Saturday 9 May 2015

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Guinean opposition cancels protest in favour of dialogue

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CONAKRY (AFP) - The Guinean opposition on Saturday cancelled a protest set for next week, saying it wanted to give frank and sincere dialogue a chance following deadly unrest over an election timetable deemed too favourable to the regime.The move came after broad consultation with the other opposition leaders and to give a chance for consultation that will certainly lead to a frank and sincere dialogue between the opposition and the government, opposition leader Cellou Dalein Diallo told AFP.The protest had been set for Monday after clashes between Guinean security forces in the capital Conakry on Thursday led Diallo to pull out of planned talks with President Alpha Conde.The opposition are calling for local elections to be held before a presidential vote due in October in the poor west African country.They believe Conde wants the calendar to remain unchanged because he wants to keep his cronies in local administrations, to help him rig the October vote.The president denies the claims, arguing that local officials will not be involved in the vote.Security forces surrounded the homes of opposition leaders before the clashes Thursday in what Colonel Ansouma Camara of the Guinean police said was a move aimed at minimising violence in the former French colony.Two weeks of violent confrontations in April left several people dead and dozens wounded in the countrys largest towns and cities.Last Monday, one person died and at least 20 were wounded as fresh clashes broke out in the capital.Thursdays clashes hit several districts in the suburbs of Conakry, where many store owners closed their businesses for the day while the flow of traffic was blocked in some areas.

Syrian troops battle to free trapped forces: monitor

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BEIRUT (AFP) - Syrian government forces advanced Saturday towards the rebel-held town of Jisr al-Shughur, where around 250 regime force members and their families are trapped in a hospital building, a monitor said.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said government troops were now within two kilometres (just over a mile) of where the group has been trapped since rebels seized Jisr al-Shughur in northwestern Idlib province two weeks ago.Regime forces and allied fighters are now two kilometres from the hospital and desperately want to save the 250 people besieged inside, said Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman.He said there was fierce fighting between rebels and army backed by air strikes as they sought to approach the hospital on Jisr al-Shughurs southeastern outskirts.Regime forces inside the hospital have been battling rebels to keep them from entering the building.It remains unclear how much food and ammunition is available to those trapped, and how many of the 250 people inside are civilians.A group of rebels including Al-Qaedas Syrian affiliate Al-Nusra Front seized Jisr al-Shughur on April 25, shortly after capturing the provincial capital of Idlib city.The loss of the town, strategically located near the border with rebel-backer Turkey and alongside the regime stronghold of Latakia province, was a new setback for the government.Since then, the regime has also lost one of its remaining military bases in the province.On Wednesday, President Bashar al-Assad pledged that the army would arrive soon to these heroes trapped in the Jisr al-Shughur hospital.The same day, government forces began a counteroffensive in the province.Elsewhere on Saturday, official news agency SANA said at least five civilians were killed and 19 wounded by rebel shelling in northern Aleppo.Ravaged by warThe deaths occurred in the Salaheddin neighbourhood of the government-controlled west of the city.Once Syrias economic powerhouse, Aleppo has been ravaged by the countrys war and is divided between government control in the west and rebel control in the east.Regime forces regularly carry out air strikes and drop so-called barrel bombs on the rebel side, and opposition fighters often fire rockets into the government side.In the Qalamun region in the southwest, Lebanons Shiite movement Hezbollah announced on its Al-Manar television channel that it and Syrian regime forces had taken Al-Nusra Fronts largest base in the region, at Sahlet al-Maaysra.On Tuesday, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah threatened to expel the insurgents from the area. Since then, the group has taken several positions with regime air support, according to the Observatory and Syrian military sources.The Qalamun region straddles the Syria-Lebanon border and was a rebel stronghold until a major operation last year by Syrian regime troops backed by Hezbollah.In Hasakeh province in the northeast, the Observatory said at least 22 Islamic State group fighters were killed in clashes Saturday with Kurdish forces and in air raids by the US-led coalition.A Pentagon statement said coalition planes carried out 13 air strikes against IS targets near Hasakeh between Friday morning and Saturday morning.The strikes hit tactical units and destroyed nine IS fighting positions, 10 vehicles, two heavy machineguns and an armoured car, it said.Upwards of 200 IS terrorists have been killed in the region since they launched an offensive in February following their defeat at the Kurdish city of Kobane on the border with Turkey.More than 220,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests that spiralled into a war after a regime crackdown.

