Saturday 11 July 2015

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Greece faces 'difficult' talks to stay in euro

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BRUSSELS (AFP) - Eurozone finance chiefs warned that last-ditch talks Saturday on a bailout deal to stop Greece crashing out of the euro would be extremely difficult, blaming Athens for a collapse of trust.Hardline Germany led a chorus of scepticism as Eurogroup ministers prepared to give a verdict on leftist Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsiprass new reform plan for a third rescue package worth more than 80 billion euros ($89 billion).But France and some smaller nations said there was a good basis for negotiations on the new proposals of pension cuts and tax hikes, which were approved by the Greek parliament in the early hours of Saturday.We will have extremely difficult negotiations, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble told reporters on his way into the talks in Brussels.In the last months hope has been destroyed in an incredible way, even up to just a few hours ago. Definitely we cannot trust promises, he added.A European source said the German finance ministry has even drawn up an internal paper for Greece to leave the eurozone for five years if it fails to improve its bailout proposals, but added it was not distributed in Brussels.Eurogroup chief Jeroen Dijsselbloem insisted on the need to build trust after six months of tortuous debt deal negotiations and a sudden referendum in which Greeks overwhelmingly rejected creditors bailout terms.There is a major issue of trust -- can the Greek government be trusted to do what they are promising in coming weeks, months and years? said Dijsselbloem, who is also the Dutch finance minister.However Finance Minister Michel Sapin of France, which has been Greeces biggest supporter in efforts to avoid a Grexit, said he hoped the talks would go as far as possible to find a deal.A source close to the negotiations said the climate is not easy and Greek Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos was is in contact with Athens to see how to restore confidence in Greece.The finance ministers meeting is meant to reach a final verdict on whether the Greek proposals offer a basis for negotiations on a new bailout ahead of a make-or-break EU summit on Sunday.ArmageddonTsipras won the backing of 251 out of 300 deputies in the Greek parliament for his reform plans, even though they are similar to the ones that Greeks rejected in the referendum.Greeces creditors fear it will not keep its promises after two previous bailouts worth 240 billion euros merely added to a debt mountain now worth nearly 180 percent of the countrys GDP.Despite roundly voting No last Sunday to accepting tough austerity terms for bailout funds, Greeks are alarmed at capital controls that have closed banks and rationed cash at ATMs for nearly two weeks.Queueing Saturday at a cash machine in Athens, Vassilis Papoutsoglou, 52, said: We still dont know what will happen tomorrow. Can we expect something better, or is it Armageddon?The Greek government hoped the vote would give it a mandate to continue the talks with the creditors -- but it also revealed the depth of opposition to fresh austerity.Three senior government figures were among 10 MPs who abstained or voted against, and several others from the ruling leftist Syriza party stayed away, prompting commentators to predict a government shake-up.Tsipras told parliament the plan was marginally better than the proposals put forward by the creditors last month and that Greeks would succeed not only in staying in Europe but in living as equal peers with dignity and pride.50-50 chanceGreeces creditors appeared split at the Brussels talks, with some more hopeful voices.IMF chief Christine Lagarde -- who has echoed calls by Athens and the United States for part of Greeces debt to be eliminated -- said she hoped for a lot of progress.Greece became the first developed economy to default on a huge payment to the International Monetary Fund on June 30.EU economic affairs commissioner Pierre Moscovici said that rapidly putting reforms in action was key to getting a programme, to be able to tackle the debt.EU sources who asked not to be named put the probability of a deal at no more than 50-50.If eventually approved, Greece could receive between 74 billion and 82 billion euros from its EU-IMF creditors, including 16 billion euros from the IMF that is part of an old programme due to expire next March, sources said.EU President Donald Tusk has said the 28-nation European summit he will host in Brussels on Sunday is a last chance for a deal.Even if that happens, at least eight parliaments will have to weigh in on a final accord, with Germanys Bundestag having to vote twice.

