack because you have a lot of bodies in front of you. But we have to improve. Improve in creating chances? No. Improve in finishing.United enjoyed astonishing statistics of 80 per cent possession and a 26-6 shot count but poor finishing, and a superb display by Albion goalkeeper Moaz Byhill, thwarted them.You can see that Everton (who beat United 3-0 last week) also had a very defensive organisation against us and they were the home team; Chelsea at home had a very defensive organisation against us, added the United manager.So while you expect teams to come here with defensive organisation, theyre also defending like that in our away matches. But we have to improve against that and thats the next step in our process.Saturdays game-winning free-kick, a Chris Brunt shot deflected in off team mate Jonas Olsson, handed Albion the lead but after 73 minutes Saido Berahino was harshly judged to have handled an Antonio Valencia cross in the area and referee Anthony Taylor awarded the home side a penalty.Robin van Persies effort was superbly saved by Myhill, ensuring Albion the victory that will almost certainly keep them in the Premier League.I went mad before the game because one of the lads had his phone out and was looking at the results, said Albion manager Tony Pulis whose team was put under added pressure by victories for key relegation rivals earlier in the day.Its a very difficult time of day to play because results are coming through and lads get a bit distracted. They had enough on their plate without knowing results.We worry far too much about things we cant affect. You should concentrate on what you can affect.

Racing: American Pharoah reigns at Kentucky Derby

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LOUISVILLE (AFP) - Favorite American Pharoah stormed to victory in the Kentucky Derby here Saturday as jockey Victor Espinoza clinched back-to-back wins in Americas most prestigious horse race.The two-year-old trained by Bob Baffert hit the front just past the final turn to finish ahead of Firing Line in second and Dortmund in third, roared on by a record crowd of 170,513 people at Churchill Downs.The 5-2 favorite made light of a tricky wide starting position to surge into the leading pack from the outset in the 141st edition of the Run for the Roses, the opening leg of racings Triple Crown.Stablemate Dortmund and Firing Line set the early pace down the back straight but coming into the final turn, Espinoza swept wide and confidently hit the front.Firing Line, under the guidance of the 52-year-old Gary Stevens, rallied furiously down the stretch, but American Pharoah held on to give Espinoza a second consecutive Derby win following his triumph on California Chrome last year.I feel like the luckiest Mexican on Earth, said a delighted Espinoza, who has now three Kentucky Derby victories to his name following a win on War Emblem in 2002.I was growing up and all I wanted to be was successful and I chose to be a jockey, said Espinoza, who as a teenager worked as a bus driver in Mexico City to pay for jockey school before moving to the United States.The 42-year-old veteran also paid tribute to American Pharoah after a deserved victory.Hes been a special horse since the day I rode him. Hes an unbelievable horse, he added, admitting he had been spooked by the persistence of Firing Line in the home straight before holding on to win.Turning for home I thought I had it, but the other horse was right there. I couldnt blow him away, but I got it done.Hes just an amazing horse. Today I just let him run and Im just a lucky Mexican to win three Kentucky Derbies and two in a row, Espinoza said.I cant even tell you how it feels.Trainer Baffert meanwhile dedicated the win -- his fourth Kentucky Derby triumph -- to Egyptian-born owner Ahmed Zayat, who has seen three of his horses in previous editions of the race finish second.This is for the Zayat family, Baffert said.Its such a privilege to even have a horse to come here with. And then to win it -- it never gets old, he added.I feel so lucky to be in this position. This American Pharoah though, hes just something... he makes a trainer really look good. So thank God for great horses.Its a fantasy moment for me. Its unbelievable that Im standing here for a fourth time -- I cant believe how blessed and lucky my life has been.A jubilant Zayat was overcome with joy as he finally accepted the trophy honors after three previous near-misses.Im speechless. This is really emotional, Zayat said.Were extremely thrilled and honored. This is one special horse. This is a dream come true. We are just beyond blessed.American Pharoah will now set his sights on the second leg of the Triple Crown, the Preakness at Pimlico on May 16, before the Belmont Stakes on June 6.Only 11 horses in history have landed all three races in the same season, with the last to win it being Affirmed in 1978.