Football: Fellaini keeps his head to give United top-four boost

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LONDON (AFP) - Marouane Fellainis late header moved Manchester United one step closer to a place in the Champions League as the Belgium midfielder sealed a 2-1 victory at Crystal Palace on Saturday.Juan Mata had ended Uniteds three-game goal-drought with a 19th minute penalty and Fellaini clinched the win 12 minutes from time after Jason Puncheon had levelled for Palace.The victory ended a run of three straight defeats for fourth placed United and put them seven points clear of fifth placed Liverpool, who realistically must beat champions Chelsea on Sunday if they are to have any chance of denying Louis van Gaals side a top four finish in the Premier League.This was by no means a convincing win, but it does mean Van Gaals plans for next season, a process that began this week with the signing of Memphis Depay from PSV Eindhoven, should include the lure of a place in Europes elite club competition.Van Gaals preparations were complicated by the late withdrawal of Robin van Persie because of a virus, with the Dutch striker joining the injured Angel Di Maria on the sidelines.Like van Gaal, Palace manager Alan Pardew was anxious to halt a three-match losing streak and finish the season on a high after already guaranteeing a mid-table berth.With van Persie missing and Radamel Falcao again consigned to the substitutes bench, Wayne Rooney was asked to lead the United attack with Fellaini operating just behind.The first real threat, though, came from Dutch midfielder Daley Blind whose low, long range shot was turned onto a post by Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni.Other than that, the home side coped comfortably, while winger Wilfried Zaha started the game looking as though he had a point to prove against his former club by repeatedly threatening Uniteds right flank.Penalty controversyPalaces early promise, however, was brought to abrupt halt when referee Michael Oliver decided Scott Dann used his arm to block Ashley Youngs cross into the penalty area.Dann claimed the ball had struck his chest but Spanish midfielder Mata kept his nerve until the protests had died down and placed the spot-kick inside Speronis right hand post.United may have been fortunate to get the decision, but once ahead, they began to control the first half and would have been two up if Fellaini had not miscontrolled Ander Herreras cross when unmarked in front of goal.The visitors, though, were disrupted first by the loss of left-back Luke Shaw, who was stretchered off after landing awkwardly, and then by the half-time withdrawal of Rooney with a thigh injury.Added to that, Palace emerged for the second half with the look of a side that had been made aware a repeat of their first half showing was unacceptable.They had already twice come close to levelling before Chris Smalling was adjudged to have held Glenn Murray just outside the United penalty area.That gave Puncheon the chance to lift his free-kick over the defensive wall, helped by a deflection off Blind, and beyond goalkeeper David De Gea for the 57th minute equaliser.Palace were now the better team and it took a superb one-handed save from De Gea to prevent Murray putting the hosts ahead.But van Gaals side finally found a response when Fellaini took advantage of a collision between Speroni and centre-back Damien Delaney to head home from Youngs cross.

RugbyU: Toulon eye semi-finals, rivals keep up pressure

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PARIS (AFP) - Toulon showed no signs of a hangover after their unprecedented third consecutive European title with a five-try 37-21 demolition of struggling Castres in the Top 14 on Saturday.Leigh Halfpenny scored a try, three conversions and two penalties for a personal haul of 17 points as Toulon turned their attention to the defence of their Top 14 title just a week after seeing off Clermont in the European Champions Cup final.Clermont shrugged off their European misery with a 37-17 win at Grenoble which kept them in second spot while Toulouse, the 17-time champions, kept up their push for a semi-final place with a nine-try 67-19 rout of Brive to go third.Bordeaux kept their play-off hopes alive with a 26-23 win over Oyonnax.At the other end, rock-bottom Lyon drew 16-16 with La Rochelle but are almost certainly doomed to relegation.A star-studded Toulon proved too strong for a Castres locked in a relegation battle but who denied the home side an offensive bonus point by scoring three tries of their own.Above all, we take the four points for the win, even if its true that we made two or three mistakes which meant we didnt take the bonus point we should have taken, said Toulon coach Bernard Laporte.But I saw a lot of concentration and willingness from the players right from the kick-off.Laporte added: Well now rotate much of the squad for Clermont (next week).It took Toulon 11 minutes to get their first score.A bullocking run by ex-All Black Chris Masoe against his old club split the defence, the ball was spun left and English flanker Steffon Armitage was on hand to scramble over the line for a try.Halfpenny missed the conversion but hit a penalty just minutes later.Castres then scored a neat try through Romain Martial, the winger latching on to a neat Julien Dumora grubber to touch down in the corner.Xavier Chiocci was the welcome recipient of an Ali Williams palm-down from the re-start, the prop tearing through four attempted tackles from 30 metres out for a memorable try, Halfpenny mishitting the extras.A second penalty from the Welsh full-back heralded a fine set-piece move that saw Australian playmaker Matt Giteau find Halfpenny with a scything pass, his acceleration and deft offload setting Fijian winger Josua Tuisova steaming over for a great try.Tuisova got his second just three minutes into the second period, enjoying a straight run at the line after a precise Armitage pass.With 15 minutes to play, Halfpenny touched down after the defence failed to ground a Drew Mitchell grubber, the Welshman converting his own effort.With the game in the bag, Toulon let Castres in for two well-taken consolation scores from South African-born France international scrum-half Rory Kockott and captain Romain Cabannes which lost them the bonus point.Clermont are three points behind Toulon after a bonus point 37-17 win at Grenoble, a fourth away victory of the season for Franck Azemas men.It also ended a run of three successive losses for the European Cup runners-up at Grenobles Stade des Alpes home.French international centre Wesley Fofana grabbed two of his teams five tries with English full-back Nick Abendanon also scoring just days after being named European Player of the Year.Toulouse became the first team in France this season to win five games in succession with their brutal 67-19 win over Brive who are also battling the drop.Winger Yoann Huget grabbed a hat-trick of tries with full-back Maxime Medard also crossing.English fly-half Toby Flood added a try and kicked 22 points.In the tight battle to finish in the top six and ensure a play-off spot, seventh-placed Bordeaux edged Oyonnax 26-23 but the visitors stayed sixth after grabbing a losing bonus point courtesy of an 80th-minute try from Florian Denos.Montpellier stay in eighth spot, three points off the top six, after the team coached by former South Africa World Cup winner Jake White beat struggling Bayonne 33-16.Sunday sees the Parisian derby between Racing-Metro and Stade Francais.