'Difficult' Greece bailout talks halted as deadline looms

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BRUSSELS (AFP) - Divided eurozone ministers halted very difficult talks on a Greek bailout deal overnight Saturday, with just a day left before a final deadline for an agreement to stop Athens crashing out of the euro.Sceptical nations such as Germany demanded more commitments to a reform plan, while Finland reportedly decided not to accept any new rescue plan for debt-laden Greece.The meeting of the Eurogroup, comprising finance ministers from the 19-nation single currency area, in Brussels was supposed to pave the way for all 28 European Union leaders to sign a final agreement at an emergency summit on Sunday night billed as the last chance to keep Greece in the euro.Eurogroup chief Jeroen Dijsselbloem said the issue of credibility and trust was discussed amid widespread suspicion of a Greek government that has offered new reforms just days after voters rejected similar terms in a surprise referendum.We havent concluded our discussions. It is still very difficult but work is still in progress, said Dijsselbloem after nine hours of gruelling talks, adding that they would resume Sunday morning at 0900 GMT.Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat warned that Sunday will be a long day thanks to the inconclusive eurozone talks.Finnish Finance Minister Alexander Stubb was more upbeat, despite reports that Finlands parliament has decided it will not allow the government to accept any new bailout deal for Greece.We are making good progress, he said.EU Commissioner for economic affairs Pierre Moscovici, who has been among the most sympathetic to Greeces plight, said: I am always hopeful.Cant trust promisesThe eurozone was meant to give its verdict on leftist Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsiprass new reform plan for a third bailout worth more than 80 billion euros ($89 billion), after creditor institutions said it was a positive step forward.The proposals, including pension cuts and tax hikes, were approved by the Greek parliament in the early hours of Saturday despite opposition within Tsiprass ruling radical Syriza party.But Germanys hardline Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble poured cold water on early optimism at the start of the talks, accusing Athens of repeatedly reneging on its commitments.Definitely we cannot trust promises, Schaeuble said. In the last months hope has been destroyed in an incredible way, even up to just a few hours ago.A European source said the German finance ministry had even drawn up an internal paper for Greece to leave the eurozone for five years if it fails to improve its bailout proposals, but added it was not distributed at the Eurogroup meeting.Finance Minister Michel Sapin of France, which has been Greeces biggest supporter in efforts to avoid a Grexit, said he hoped the talks would go as far as possible to find a deal.A source close to the negotiations said the climate is not easy and Greek Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos was is in contact with Athens to see how to restore eurozone confidence in Greece.ArmageddonTsipras won the backing of 251 out of 300 deputies in the Greek parliament for his reform plans, even though they are similar to the ones that Greeks rejected in the referendum.Athenss creditors fear it will not keep its promises after two previous bailouts worth 240 billion euros merely added to a debt mountain, now worth nearly 180 percent of the countrys GDP.Greece dived deeper into the mire when it became the first developed economy to default on a huge payment to the International Monetary Fund on June 30, the same day as its EU-IMF bailout expired.In Greece, there is growing alarm at capital controls that have closed banks and rationed cash at ATMs for nearly two weeks.Queueing Saturday at a cash machine in Athens, Vassilis Papoutsoglou, 52, said: We still dont know what will happen tomorrow. Can we expect something better, or is it Armageddon?The Greek government hoped the vote would give it a mandate to continue the talks with the creditors -- but it also revealed the depth of opposition to fresh austerity.Three senior government figures were among 10 MPs who abstained or voted against, and several others from the ruling leftist Syriza party stayed away, prompting commentators to predict a government shake-up.Tsipras told parliament the plan was marginally better than the proposals put forward by the creditors last month and that Greeks would succeed not only in staying in Europe but in living as equal peers with dignity and pride.EU President Donald Tusk has said Sundays summit is a last chance for a deal.Even if that happens, at least eight parliaments will have to weigh in on a final accord, with Germanys Bundestag having to vote twice.

Football: Bayern hopeful injured Ribery can play soon

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BERLIN (AFP) - Bayern Munich are hopeful Franck Ribery will be able to play again soon after revealing on Saturday that the French wingers persistent right ankle injury is showing signs of healing.The 32-year-old former France international has not played since limping out of a Champions League match in March and remained sidelined when Pep Guardiolas team started pre-season training at the start of the month.But while Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has said there is cause for hope after Ribery had a plaster cast removed on Thursday, there is no fixed date as to when he can play again.There is again light at the end of the tunnel, said Rummenigge before Ribery took part in the Bayern team presentation in front of 68,000 fans at the Allianz Arena.An examination has revealed the irritation in the ligament has calmed down.He will start four weeks of rehabilitation training, after four weeks of wearing a light cast, and then hopefully he will be back on the pitch in the not too distant future.Last month, Ribery described the ankle injury as a catastrophe as the joint stubbornly refused to get better, costing him the second half of the season as Bayern won a third-straight German league title.The defending champions host Hamburg in the first match of the German league season on Friday August 14.Bayern unveiled their new signings Brazil winger Douglas Costa, Germany Under-19 midfielder Joshua Kimmich and goalkeeper Sven Ulreich in a team presentation at the Allianz Arena.Rummenigge also revealed Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger is set to join Manchester United next season after 17 years at Bayern.