Football: Ancelotti hopeful over Benzema fitness for Juve clash

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MADRID (AFP) - Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti is hopeful of having striker Karim Benzema fit to face Juventus in the first-leg of their Champions League semi-final on Tuesday.The French international missed his fifth consecutive game as the European champions kept alive their La Liga title hopes with a 3-2 win at Sevilla on Saturday thanks to a Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick to remain within two points of Barcelona.Gareth Bale did make his comeback from two weeks out with a calf problem at the Sanchez Pizjuan as a second-half substitute and could well start against in Turin in midweek.Benzema we will see in the next two days, said the Italian.Tomorrow we will see if he can train with the team. The good thing is that Bale played 30 minutes without any problems. We have recovered a very important player (in Bale) and it would be even better if we could get Karim back too.Whilst Madrid were pushed to the last minute to finally end Sevillas 34-game unbeaten run at home stretching back 13 months, Juventus were able to rest a number of key players as they sealed their 31st Serie A title with victory at Sampdoria.However, Ancelotti insisted that the confidence gained from such a big win is just as important as the energy his side spent in Andalucia.It is a very important victory because it allows us to fight for the league and it gives us confidence for the game on Tuesday given the way in which we played.Hope is the last thing to die. Therefore, we have to have hope until the end. We have to win the next three games.Barcelona looked in supreme form as they humiliated Cordoba 8-0 to register their 26th win in 28 games.However, just one slip up from the Catalans can hand Madrid the title due to Los Blancos superior head-to-head record.And with Barca still to visit reigning La Liga champions Atletico Madrid, Sergio Ramos said Madrid wouldnt give up the fight for just their second La Liga title in seven years.I know from experience it was going to be very difficult to win here, we have given everything to get these three points which oblige Barcelona to keep winning, said the Spanish international, who was once again used in an emergency midfield role by Ancelotti.It has been a long time since Sevilla lost at home and that is to Madrids credit.Until mathematically a champion is crowned, we are obliged to keep pushing, keep winning and hoping for an error from Barcelona. It is very difficult because they are playing at a very good, consistent level.It doesnt matter what happens in the future, we have to live in the present and give everything in every game.

Football: Champions Juventus seek Euro renaissance

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ROME (AFP) - Serie A champions Juventus take on Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals on Tuesday looking to once again stamp their authority on European football.Massimiliano Allegris side sealed their fourth straight league triumph with a 1-0 win at Sampdoria on Saturday, but the celebrations were muted, with everyone at the club aware of the importance of the two upcoming matches with the Spanish giants.For various reasons we cant celebrate the title the way we have on other occasions, because the importance of Tuesdays game is undeniable, admitted Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini.Last year Juve crashed out embarrassingly in the group stages of the Champions League, before going on to lose a Europa League semi-final with Benfica.The previous season they were taken apart 4-0 on aggregate in the quarter-finals by eventual European champions Bayern Munich.They go into the semi-final seen by most as the weakest side left in the competition, and Madrid have a team of superstars of the sort that Juve would have once had.Juve also had a favourable draw in the knockout stages, playing -- and destroying -- a stuttering Borussia Dortmund in the second round and the mediocre French side Monaco in the quarters.Should they get by Madrid they would face either Barcelona or Bayern.All three sides are a considerable step above the sides they are used to taking on, but with the Madrid clash coming at a time when Italian football is looking to re-establish itself on the European stage after years in the doldrums, Juve are hoping to lead a long-overdue Italian renaissance.Were very happy for what weve done, and for some of the football weve played, in particular at Dortmund, said Allegri on Saturday.In life you always need to learn and improve. Were in the semis of the Champions League and we have Napoli and Fiorentina playing in the Europa League semis, so I think that our league is improving.A win also be further vindication for Allegri, who arrived at Juventus in a shower of spit and eggs launched by fans livid with his appointment as the replacement for the beloved Antonio Conte.He has long since won over everyone at the club, including club chairman Andrea Agnelli.Taking this team in hand and getting it to win again takes balls, Agnelli said on Twitter on Saturday night.Thank you Max.