Turkey coup leader Kenan Evren dies 'without remorse'

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ANKARA (AFP) - Turkish former junta leader Kenan Evren, regarded by many as a saviour of the nation but by others as a man with blood on his hands, died Saturday aged 97.The former president was sentenced to life in prison last June along with former air force commander Tahsin Sahinkaya, now 90, for their roles in the countrys bloodiest putsch.As head of the armed forces, Evren seized power in a pre-dawn assault on September 12, 1980, and went on to rule for the next nine years.Fifty people were sent to the gallows in the aftermath of the coup, while dozens died from torture while in jail and more than 600,000 people of all political stripes were arrested.This move was made in line with the wishes of the people and the army to eradicate the blow inflicted on democracy, Evren was quoted as saying in the days after the coup.Evren, along with his second-in-command Sahinkaya, escaped prosecution until Ankara stripped them of their immunity in 2010 in legislation adopted exactly 30 years after the coup.They were the only two surviving members of the junta at the time of the trial.Evren never appeared in the dock because of his failing health but testified from his hospital bed via video link.If it was today, we would do the same thing and stage that coup all over again, he said in a November 2012 hearing. I have no remorse.Coup a necessary evilThe coup was launched as Turkey was rocked by fierce clashes between left-wing and right-wing activists and the action was at the time hailed by many as a necessary evil that saved the country from sinking into a state of anarchy.After the coup, Evren came under fire from rights groups over callous comments defending the hanging of a 17-year-old convicted of killing a soldier in the unrest, with some saying he had blood on his hands.If you do not hang those who deserve it, they will spread like a virus, Evren reportedly said.Evren became the seventh president of the republic after the junta introduced a new constitution that allowed him to formalise his position as head of state.He was born in 1917 into a family of Balkan migrants in Manisa, a city near the Aegean coast, in the fading years of the Ottoman Empire.He graduated from a military high school in Istanbul in 1938, the same year the founder of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, died.Evren quickly climbed the ranks of the military and served in South Korea after the Korean War, becoming a general in 1964.He was appointed armed forces chief of staff in 1978, and a few years later issued his first warning to the government of then prime minister Suleyman Demirel, who had been spared the gallows in Turkeys first coup in 1960.Evren opted out of public life after his retirement in 1989, moving into his coastal villa in Marmaris and spending much of his time painting by the sea.In the 1990s, his work was snapped up by Turkish business leaders, with one company paying the equivalent of about $240,000 for one oil painting.I know the painting was not worth that... they did not even see it, Evren, who leaves three daughters, said in a 1993 interview.However, public and political sentiment turned against him after the Islamic-rooted Justice and Development Party (AKP) took power in 2002, clipping the wings of the once-powerful generals.

Golf: Tough day for Tiger at TPC Sawgrass

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PONTE VEDRA BEACHb (AFP) - Former world number one Tiger Woods slipped further down the Players Championship leaderboard on Saturday with a third-round 75 that included double bogeys on two par-five holes.The 14-time major champion, now ranked 125th in the world, had never before had two double bogeys at par-fives in the same round, and the disappointed superstar departed the course without discussing his day.After making the cut with a birdie at the last hole on Friday, Woods was in trouble early at the par-five second, where his tee shot hit a tree and the ground barely 100 yards out from the tee.He was in a bunker with his third shot and over the green with his fourth en route to a double bogey.After a bogey and birdie at the sixth and seventh, Woods needed three chips to from about 20 feet out to reach the green for a second double bogey.He pulled one stroke back with a birdie at the par-five 11th, but by then the damage was done.Its hard to score when you double two par-fives, obviously, said Canadian Graham DeLaet, who played alongside Woods.Woods is playing just his fourth tournament of the year and his first since a tie for 17th at the Masters.Augusta National marked his return to competition after a two-month break to shore up his game after a disastrous start to the season.He missed the cut in the Phoenix Open -- shooting a career-worst 82 -- and pulled out after 11 holes of the second round at Torrey Pines with a sore back.Although he owns two Players Championship titles -- the most recent coming in 2013 -- Woods acknowledged before the tournament that this was a tough time of year for him -- with the anniversary of the death of his father and mentor, Earl Woods, falling on May 3.In addition this year, Woods and girlfriend Lindsey Vonn announced this week that they had split, blaming hectic schedules that kept them apart too much.Woods will be hoping to salvage the week with a solid final round on Sunday.