Football: Casillas, the Spain hero Real Madrid let go

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MADRID (AFP) - Spain captain Iker Casillas spent a glorious quarter-century at Real Madrid but hit a rough patch in his last years at his boyhood club which sold him Saturday to FC Porto.In 2010 Casillas, now 34, made front pages worldwide in a photograph of him raising the World Cup in South Africa after leading Spain to the title for the first time.But last summer the image was of a dejected Casillas on his knees as a rout by the Netherlands helped dump Spain out of the World Cup in Brazil.With Madrid, Casillas had enchanted the Bernabeu Stadium for years with his catlike reflexes, gravity-defying saves and fearless one-on-ones, earning the nickname Saint Iker from fans.Off the pitch, the square-jawed athlete and his television presenter girlfriend Sara Carbonero are darlings of the glossy celebrity magazines along with their toddler son Martin.In 2000, Iker, the boy from the Madrid suburb of Mostoles, became the youngest ever goalkeeper to play in a Champions League final, at 19 years and four days of age. He kept a clean sheet in that 3-0 win over Valencia.He went on to scale the heights with Real, racking up five Spanish and three European league titles plus 11 other trophies with the club.But his lustre dimmed over the past three years for Real Madrid and in the end the club did not hesitate to get rid of him as they develop a younger squad.They sold him to the Portuguese side despite Casillas making it clear he wanted to see out his contract at Real to 2017.Crossing MourinhoReputed to be a conciliator in the dressing room, Casillas was caught up in internal squabbling in the 2012-2013 season under combative coach Jose Mourinho.In the 2012-2013 season Mourinho left Casillas on the bench for a long spell and accused him of leaking details of dressing room squabbles to the press.Mourinho was also reportedly angry with Casillas for reaching out to Barcelonas captain Xavi Hernandez in a bid to calm tensions after a brawl between the rival teams in the Spanish Super Cup in 2012.Casillas had to compete hard with Diego Lopez for the goalkeepers spot and suffered jeers from some of Reals demanding fans while also making a series of uncharacteristic mistakes.The low point in his malaise came when the Dutch beat Spain 5-1 in the group stage of last years World Cup, leaving him looking like a fallen giant.Golden generationIn the 2008 Euro championship, Casillas had saved two Italian penalties as Spain headed for a first tournament win in 44 years.He was a hero in another penalty shootout in 2012 at the Euros to deny Portugal in the semi-finals.He went down in history in 2010 when he made a fine stop with his outstretched foot to prevent Arjen Robben scoring for the Dutch in the World Cup.Five years later he has not lost his gift for such one-on-one duels -- he made two decisive stops against Belarus in a Euro qualifier in June which Spain won 1-0.The image of captain Casillas lifting the cup in Johannesburg enthroned him as one of the stars of a golden generation of Spanish players.Spains most capped player, with 162 international appearances, he remains in favour with national coach Vicente del Bosque.But Spains golden generation is being renewed. Hernandez left Barcelona at the end of the past season.Real now reportedly have their sights set on Manchester United keeper David de Gea, 24.Casillas has hailed de Gea as a goalkeeper for the present and the future.But de Gea faces enormous expectations, replacing a hero at such a demanding club.Real Madrid demands a lot of you, more each year, Casillas told Cadena Ser radio in May.