UK's Cameron makes last-minute push to hold onto power

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LONDON (AFP) - Accused of fighting a lacklustre election campaign, British Prime Minister David Cameron has turned up the passion in its dying days but risks having left it too late to convince voters.Opinion polls suggest Camerons centre-right Conservatives may not have done enough to stay in power on May 7, potentially putting him out of a job at the age of 48.That would be a rare failure in the life of a man whose privileged background has led to accusations from critics that he cannot identify with the lives of most Britons.Going into the campaign, it looked like Eton and Oxford-educated Cameron held most of the trump cards.His coalition government, which took power in 2010, led Britain out of a double-dip recession and the Conservatives built their campaign around their long-term economic plan for recovery.He was also facing an opponent, Labours Ed Miliband, whose geeky image had failed to connect with voters.But as the polls remained stubbornly at level pegging, criticism grew that the Conservatives were fighting a sterile, safety first campaign, while Miliband showed a new self-assurance on the stump.In the final days, Cameron has literally rolled up his sleeves for a series of apparently unscripted, high-energy speeches, vowing to work the hardest Ive ever worked in my life for victory.Lets not write the prime minister off just yet. Cameron has, in the past, been able to turn it on for the big occasion, and might still be able to do it again, Tim Bale, politics professor at Queen Mary University of London, wrote this week.Detoxifying the ConservativesThe son of a stockbroker, Cameron was educated at Eton, the school later attended by Princes William and Harry, and Oxford University, where he was admitted to the Bullingdon Club, a hard-drinking, socially exclusive student group.After university, Cameron worked for the Conservatives as an advisor before a stint in public relations which ended when he was elected to parliament in 2001.Cameron rose swiftly in the Conservatives -- then struggling badly against Tony Blairs Labour government -- and was elected leader against the odds in 2005.After winning the leadership at the age of 39, he tried to detoxify the party brand by avoiding traditional right-wing issues like immigration and stressing a more liberal agenda.He posed with husky dogs at the North Pole to highlight his green credentials, while his respect for public services was underlined by the care his disabled son Ivan received from the state-run National Health Service (NHS).Ivan, who had cerebral palsy and severe epilepsy, died aged six in 2009.Cameron is married to Samantha, a design executive, and the couple have three surviving children.Marriage of convenienceAt the 2010 general election, Cameron became Britains youngest prime minister for 200 years but the Conservatives did not win enough seats to govern alone.Instead, they had to team up with the centrist Liberal Democrats for Britains first coalition government since World War II.At home, the coalition has been defined by unpopular spending cuts, while foreign policy was dominated by wrangling over Britains role in the EU.Abroad, following long military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan, Britain played a smaller role on the world stage under Cameron.Cameron is often accused of being an essay crisis leader -- one who leaves it to the last minute to tackle problems, like a student staying up all night to finish a piece of work on time.His career is dotted with examples of him snatching victory from the jaws of defeat, most recently when he offered the Scottish Parliament extra powers to fend off a Yes vote in the independence referendum.But even if he does make this trick work one more time by keeping his job after May 7, the clock is already ticking on his career.Cameron said during the campaign that he would not carry on as prime minister beyond 2020 and identified several possible successors.These included the charismatic London Mayor Boris Johnson, ironically a contemporary of Cameron at Eton and Oxford, who some Conservative MPs hope will appeal to more voters.