Britain in new era after Cameron's shock victory

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LONDON (AFP) - Britain was adjusting to a new political landscape on Saturday after a shock election victory for Prime Minister David Cameron that decapitated the opposition and bolstered secessionists in Scotland.While Cameron spent the weekend drawing up his new team of ministers, the Scottish National Party (SNP) was celebrating its seismic gains, insisting it would not be sidelined in the new parliament.Despite pollsters predicting that Camerons Conservatives would lose ground in Thursdays vote, they won 331 of the 650 seats in parliament, giving the prime minister a second term in office -- this time with a majority for his centre-right party.While there were dramatic gains for the Conservatives and the Scottish National Party (SNP), the opposition was left in disarray after the Labour and Liberal Democrat leaders quit over their parties drubbings.The UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader also resigned, after a huge swell in votes for the populist party translated into only one parliamentary seat.Dozens of anti-austerity protesters unhappy with Camerons return to power clashed with police during a protest outside Downing Street on Saturday, leading to two officers being hospitalised and five arrests.Anti-Tory graffiti was also daubed on a war memorial honouring the women of WWII in what the Royal British Legion called a senseless act.The victory gives the Conservatives a freer hand than in Camerons previous government -- a coalition with the Liberal Democrats -- but the slender majority leaves them prey to rebellion from within their own ranks.The Times said Cameron would need every ounce of statesmanship to surmount the challenges facing him.His majority is slim and using it will not be easy. His real work starts now.Hollande warning over EUCameron had already agreed to hold an in-out referendum on Britains European Union membership by 2017 due to pressure from the Conservative right wing and a rising UKIP, and he was quick to confirm his pledge on Friday.There is growing concern in the business community about the referendum, even though Cameron has said he will campaign to stay in as long as he can negotiate reforms to cut down on EU migrants moving to Britain.EU partners gave a taste of the tough talks ahead in their congratulations for his re-election, with French President Francois Hollande saying that there were rules in Europe to be respected.European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said the blocs four key principles including freedom of movement were non-negotiable.Cameron will also face a tough battle to keep Scotland in the United Kingdom, and in a post-election speech pledged to grant sweeping new local powers.Cameron has kept his four main ministers in place and boosted the nominal power of his finance minister George Osborne, but was spending the weekend drawing up names for the remaining portfolios.He is expected to take until Monday to complete his cabinet fully, then finalise more junior ministerial posts over the coming week.During the election campaign, Cameron named Osborne, interior minister Theresa May and London Mayor Boris Johnson as his chief possible successors, after pledging this would be his final term in office.Johnson said Saturday: There is a great amount of work to do over the next five years -- to improve quality of life, build more homes, increase job opportunities for all, and secure our economic growth. Lets get to it.Scottish secessionists triumphantCentre-left Labour lost 26 seats and now has 232 MPs, while the centrist Liberal Democrats were eviscerated after five years in coalition with the Conservatives, ending up with just eight seats after losing 49.In Scotland, the left-wing SNP won a historic landslide -- 56 of the 59 Scottish seats -- just seven months after losing a referendum on seceding from the United Kingdom.The people of Scotland on Thursday voted for an SNP manifesto, which had ending austerity as its number one priority, party leader Nicola Sturgeon said as her MPs rallied Saturday at the iconic Forth Rail Bridge outside Edinburgh.No longer will Scotland be sidelined or ignored, she said.The Labour Party is set for a period of soul-searching as it starts choosing a replacement for Ed Miliband, who stood down as leader.UKIP leader Nigel Farage stepped down after failing to win his constituency. His anti-EU, anti-mass immigration party came third in the share of the vote with 12.6 percent but won only one seat.The need for electoral reform has never been greater, he said Saturday. First-past-the-post is now a bankrupt voting system.

Church-cum-mosque causes controversy at Venice Biennale

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ROME (AFP) - Iceland sparked controversy on the opening day of the Biennale art fair in the Italian city of Venice Saturday by turning a disused church into a mosque.Entitled La Moschea, the installation was created in the Santa-Maria della Misericordia, a former Catholic church that was rented to Icelands national pavilion by its private owner.Heralding the initiative as promoting religious tolerance, several Muslims came to pray at the building.Leaving their shoes at the door, the worshippers faced Mecca and knelt to pray whilst around them visitors toured the exhibition.The installation, by Swiss artist Christoph Buechel, aims to draw attention to the absence of a mosque in the historic centre of Venice -- a city with historic trading links to the Muslim world.But city authorities expressed reservations, citing, among other things, the risk of the building being attacked by anti-Muslim elements -- or, at the other side of the spectrum -- Islamist radicals.The president of Veneto region, Luca Zaia, called the installation a provocation.The real issue, he said, was not freedom of religion but respecting the rules of an international art exhibition.The 56th Venice Biennale runs through November 22.The jury on Saturday awarded the Golden Lion for Best National Participation to Armenia for a pavilion about the Armenian diaspora.The Golden Lion for Best Artist went to Adrian Piper of the United States pour The Probable Trust Registry: The Rules of the Game 1-3.