Football: Man Utd complete Darmian deal

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LONDON (AFP) - Manchester United have completed the signing of Italy right-back Matteo Darmian from Torino, the English Premier League side announced Saturday.The 25-year-old defender arrived in England on Friday for a medical after a fee was agreed with the Serie A side, thought to be in the region of GBP 12.7 million ($19.7 million, 17.7 million euros).He was Uniteds second capture of the day after the club earlier announced they had struck a deal with Bayern Munich to sign Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger, subject to a medical and personal terms being agreed with the 30-year-old midfielder.Darmian has penned a four-year contract with the option to extend for a further year.The Red Devils finished fourth in the Premier League last season, manager Louis van Gaals first in charge at Old Trafford.It is a dream come true to be joining Manchester United, Darmian said.When the opportunity to join the biggest club in the world came along, it was something I had to do.To work with Louis van Gaal, a manager that has achieved so much in football, is such an exciting prospect.Van Gaal, the former Ajax, Barcelona, Netherlands and Bayern Munich boss, said Darmian was a great addition to his side.Matteo is a right-sided full back with the versatility of also being able to play on the left, the Dutchman said.He is a strong defender and has the ability to go forward in the attacking positions which is a fantastic attribute to have and much needed in the fast rhythm of the Premier League.I am delighted to welcome Matteo to the club and look forward to working with him in the coming days.

Tennis: Mirza helps Hingis to first Wimbledon title in 17 years

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LONDON (AFP) - Martina Hingis won her first Wimbledon title since 1998 when she and partner Sania Mirza captured the womens double trophy on Saturday.Hingis, 34, and 28-year-old India star Mirza came from a set down and 2-5 behind in the final set to beat Russian duo Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina 5-7, 7-6 (7/4), 7-5.It was the top seeds first Grand Slam title as a team having only decided to play together in March this year.Hingis won the Wimbledon doubles with Helena Sukova in 1996 and Jana Novotna in 1998.For Mirza, it was a maiden womens doubles title at a Grand Slam although she has won three mixed doubles at the majors.Its been another lifetime. Seventeen years, usually youre lucky to win it once or happy to be out here and play on the Wimbledon grounds. Its above my expectations, said Hingis who was also the singles champion at Wimbledon in 1997.I have a great partner to pull me through. It takes guts and courage being 5-2 down in the third set. Couldnt have asked for more drama how to win it.The final was halted at 5-5 in the deciding set due to fading light and to allow the Centre Court roof to be closed.When the players returned, Hingis and Mirza raced through the next two games to take the title.To come out here at Wimbledon, this is something we dream of as kids, said Mirza.Every kid that picks up a tennis racquet this is about winning Wimbledon or playing at Wimbledon one day.When we came out at 5-5 we had goosebumps. The energy on the court, we were getting a standing ovation, it was unbelievable. We both came out and I said, This is what we play for, this is what we work for, this energy.Mirza praised the support she and Hingis received throughout the tournament and hoped her win will have a positive impact back home in cricket-mad India.I hope it inspires a lot of girls and makes them believe they can be Grand Slam champions too, she said.I think for me as an Indian, Im in Little India here. There are so many Indians in England. Thankfully there are a lot of us everywhere. In England especially Ive always had amazing support.Hingis can be back amongst the silverware on Sunday when she and Leander Paes face Alexander Peya and Timea Babos in the mixed doubles championship match.