Football: Lyon reclaim top spot in France

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PARIS (AFP) - Lyon reclaimed top spot in Ligue 1 on Saturday with a convincing 2-0 victory over strugglers Evian to put the pressure back on title rivals Paris Saint-Germain.A superb free-kick from Clement Grenier after just 20 minutes and an Alexandre Lacazette penalty seven minutes from the break gave Lyon the three points as they remain in the race for their first French league title since 2008.Lyon have the same 71 points as PSG but lead on goal difference.However, the capital city club can restore their three-point lead when they head to mid-table Nantes in Sundays late game.We dont want to have any regrets in the end. Theres three matches to play. We are going to get maximum points, said Lyon defender Henri Bedimo.PSG has maturity with players used to playing at the highest level and they are used to fighting for the title.But were not thinking about them. We are struggling a bit at the moment but the three points were the most important thing today.We believe in ourselves of course but we also have to be realistic, the Cameroon player added.Well need a bit of help from another team but we will have to do our job too.Lyons victory was tarnished to a degree when Clinton Njie limped off early in the second half with what looked like a tweaked hamstring.Evian lost their 20th Ligue 1 game of the season and remain locked in 17th place, just one point away from safety.On Friday, an Andre Pierre Gignac-inspired Marseille boosted their prospects of competing in next seasons Champions League win a 2-0 win over relegation-bound Metz.Gignac, out of contract at the end of the season, celebrated his 100th goal in the French top flight as the first half was drawing to a close, and then made inroads into his second century after the break.Marseille, who were desperate to put a stop to a four-match losing streak, moved provisionally above Saint-Etienne on goal difference into fourth on 60 points, two points shy of Monaco occupying the third and final Champions League spot.The Principality side host strugglers Toulouse on Sunday hoping to widen the gap with Saint-Etienne, who slipped tofifth, following their 1-0 slip up at Bastia on Saturday.Elsewhere, European hopefuls Montpellier and Bordeaux were held to goalless draws by Brittany sides Rennes and Lorient respectively.Strugglers Reims lost 2-0 to Guingamp, who are now assured of staying in the top flight, while 13th-ranked Nice and 14th-placed Caen played a 1-1 draw.On Sunday, Lille face local rivals Lens, who already now they will be playing in Ligue 2 next season as Lorient, now 15th with 39 points, are out of reach.Reims, 17th, and Evian, 18th, play each other next week, with ther winner making a huge step towards safety.

Golf: McIlroy into last eight in WGC Match Play

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SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - Rory McIlroy fully lived up to his top seeding at the WGC World Match Play championship in San Francisco on Saturday, crushing Asias best Hideki Matsuyama 6&5 to reach the last eight.The 25-year-old world number one only scraped into the last 16 at the death by coming back from two down with two to play to defeat Billy Horschel at the second extra hole of the closing round-robin games on Friday.But there was no such jitters against Matsuyama who, like McIlroy, had won three straight to get to the tournaments knockout stages.Both players birdied the par-five first before McIlroy holed from 25 feet for another birdie on the second to take the lead. A two-putt birdie from long range on the fifth was enough to take McIlroy two up.Bogeys from a rattled Matsuyama at the sixth and seventh sent McIlroy racing clear at 4-up and the Northern Irishman birdied the eighth to go 5-up before Matsuyama finally grabbed some respite from the assault with a birdie two at the ninth.But if the Japanese player harboured any hopes of staging an unlikely comeback they were all but snuffed out at the next hole when a rampant McIlroy chipped in for a winning birdie to restore a five-hole lead with eight to play.Another birdie from McIlroy at the 12th made it mission impossible for Matsuyama and a one-sided contest came to an abrupt end two holes later leaving the Irishman still eyeing a quick detour to Las Vegas to take in the boxing showdown between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao if he could finish his quarter-final in time.Ill need to play even better this afternoon to have a chance. Theres two tickets and theres a plane waiting but whether I get on it or not well have to wait and see. But obviously this (the tournament) takes priority above anything else, said McIlroy.In earlier last 16 results there were 2&1 wins for Gary Woodland over Australian Marc Leishman, for Australian John Senden over Hunter Mahan and for Englishman Tommy Fleetwood over South African Branden Grace.Danny Willett pulled off an upset 3&2 win over countryman and former world number one Lee Westwood, who had put out Masters champion Jordan Spieth the previous day.US veteran Jim Furyk was too good for JB Holmes, winning 5&3, while Rickie Fowler bounced back from an early deficit against South African Louis Oosthuizen to level the scores, but a poor approach to the 18th forced him to concede the tie.Back-to-form Paul Casey made it three Englishmen in the last eight with a 3&1 triumph over South African Charl Schwartzel.