Four Macedonia police injured in clashes near Kosovo border

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KUMANOVO, Macedonia, May 9, 2015 (AFP) - Macedonia, hit by a deep political crisis, was further shaken Saturday when four police officers were injured in clashes with an armed group near the Kosovo border, with some reports talking of fatalities.The clashes erupted during a dawn raid by police in the northern town of Kumanovo after the authorities received information on the movement of an armed group, a police spokesman told reporters.Local media said the police operation, which was still ongoing Saturday evening, targeted a part of the town populated mainly by ethnic Albanians.Police spokesman Ivo Kotevski said members of the armed group have illegally entered Macedonia from a neighbouring country and were planning a terrorist attack on the state institutions.The gunmen, who were well-armed and had supporters in Kumanovo, he said, without elaborating on their nationality.However, local media suggested they came from neighbouring Kosovo, populated mostly by ethnic Albanians.In 2001, Macedonias ethnic Albanian rebels staged an insurgency in the Balkans country.During Saturdays police operation in Kumanovo, officers were met with violent resistance from snipers, grenades and automatic weapons, Kotevski said.Three policemen who sustained serious injuries were taken to hospital in the capital Skopje, some 40 kilometres (25 miles) to the south, Dragan Tasevski, a hospital doctor in Kumanovo, told reporters. A fourth was treated locally.The US embassy in Skopje issued a statement voicing condolences to the families of the people killed and to those injured. Contacted by AFP police said it could not comment on the information until the operation was over.Local media reported that three police officers were killed and some 30 members of the armed group arrested, but there was no immediate independent confirmation.Armoured police vehicles were deployed across Kumanovo, with officers clad in bullet-proof jackets as helicopters hovered overhead, according to an AFP photographer.Shooting continued on Saturday evening, while dozens of people, mostly women with children and elderly were leaving the affected zone, some of them being evacuated by police, according to the photographer.Police admitted that the operation was carried out in difficult terrain.Calls for calm, dialogueThe incident comes less then three weeks after around 40 ethnic Albanians from neighbouring Kosovo briefly seized control of a police station on Macedonias northern border, demanding the creation of an Albanian state in Macedonia.Ethnic Albanians make up around one quarter of Macedonias 2.1 million people.Both Albania and Kosovo, as well as Macedonias ethnic Albanian junior ruling party DUI strongly condemned Saturdays clashes and called for calm.In Tirana, the foreign ministry in a statement called for restraint to prevent further deterioration of the situation which is not in favour of Macedonias democratic stability and prosperity.Pristina echoed the view as its foreign ministry called all sides to find a solution through a political dialogue.Serbia sent additional forces on its border with both Kosovo and Macedonia, state-run Tanjug news agency reported.The 2001 Macedonian conflict ended with an agreement providing more rights to the community, but ties between ethnic Macedonians and Albanians remain scarred.Meanwhile, Macedonian opposition leader Zoran Zaev called on conservative Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski to address the public and explain who was destabilising the country and for what reason, a statement said.Since the beginning of the year, the government and the centre-left opposition have communicated only through public exchanges of accusations, including claims of wiretapping and million-euro bribes.The crisis has not only undermined Macedonias already weak institutions, it has also sparked concerns within the 28-nation European Union, which it is seeking to join.The former Yugoslav republic is also battling an economic crisis, with unemployment running at 28 percent.