Football: Schweinsteiger to end his 17-year Bayern affair

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BERLIN (AFP) - The news Bastian Schweinsteiger is poised to join Manchester United on a three-year contract means Germanys captain will end his 17-year love-affair with FC Bayern Munich.It looked like Schweinsteiger would finish his career in Munich when he bellowed long live Bayern into the loudspeaker at the Allianz Arena following a league match in December 2010.Back then, he personally broke the news to Bayerns die-hard fans that he had signed a contract extension until 2016, which he will not now fulfil.After winning his eighth Bundesliga title last season and having been part of the 2013 treble-winning side which won the Champions League, Bundesliga and German Cup, there are simply no new horizons to conquer with Bayern for the star their fans dubbed Fussball Gott -- football god.The 30-year-old midfielder will cost United around 20 million euros ($22.31m), but such is his esteem in Munich that Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has already promised Schweinsteiger a testimonial game when his career is over.Should he pass the medical to sign for United as expected, he will reportedly receive GBP 140,000 (EUR195,000, $217,000) per week in Manchester, GBP 7.2m (EUR10m, $11.2m) per season, which matches the 10 million euros he was receiving in Munich.Schweinsteiger will be the first German to play for United.As Rummenigge said on Saturday when confirming the news no Bayern fan wanted to hear, Schweinsteiger has grown up with the Munich club.In terms of personality, you cant replace Basti like for like, admitted Bayerns director of sport Matthias Sammer.Having acquired a wealth of experience in his 536 appearances for Bayern, United will sign a finished article, but Schweinsteigers personality -- and more importantly his leadership -- was something which was questioned in the past.In 2011, former Bayern and Germany captain Oliver Kahn said Schweinsteiger lacked the real leadership skills Germany needed to win titles.Schweini did his talking on the pitch by steering Bayern to the 2013 treble before ending the debate for good with a magnificent display of true-grit leadership in Germanys World Cup victory in last years hard-fought final against Argentina.He heads to England with the blessing of Germany coach Joachim Loew and a promise his exit from the Bundesliga will not harm his prospects of captaining Germany at next Junes Euro 2016 in France.Not only his English, but also his media skills will be sharpened by dealing with the British tabloids on a regular basis.They dubbed him a dirty Schwein when he scored a second-half equaliser in a Champions League quarter-final at Old Trafford in April 2014 before being sent off on 90 minutes for a second yellow card.Bayern banned two English newspapers for the return leg in Munich, which the Bavarians won 3-1 as Schweinsteiger sat out while serving his suspension.realm of fairytalesRummenigge went to pains to halt the rumour mill peddling notions that Schweinsteiger is quitting Bayern due to problems with coach Pep Guardiola: I would like to refer to that in the realm of fairytales, he said drily.But in his two seasons under Guardiola, Schweinsteiger never looked as comfortable as he did in the 2013 season under Jupp Heynckes when he forged a solid defensive midfield partnership alongside Javi Martinez.Under Guardiola, Schweinsteiger was pushed forward, out of his holding role and into the central midfield with Philipp Lahm moving up from left-back to plug the hole in front of the defence.At United, the Germany star will resume working under Louis van Gaal, who is a big fan of Schweinsteiger since the Dutchman steered Bayern to the 2010 Champions League final in his two-year reign as coach from 2009-11.A keen basketball fan, Schweinsteiger will bring a certain amount of glamour to Old Trafford.He has been known to hang-out with sprint star Usain Bolt when the Jamaican is in Munich visiting famous German doctor Hans-Wilhelm Mueller-Wohlfahrt.His seven-year relationship with Munich model Sarah Brandner ended after the World Cup only for Germanys new captain to start dating Serbian tennis pro Ana Ivanovic, which the couple confirmed in February.While hes comfortable in the limelight, Schweinsteiger took legal action to have the name Schweini removed when a sausage manufacturer tried to use the footballers name to sell his product before the 2006 World Cup.Born in 1984 in Kolbermoor, the same town as German football legend Paul Breitner in the foothills of the Bavarian Alps, Schweinsteiger opted for football over a career as a downhill skier.After playing for local club TSV Rosenheim as a boy, he joined Bayern as a teenager in 1998, made his senior in 2002 and he pulled on Germanys famous white shirt in June 2002.He played in all three group games as Germany failed to reach the knock-out stages of Euro 2004 before his 20th birthday, but barring injury, Schweinsteiger will lead his country at his fourth European Championships in France next summer after 111 international appearances.