Snooker: Murphy, Bingham into World Championship final

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LONDON (AFP) - Englands Shaun Murphy reached the final of snookers World Championship for the third time in his career at Sheffield on Saturday, seeing off Barry Hawkins in double-quick time.Leading 16-8 overnight, Murphy lost the first frame when the tie resumed, but he grabbed the one extra frame he needed shortly afterwards.Hawkins missed an early black and Murphy fired in an 83, clearing the table to seal a 17-9 win, and a shot at Stuart Bingham who edged Judd Trump in a thriller.Bingham, 38, had seen off Ronnie OSullivan in the quarter-finals and followed that by demolishing Trumps title hopes with a 17-16 triumph, to set up a shot at Murphy over Sunday and Monday.Hawkins had started the afternoon with a break of 103, the eighth century of the match, but his hopes had been effectively extinguished on Friday as Murphy established his vast lead, going as far clear as 14-3 at one stage.The eight centuries match a Crucible record, with that figure having been reached in five matches, three of them featuring Hawkins.Hawkins said of his loss to the 2005 world champion: I started off too slow in that match.But I wont take anything away from Shaun - he was phenomenal in the first few sessions. He was clearing up from not easy positions. Definitely the better player won in that match. Its going take a special performance to beat Shaun.Murphy, who also reached the 2009 final where John Higgins denied him the title, said of his achievement: Its unbelievable. Aside from winning the World Championship or the Masters, lets say, getting to the final is the best feeling in snooker.To have the opportunity to get your name on the trophy and even touch it, be in the same room as it, is hallowed turf for snooker players. It might not look like it but Im buzzing.You realise the next time you walk into that arena itll be for real and youre going to go head to head with another great player for that trophy.

Israel warns of terror attack threat against Jews in Tunisia

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JERUSALEM (AFP) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed Saturday that Israel had learned of concrete threats of terror attacks against Jewish or Israeli targets in Tunisia.The Tunisian government quickly denied the claims, saying no such threats existed.A statement from Netanyahus office said: Information indicates that there are plans for terrorist attacks against Israelis or Jews in Tunisia.But a senior official in the Tunisian interior ministry, who asked not to be named, told AFP: We have nothing on that. There are no threats.The threats are connected to the Lag BaOmer Jewish festival, which will be celebrated on May 7, Netanyahus statement claimed.It urged Jews not to visit Tunisia during the festival.Thousands of pilgrims visit the tombs of famous rabbis for Lag BaOmer, including on Tunisias holiday island of Djerba, where one of the last Jewish communities in the Arab world still lives.Several thousand Jews from France and Israel make the trip to the island every year, where 19 people died in an attack on the ancient El Ghriba synagogue in 2002 blamed on Al-Qaeda.Tunisia has been trying to reassure foreign visitors they will be safe since 21 tourists were killed in a terrorist attack on the Bardo National Museum in Tunis in March.