At least four killed in Spain military air crash

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SEVILLE (AFP) - At least four people were killed when an Airbus A400M military plane crashed near Seville airport in southern Spain during a test flight, the first fatal incident involving the new transport craft.Andalusias regional prefect Antonio Sanz said a burnt body had been found in the wreckage, raising the death toll to four. A spokeswoman for the emergency services had earlier reported at least three dead and two seriously injured.She said the authorities were still trying to establish how many people were on the plane when it went down in a non-residential area around a mile from the airport.The airport was closed to traffic for about an hour after the crash. A thick plume of black smoke was seen in the vicinity of the airport.Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who received the news on a campaign visit to Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands, spoke of eight to 10 people on board.The prime minister, who was due to visit the crash scene later Saturday, expressed his condolences to the victims, Spanish news agencies reported.Aviation sources confirmed the plane was one of the new A400M troop and vehicle transporters manufactured by European aerospace group Airbus.Airbus Defence and Space, the Airbus division responsible for military aircraft, said the plane was destined for Turkey, but did not immediately say how many people were aboard.The group sent a team of experts to the crash scene.If confirmed as an accident, it would be the first since the plane, which is assembled at a factory in Seville, went into service.Beset by problemsThe first A400M was delivered to France in 2013, with subsequent planes sold to Turkey, Britain, Germany and Malaysia.The A400M programme has been beset by problems since it was launched in 2003.In addition to production and delivery delays, the programme ran 30 percent -- or 6.2 billion euros ($7 billion) -- over budget.In 2010, Airbus mulled scrapping the entire project amid doubts about its financial viability.In the end the A400M programme was maintained, but not without renewed troubles.Shortly after Germany took delivery of its first A400M last January -- four years late -- Der Spiegel published a list of 875 construction errors or malfunctions detected in the plane.In January Airbus Group president Tom Enders offered an apology to British officials for continued delays for seven A400M craft earmarked for delivery in 2015.Enders described industrial reasons for the delays as not catastrophic but sufficiently embarrassing to merit remedial measures.Technological gemAirbus -- which was previously forced to set aside 551 million euros from 2014 earnings to pay for continued delays -- has yet to reveal a promised new delivery schedule for A400M planes.Yet Airbus still has high hopes for the aircraft, which is reaching the market just as its main US rivals are nearing the end of their life cycles -- notably the C-130, which was designed 50 years ago.A total of 174 A400M planes have been ordered, including 50 by France, 53 by Germany, 27 by Spain and 22 by Britain.Powered by four turbo-prop engines, the A400M is designed to transport troops and material, including armoured vehicles and helicopters, over great distances at high speeds.Capable of transporting up to 37 tonnes over 3,300 kilometres, the A400M is still nimble enough to land on irregular terrain.Though Saturdays crash was the first involving the aircraft, it is the second deadly accident involving military planes in Spain this year.During NATO exercises on January 26, a Greek fighter jet experienced technical failure during takeoff and crashed into pilots and mechanics on the ground, killing 11 people and injuring 21.Following Saturdays crash, Spanish political parties announced suspension of their campaigning for May 24 regional elections out of respect for the victims.

Football: Barcelona on brink of Liga title after Real draw

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MADRID (AFP) - Barcelona are just one win away from a 23rd La Liga title after Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty in Real Madrids 2-2 draw at home to Valencia on Saturday.The league leaders are four points clear with two games to play after earlier claiming a comfortable 2-0 win over David Moyess Real Sociedad thanks to goals from Neymar and Pedro Rodriguez.Barcelona can now seal the title when they travel to reigning champions Atletico Madrid next Sunday should a potential players strike due for the weekend be called off.First-half goals from Paco Alcacer and Javi Fuego gave Valencia a commanding half-time lead.However, despite goalkeeper Diego Alves denying Ronaldo from the spot just before the break, Madrid roared back in the second-half to earn a point thanks to goals from Pepe and Isco.There are two games to go, we need to win them, but obviously it is more difficult (to win the league), admitted Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti.However, the Italian refuted suggestions the result could be a blow to his sides confidence ahead of their crucial Champions League semi-final, second-leg against Juventus on Wednesday.The result isnt good, but the performance was the complete opposite. We have a lot of chances, hit the post three times, missed a penalty, sometimes it just isnt enough.We have a lot of positives from the game and if we play like that on Wednesday it will go well.Alcacer wasted a big early chance when he spooned over when clean through on Iker Casillas, while at the other end Gareth Bale saw a brilliant free-kick come back off the bar.Ronaldo then also sent a header come off the frame of the goal, but it was Valencia who opened the scoring when Madrid-target Jose Gayas excellent low cross was turned home by Alcacer.Madrid suffered a huge injury blow ahead of the Juventus clash as Toni Kroos limped off to be replaced by Asier Illarramendi.Seconds later it was 2-0 as Dani Parejos free-kick was brilliantly guided into the far corner by Javi Fuego.Alves then made an incredible save from a Bale piledriver before the Welshman teed up Javier Hernandez to hit the woodwork for the third time in the half.Madrid looked to have been handed a route back into the game when Gaya bundled Bale over inside the area on the stroke of half-time.But Alves continued his excellent record of saving penalties by flying to his right to deny the Portuguese.Alves made two more excellent stops to deny Hernandez at the start of the second period, but he was finally beaten by Pepes towering header from James Rodriguezs corner.The Valencia goalkeeper came to his sides rescue once more with a stunning save from Sergio Ramoss header.However, he was left helpless as Iscos stunning curling effort into the top corner with eight minutes to go gave Madrid hope.Despite a late onslaught, though, Carlo Ancelottis men couldnt find a late winner and now need a monumental collapse from Barca to have any shot at the title.At the Camp Nou, Pedro Rodriguez scored a stunning overhead kick as Barcelona recorded their 28th win in 30 matches since being beaten by Sociedad back in January.We did everything to score and in the end the goals arrived, said Neymar, whose goal was his 50th for the Catalans.We have played a lot of big games recently in which you have to make a big effort and Sociedad are a difficult team to play against.Sociedad goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli kept the visitors in the game during the first-half with saves from Lionel Messi, Neymar and Gerard Pique, but he was finally beaten when Neymar headed home the opener early in the second-half.And Pedro, who has seen his opportunities limited by the sensational form of Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez this season, secured all three points with a brilliant acrobatic effort five minutes from time.