Tennis: Federer looks to follow Serena and rock the ages

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LONDON (AFP) - Roger Federer looks to follow Serena Williams as a Wimbledon record breaker when he faces world number one Novak Djokovic in Sundays eagerly-anticipated mens singles final.A day after Williams became the oldest woman to win a Grand Slam title when she swept to a sixth Wimbledon, fellow 33-year-old Federer will bid to become the oldest mens champion at the All England Club in the Open Era.In a repeat of last years final, which Federer lost in five sets, the Swiss will look to capture a record eighth Wimbledon title and the 18th major of his career.His demolition of Andy Murray in Fridays semi-finals was a throwback to his years of Grand Slam dominance when he captured 16 of his 17 majors in a seven-year spell between 2003 and 2010.Now he has reached a 10th Wimbledon final, the oldest man to do so since 39-year-old Ken Rosewall in 1974, and his 26th Grand Slam final overall.A win on Sunday would break the tie of seven Wimbledon titles he shares with Pete Sampras and which he levelled with his most recent Slam, the 2012 All England Club crown.Ahead of their 40th career meeting, Federer and defending champion Djokovic are equally-matched.Federer has a 20-19 career edge in their head-to-heads but they are locked at 6-6 in the Grand Slams.In finals at the majors they are 1-1 with Djokovics Wimbledon triumph of 12 months ago following Federers straight sets victory in the 2007 US Open.Its great to play Novak anywhere these days because hes a great player. Hes had unbelievable success throughout his career, said Federer.Hes become very match?tough. He always shows up. Hes been good for the game.The pair have already met three times in 2015 -- Djokovic winning the finals at Indian Wells and Rome after Federer had come out on top in the Dubai final.That loss in the UAE was just one of three for Djokovic all year with the third coming at the worst possible time at the hands of an inspired Stan Wawrinka in the final of the French Open, the only Slam still to elude him.Djokovic is 47-3 in 2015 after collecting a fifth Australian Open as well as Masters titles at Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo and Rome.Djokovic will be playing in his fourth Wimbledon final and chasing his ninth Grand Slam title.He has an admirable record of consistency at the highest level having made at least the semi-finals 19 times at the last 20 Grand Slams.Victory on Sunday for the 28-year-old would have an interesting symmetry -- it was 30 years ago that coach Boris Becker won his first Wimbledon title as a 17-year-old.Boris goes through the emotions with me like when he was playing, said 2011 and 2014 champion Djokovic who can match Beckers record of three trophies should he beat Federer.Djokovic said last years win over Federer also helped put his career back on track after he had gone five majors without adding to his tally which stood at six at the time.To win that match in five sets against Roger on grass was definitely something that gave me a lot of confidence, he said.

Deadly IS car bomb hits Italian consulate in Egypt

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CAIRO (AFP) - The Islamic State group said it was behind a deadly car bomb attack on Italys consulate in the Egyptian capital Saturday, and warned Muslims to stay away from such places.Health ministry spokesman Hossam Abdel Ghaffar said the powerful early morning blast that shook central Cairo killed a civilian and wounded nine people, including policemen and passers-by.Soldiers of the Islamic State in Cairo were able to detonate a parked booby-trapped vehicle laden with 450 kg (990 pounds) of explosives at the headquarters of the Italian consulate, the SITE Intelligence Group quoted an IS tweet as saying.We advise Muslims to stay away from these security dens, because they are legitimate targets for strikes of the mujahedeen, the statement added.It was the first attack on a foreign mission in Egypt since jihadists began a campaign against the countrys security forces two years ago following a crackdown on Islamists.The explosion wrecked the facade of the building, part of a large complex that also includes a social club and a school, and damaged around 50 other buildings.The consulate, near the prosecutors office and supreme court in central Cairo, had been closed for the weekend.Saturdays attack comes less than two weeks after suspected militants assassinated Egypts top prosecutor in a Cairo car bombing.The mangled wreck of a vehicle was strewn on the street outside the consulate.The Italian consul arrived at the scene as condemnations poured in from Rome.Italy will not let itself be intimidated, said Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni in a tweet, adding that there had been no Italian casualties.He later told a news conference that the consulate had been the intended target.Italy intends to respondWe intend to respond firmly but also soberly... without alarmism, Gentiloni added.Prime Minister Matteo Renzi spoke to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and said the two countries will stand together in the fight against terrorism and fanaticism.Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab said the battle against extremism has become the whole worlds responsibility.Countries must coordinate their efforts to confront terrorism, he told reporters.Militants have carried out scores of attacks since the army, then led by Sisi, overthrew Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013.The attacks have killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers, mostly in the Sinai Peninsula.Diplomats had told AFP they had been warned by police months ago that embassies could be targeted, but it was not clear whether this was based on specific intelligence.At least one Western embassy had been relocated over security concerns.The attack was also denounced by EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini and France.Once again Egypt is under attack, once again Europeans have been hit by terrorists, Mogherini said in a statement.We stand by the Egyptian authorities in their efforts to fight terrorism and bring the perpetrators of this attack to justice.In Sinai, jihadists loyal to IS in Iraq and Syria launched a wave of attacks on July 1 that killed at least 21 soldiers.IS, which controls parts of Iraq and Syria, has called on its affiliates elsewhere to attack Western targets.Uproar over new lawThe bombing comes with the government set to approve an anti-terrorism law that has sparked uproar among journalists and rights activists.The new legislation appears to grant police and soldiers impunity when carrying out anti-terrorism operations, and stipulates death sentences for the founders of vaguely defined terrorist groups.Five-year jail terms could also be meted out for promoting terrorism on social media.The draft law would ban independent reporting of militant attacks, stipulating a two-year prison sentence for journalists who contradict death tolls in official statements.The cabinet has said it would reconsider that provision following a media outcry.Rights groups say freedoms have been trampled under Sisis administration.He won elections last year, pledging to wipe out the militants and Morsis blacklisted Muslim Brotherhood.Sisi had overseen a crackdown that killed at least 1,400 people, mostly Islamist protesters during the dispersal of sometimes violent protests.Thousands have been jailed, including secular dissidents, and hundreds sentenced to death in mass trials, although most have won retrials.The crackdown initially brought international pressure on Sisi, especially from the European Union, before giving way to support as he positions himself as a front line opponent of regional jihadists.Sisi is widely popular in Egypt, where many have demanded a strong leader who can restore stability after more than four years of turmoil following the 2011 uprising that overthrew president Hosni Mubarak.