Britain celebrates birth of a princess

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LONDON (AFP) - Prince Williams wife Kate gave birth to a baby girl on Saturday, sparking celebrations in Britain for the royal familys new fourth in line to the throne.The beaming couple left the hospital carrying the newborn princess in front of hundreds of screaming well-wishers and amid a flurry of flashes from the assembled crowd of photographers.A relaxed-looking Kate cradled the sleeping baby, wrapped in a woollen shawl, in her arms in front of the private Lindo Wing of St Marys Hospital in central London.William then drove his wife and daughter to nearby Kensington Palace, the couples official residence, after carrying the baby to the black Range Rover in a car seat.He had said earlier he was very happy when he came out of Kensington Palace to pick up the couples first child, 20-month-old Prince George, and bring him back to the clinic to meet his as yet unnamed little sister.Bookmakers have Alice as their most likely name, followed by Charlotte and Elizabeth.The birth was announced to the world in a tweet from Kensington Palace and by a traditional town crier in a colourful costume and a feathered tricorne hat, ringing a bell on the steps of the clinic.As per tradition, a proclamation signed by the royal doctors was also placed on a gilded easel in front of Buckingham Palace, where hundreds of onlookers crowded by the gates to witness the historic moment.Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge was safely delivered of a daughter at 8:34am, Kensington Palace said in a statement.William was present for the birth and the princess weighed eight pounds and three ounces (3.7 kilogrammes).Georges brief visit to the clinic was the first time since his own birth there in July 2013 that he had been seen at a public event in Britain as his parents have shielded him from the media and threatened to sue paparazzi who take his picture.Great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth II and other senior royals were told the news before the formal announcement.Grandfather Prince Charles, the heir to the throne, was said to be absolutely delighted.The queen wore a pink dress and shawl at a military parade she attended in northern England later on Saturday in apparent homage to the new arrival.Its a girlPrime Minister David Cameron led congratulations from around the country that included the message Its a Girl scrolled on a display on top of Londons BT Tower.Royal Navy sailors on board HMS Lancaster sent a unique message of congratulations by lining up on the flight deck to spell out the word sister.In Australia, which William and Kate visited last year, Prime Minister Tony Abbott sent a message saying the realm shares this young familys joy.Media teams from around the world rushed to the private maternity wing of St Marys in the early morning, joining a group of royal superfans who have camped outside for nearly two weeks.The baby was born less than three hours after Kate was admitted to hospital at around 6:00 am, compared to the more than 10 hours of labour with George.Its a girl Its a girl the diehard supporters sang out after the birth was announced, also intoning the tune of Happy Birthday for the royal baby.The new princess sits fourth in line to the throne after Queen Elizabeths eldest son Charles, his eldest son William and his son George.She is the first major royal who cannot be overtaken in the line of succession by any future younger brothers following changes to the monarchys rules to remove gender bias.Unforgettable dayMany wellwishers spoke of their memories of Williams late mother, princess Diana, who gave birth to William and his brother Prince Harry in the same clinic.She died in a car crash in Paris in 1997 and her memory is still cherished by many around the world.What an amazing day Sadie Moran, a 45-year-old wrapped in a British flag, told AFP.Its like a memory of princess Diana, she said.At Buckingham Palace, a queue formed to file past the easel announcing the royal birth.Kensington Palace later said William and Kate wanted to thank all the hospital staff for the care and treatment they received.They would also like to thank everyone for their warm wishes, the statement added.The royal couple are planning to spend the next few days at Kensington Palace.They will then travel to Anmer Hall, a secluded 10-bedroom country mansion on Queen Elizabeths privately-owned Sandringham estate in Norfolk, eastern England, where they have set up home.Gun salutes will be fired across London on Monday to mark the birth.

At least 13 killed in Baghdad car bombing: police

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BAGHDAD (AFP) - At least 13 people were killed by a car bomb in Baghdad on Saturday, police said, in one of the deadliest attacks in the Iraqi capital this year.A police colonel told AFP at least 13 people were killed and 39 wounded in a car bomb facing a popular restaurant in the Karrada area.Kerrada is packed with shops and restaurants and would have been busy on Saturday night, which marks the end of the weekend in Iraq.Eleven people were killed and more than 40 wounded in a wave of car bomb attacks on Thursday and another nine were killed in two car bombings in Baghdad on Monday.The Islamic State terrorist group claimed it had carried out those attacks on Shiite districts of Baghdad to avenge attacks on displaced persons from a Sunni province.Despite the recent attacks, they have decreased sharply in number compared to the same period last year.A curfew in operation for years in the Iraqi capital was lifted in February.The Iraqi government is fighting a sweeping offensive by IS, which seized control of swathes of the country last June.The army has taken back some territory from the Islamists and in April, troops seized back control of the city of Tikrit, its biggest victory of the 11-month conflict.But many other areas remain under ISs control.