Ice hockey: Canada struggle past France at worlds

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PRAGUE (AFP) - Canada kept their perfect record and stayed at the top of Group A at the ice hockey world championships after struggling to a 4-3 win over underdogs France on Saturday.Dallas young gun Tyler Seguin and Edmonton forward Jordan Eberle put Canada 2-0 ahead before Julien Desrosiers narrowed their lead in the first period.Seguin added a power play goal on 37 minutes, but France never gave up and levelled the score within 35 seconds of the 47th minute with goals by Yorick Treille and Damien Fleury.Eberle then scored the game winner in a power play 50 minutes into the game as Canada outshot France 43-21.In a clash of minnows in Group A played in Prague, Latvia needed only 18 shots to beat Austria 2-1 in overtime.Brian Lebler put Austria ahead in the first period, but Lauris Darzins made it 1-1 on 32 minutes and Kaspars Daugavins handed Latvia a win only 33 seconds into overtime.In the last Group A game on Saturday, Sweden beat Switzerland 2-1 in overtime with a 64th-minute goal by young Nashville forward Filip Forsberg.Carolina forward Elias Lindholm scored for the Swedes in the eighth minute and Simon Bodenmann made it 1-1 just after the final period started.Canada lead Group A ahead of Sweden, the Czech Republic and Switzerland.In Group B played in the eastern Czech city of Ostrava, Russia swept Belarus 7-0, outshooting their rivals 32-13.Former NHLer Ilya Kovalchuk opened the scoring in the 10th minute, and St Louis Blues forward Vladimir Tarasenko, Vadim Shipachyov and Artemi Panarin made it 4-0 before the second intermission.Sergei Shirokov, Evgeni Dadonov and Pittsburgh star Evgeni Malkin rounded off the score in the final period.In the groups second game of the day, Finland beat Slovakia 3-0, earning the fourth shutout in five games.After three straight clean sheets for Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne, it was Hameenlinna goalie Juuse Saros who earned the honors after stopping 22 Slovak shots.Goalies dominated the game until the 51st minute when Joonas Donskoi scored the first goal, followed by Juhamatti Aaltonen five minutes later and by Toronto forward Leo Komarov who found an empty net seven seconds from the end as Slovakia had pulled goalie Jan Laco.On Saturday evening, Denmark earned their first win at the tournament after beating Norway 4-1.Nicklas Jensen scored for Denmark and Ken Andre Olimb put Norway level within the first three minutes of the game.Denmark won the first period 2-1 on a power-play goal by Daniel Nielsen just before the siren.Frederik Storm added another power-play goal in the second period and Julian Jakobsen made it 4-1 eight minutes from the end.Russia, Finland and the USA sit at the top of Group B with 12 points each ahead of Belarus with ten.The first four teams in each group will make it to the May 14 quarterfinals, while the last ones in each group -- currently Austria and Slovenia -- face relegation.

Football: AC Milan upset Roma to blow open Champions League race

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ROME (AFP) - Roma failed to strengthen their grip on second place in Serie A after goals from Marco Van Ginkel and Mattia Destro saw struggling AC Milan win 2-1 to blow the race for the Champions League wide open.Van Ginkels first Serie A goal five minutes before half-time and a close range header from former Roma striker Destro just before the hour mark were enough for Milan to win for the first time in six games, despite a Francesco Totti penalty letting Roma back into the game 17 minutes from time.Rudi Garcias Roma stay second on 64 points but they are only a point ahead of capital city rivals Lazio, who host Inter Milan on Sunday night.They could also find fourth-placed Napoli only two behind them at the end of the weekend should Rafael Benitezs side win at already-relegated Parma as expected.In Saturdays earlier game, Cagliari spoiled Juventus home title celebrations and Paul Pogbas goal-scoring return after two months out by snatching a late 1-1 draw to keep their slim Serie A survival hopes alive.Defender Luca Rossettini struck five minutes from the end in Turin, pouncing on the rebound off the post of his own header to cancel out Pogbas 45th-minute opener, and close the gap between third-from-bottom Cagliari and Atalanta, who travel to Palermo on Sunday, to five points.Pogba was the best player on the pitch before being substituted an hour into the match, but coach Massimiliano Allegri said that he was undecided whether he would start against Real Madrid on Wednesday when Juve try to a defend a 2-1 Champions League semi-final first leg lead.I will assess the situation between now and Wednesday, but Ive seen in training that hes in good physical condition. Hes a young lad and hes in good shape, said Allegri.Gervinho blowRoma looked to have turned a corner after two straight wins against Sassuolo and Genoa but once Gervinho left the field with a muscle problem after half an hour they lost their cutting edge, and it wasnt until they were two goals down and Garcia threw on Totti and Juan Manuel Iturbe that they looked like a threat again.The Ivorian was Romas key attacker and when he was replaced by Adem Ljajic Milan took charge, with Van Ginkel the driving force.First the Dutch youngster picked out Giacomo Bonaventura with a delightful inswinging cross in the 37th-minute that the midfielder could only head straight De Sanctis, and three minutes later he gave the hosts the lead.Miralem Pjanic sloppily gave the ball away in midfield, and Honda raced down the right before picking out the 22-year-old, who ghosted in front of Radja Nainggolan and tapped in the opener.Honda was involved again when Milan doubled their lead. The Japanese midfielder again found himself on the right, and his cross deflected off Ibarbo over Roma keeper Morgan De Sanctis and straight to Destro, who charged in to score his eighth goal of the season.Besides Tottis penalty, which Iturbe won when he was fouled by Milan defender Alex, the away side failed to create any clear-cut chances, and Milan ran out deserved winners.