Thousands rally in Baltimore over Freddie Gray death

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BALTIMORE (AFP) - Thousands of people called for justice in Baltimore on Saturday in new demonstrations a day after six police were charged over the death of an African-American man in their custody.Many cheered the surprise convictions of the officers -- three of them black. They face a range of charges, including second-degree murder and manslaughter.The Maryland National Guard said on Twitter it had nearly 3,000 soldiers and airmen ready to help keep the peace in the city.But in contrast to the violence and looting that flared after Freddie Grays funeral on Monday, there was a festive atmosphere in Baltimore, as demonstrators -- white and black -- gathered at City Hall, the focal point of rallies in recent days.After the rally, protesters marched toward the neighborhood where Gray was arrested on April 12. He died a week later from his injuries.Whose streets? Our streets they chanted.Stop police brutalityIts been a frustration whats going on. Now we want to stop police brutality, we want peace, Autumn Hooper, a 25-year-old African American woman, told AFP.The death of Gray, 25, at the hands of police has reignited simmering resentment in the United States over law enforcement tactics, particularly in their dealings with African Americans.Gray was then seen hustled into a police van that made several stops en route to the Western District police station, from where an ambulance rushed him to a shock trauma unit.He died seven days later with 80 percent of his spine severed at the neck, lawyers for his family have said.On Friday, police made at least 15 arrests when some protesters defied a 10:00 pm curfew, underlining persisting anger at alleged police brutality and racism.Demonstrations have erupted daily in Baltimore this week.There have also been rallies in many other major American cities, including New York, Philadelphia and the capital Washington, in echoes of the protests that broke out across the United States last year over the fatal police shooting of an unarmed black teenager in Ferguson, Missouri.Shackled by his feetThe medical examiner found that Grays death was a homicide.That determination, along with the findings of an independent investigation have led us to believe that we have probable cause to file criminal charges, Maryland state prosecutor Marilyn Mosby said Friday.Mosby said Gray suffered a severe and critical neck injury as a result of being handcuffed, shackled by his feet and unrestrained inside a moving police van following his arrest.Mosby -- an African-American woman who is the daughter, granddaughter and niece of police officers -- said Gray had been illegally arrested as no crime had been committed.Baltimores police union condemned what it called an egregious rush to judgement, as it defended the officers and expressed confidence they would be cleared.While some expressed relief that the police officers had been charged, others cautioned that it was only the first step in a process that once again casts a damning spotlight on race relations in the United States.Lawyer and activist Malik Shabazz pressed Mosby: dont (back) off as he addressed a calm, mostly young, crowd under sunny spring skies.He led demonstrators in a chant of No justice, no peaceShabazz also urged Maryland Governor Bob Hogan to end the curfew in Baltimore, which business owners say is hurting them seriously, and to order out National Guard troops.I ask respectfully, Governor Hogan, back up your troops, in the hopes the community can make strides toward normalcy.Marylands branch of the ACLU, the largest US civil rights organization, also said the curfew no longer serves its intended purpose, in a statement.There were hints Friday that the unrest could spread to other parts of the United States.More than a dozen people were arrested in the Californian city of Oakland after a May Day protest that focused on alleged police brutality turned violent.Some participants broke windows, sprayed graffiti, set small fires and refused to disperse, according to police.Separately, three police officers were injured in Seattle during a demonstration and 16 people were arrested.

Mexico seeks missing troops after chopper downed

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VILLA PURIFICACION (AFP) - Mexican authorities searched Saturday for three missing soldiers after gunmen brought down their helicopter in a field during an operation against a violent drug cartel in western Jalisco state.Three other soldiers were killed, while 10 troops and two federal police officers were hurt Friday when the assailants hit the Cougar helicopters tail rotor, forcing an emergency landing.The attack came on a day of violence across the western state that authorities say was launched by the Jalisco New Generation Drug Cartel in a bid to thwart a military and police operation against the gang.Jalisco has emerged in recent months as a new challenge in President Enrique Pena Nietos battle to contain drug violence in Mexico.The New Generation cartel, led by Nemesio Oseguera, alias El Mencho, has violently defied authorities, killing 20 police officers in two ambushes in March and April. It has forged alliances with gangs around the globe.A total of seven people died in Fridays violence, which included roadblocks with torched vehicles in several towns, arson attacks against banks and gasoline stations, and shootouts in four locations.Authorities detained 19 people.Hiding or dead?The violence included the rare attack on the military helicopter near Villa Purificacion.Some 200 soldiers guarded the site of the emergency landing, an area of pastures with thick vegetation near a hill.A white sport utility vehicle was left behind by the gunmen, with their assault rifles still inside.Soldiers and federal investigators were searching for the three missing troops around the site of the emergency landing, federal officials said.The search (area) has expanded, an official told AFP on condition of anonymity, adding that the soldiers could either be hiding, unconscious or dead.We still dont know what happened to them, the official said.But officials would not speculate on whether the cartel could have kidnapped the soldiers.We maintain the version that they are missing, a second official said.The state was relatively calm on Saturday, one day after the flames and shootouts sowed terror across two dozen towns.Fearful populationA state police officer was killed in a gun battle in the town of Autlan, some 60 kilometers (37 miles) east from where the helicopter was hit.Witnesses said people hid in their homes when a group of men set fire to a bank and a gasoline station.The smell of burning rubber and metal still hung in the air from the remnants of a charred semi-trailer truck that was used to block the road.Humberto Casian, a congressional candidate for the leftist Morena party in June elections, said in Autlan that the area near the Pacific is a key smuggling route for synthetic drugs.Whats happening in Jalisco is bad. Theres a readjustment by a criminal organization that has had great complacency from the state government, which has let it grow, Casian said in an interview.When a fight erupts, were caught in the middle.Residents were too fearful to talk openly about what happened.I prefer not to give my opinion because you cant with these guys, said one man wearing a sombrero who was buying a newspaper in the main square.A hat seller said he saw one man enter the local bank Friday morning, pour gasoline inside it and set it on fire.Raul Benitez Manaut, a security expert at Mexicos National Autonomous University, said the violence shows that the New Generation wants to directly attack government forces so that they will come look for them and they can counter-attack.

Pakistan protests to India for killing citizen for accidental border cross

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Pakistan on Saturday protested to India over the brutal killing of a Pakistani citizen named Amanat Ali for crossing the border accidentally at Shakargarh working boundary. Pakistan registered its protest over the killing by summoning the Indian High Commissioner to the foreign office. He was also handed over a protest note for the killing of the Pakistani citizen. The Spokesperson for the foreign office stated that India should refrain from provocative actions.The Spokesperson also stated that Pakistan strongly condemns the aggressive action of the Indian forces. He stated that the Amanat Ali was unarmed and had wandered into the border area by accident. He also stated that India should care for the lives of the common citizens.Amanat Ali was first shot and then gratuitously tortured and killed by Border Security Forces’ (BSF) agents at Shakargarh working boundary on Friday. His body was then handed over to the Rangers.

Magistrate grants bail to couple accused of beating 8-year-old

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LAHORE (Dunya News) – A judicial magistrate granted bail to a couple accused of beating a minor girl with an iron rod on Saturday.Judicial magistrate Muhammad Riaz granted bail to Sumaina Kausar and Muhammad Amin. The couple is being prosecuted for alleged torture of 8-year-old who the couple bought for 30,000 rupees.The accused had beaten 8-year-old Ramiza with iron rod a few days ago.The accused’s neighbor’s had informed police about the beating incident which promptly arrested the couple and registered a case against them.
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