Former Sicilian mob boss hideout becomes Palermo's police station

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ROME (AFP) - The hideout of former Cosa Nostra boss Toto Riina was inaugurated Saturday as Palermos new station for Italys carabinieri armed police force, in an event attended by Interior Minister Angelino Alfano.The new police facilities on Palermos Via Bernini had been the safe house where Riina, nicknamed The Beast because of his cruelty, had holed up until his January 15, 1993 arrest after nearly 20 years of evading the police.Known for both for his craftiness and cruelty while running the Sicilian mob, Riina is serving a life prison sentence for an array of crimes.The state won, and the Mafia has lost, said Alfano during the inaugural ceremony.During the 1990s the Italian state stepped up its fight against the Sicilian Mafia, aided by civilian judges leading investigations.Despite the success of that offensive, the Cosa Nostra remains influential in the economic and political life of certain areas.The transformed police station has been christened with names of Mario Trapassi and Salvatore Bertolotta, two carabinieri slain during the 1983 attack that killed anti-Mafia judge Rocco Chinnici.

Tennis: Murray to face Nadal in Madrid final

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MADRID (AFP) - Andy Murray will meet Rafael Nadal in the final of the Madrid Open after continuing his flawless start to the European clay court season with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Kei Nishikori.Earlier, Nadal powered past the Czech Republics Tomas Berdych 7-6 (7/3), 6-1 to reach his seventh final in the Spanish capital.This year and in the off-season I put in a lot of hard work on my game and made a few changes and tried to get back to playing the way that I was playing when I was my most successful, said Murray.Today I was pretty aggressive, I tried to dictate a lot of the points, especially when he was serving, and it worked well.Against Rafa its going to be extremely difficult, especially playing here in Spain. I think hes played very well this week too, so hopefully I can put in a good performance and make it tough for him.Murray won his first ever clay court tournament earlier in the week in Munich, but was up against an in-form Nishikori, who claimed his second consecutive Barcelona Open title two weeks ago.There were too many unforced errors from me. I dont think I played too bad, but to beat Andy I was missing too much, said Nishikori.The world number three Scot was the dominant player in the first set as he claimed the final four games to move in front.Japans Nishikori had been a set up on Nadal in last years final in Madrid before eventually having to retire due to injury, and he showed why he has become such an accustomed clay court player early in the second with a great variety of shots to get the early break.However, Murray broke straight back to level at 2-2 and after five consecutive holds, the two-time Grand Slam champion broke once more to seal his place in his first ever final in a Masters event on clay.Unusually it is Nadal who is seeking his first title of the European clay after falling to world number one Novak Djokovic in the Monte Carlo Masters semi-finals and a stunning defeat to Fabio Fognini early at the Barcelona Open last month.However, the nine-time French Open champion showed signs of his best form back on his favoured surface in sealing victory in temperatures which nudged 30 degrees in just under two hours on court.Tomas is a player that is playing spectacularly this year, he is competing in all the tournaments and I had to be at a high level to beat him, said Nadal, who holds a career 15-5 edge over Murray and is 6-0 on clay.It is without doubt one of the best matches I have played all year.I am very happy. This week was vital for me and to be in the final is great news. Last year Madrid helped me a lot and this year I think it is again.Nadal was blown away by Berdych earlier this year in the Australian Open quarter-finals, but he always looked sure to extend his record over the world number seven to 7-0 on clay after edging a tight first set on the tie-break.The 14-time Grand Slam champion finally broke through Berdychs resistance in a marathon fourth game in the second set on his third break point opportunity to lead 3-1 and won the next three games to move to within one match of a fifth title in Madrid.
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