Senior leader of Tunisian Qaeda-linked group killed: official

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TUNIS (AFP) - A senior leader of an Al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group that has been blamed for a spate of violence in Tunisia was among five militants killed by security forces in a recent raid, an official said Saturday.The DNA test just confirmed that Mourad Gharsalli was shot dead yesterday (Friday), presidential spokesman Moez Sinaoui wrote in a post on his Twitter account.The interior ministry had previously said that five terrorists were gunned down on Friday in the central region of Gafsa.Gharsalli, a 32-year-old Tunisian, was one of the leaders of the Okba Ibn Nafaa Brigades, the countrys main terrorist group and one the authorities have accused of being behind several recent attacks.Authorities have blamed the group for a series of attacks, including the March massacre at the Bardo National Museum in Tunis that killed 21 foreign tourists and a policeman. The Islamic State group has claimed that attack.Tunisia has seen a surge in radical Islam since veteran president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was ousted in a 2011 revolution.Dozens of members of the security forces have been killed since then in terrorist attacks.

IS releases new footage of 2014 Tikrit massacre

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BAGHDAD (AFP) - The Islamic State terrorist group on Saturday released new footage of its June 2014 massacre of hundreds of mostly military recruits in Tikrit.The highest estimates put at 1,700 the number of cadets IS gunmen captured at the Speicher military base near Tikrit and executed at various locations, mostly in the citys former presidential palace complex.The 22-minute video posted on extremist forums, which included both new and previously released footage, shows hundreds of executions, providing further evidence of the scope of the atrocity.Some of the victims are shown pleading for their lives, attempting to explain they had only just joined the security forces.The grisly footage shows executions on an industrial scale, with victims falling out of dump trucks and later lying side by side in shallow mass graves before being shot dead one by one.The killing went on into the night and the video shows an excavator being used to move piles of bodies.Around 600 bodies have been exhumed since government and allied fighters retook Tikrit from IS in April but many of the victims were dumped into the Tigris river.An unidentified IS leader in military uniform is seen in the video released on Saturday.The video was released four days after a court in Baghdad sentenced 24 men to death by hanging over the Speicher massacre.The trial lasted only a few hours, and the convictions were based mostly on confessions the defendants claimed were obtained under torture.Combined with a call by the countrys top Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani for Iraqis to take up arms against them, the Speicher massacre played a key role in the mass recruitment of volunteers to fight the terrorists.

Boko Haram claims Chad, Nigeria attacks

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - Boko Haram on Saturday claimed responsibility for attacks in Chads capital NDjamena and the Nigerian city of Maiduguri, the SITE Intelligence Group said.The US-based monitoring group said the claim of responsibility, made on Twitter, was signed Islamic State, West Africa Province, as Boko Haram has styled itself since pledging allegiance to the Islamic State group in March.West Africa Province (formerly Boko Haram) of ISIS claimed the suicide bombings today in Chad and Nigeria, SITE said on Twitter.A statement citing Boko Harams Twitter message identified the attackers and said they had pounded strongholds of disbelief in West Africa.At least 15 people were killed in a suicide bomb attack at a crowded market in NDjamena on Saturday. Boko Haram had previously claimed responsibility for a June 15 attack in the city that left 38 dead.In Maiduguri, two people were killed when two suicide bombers tried to target a busy bus station. Heavy security prevented the attackers from getting into the terminal.Reports indicated the two victims were pedestrians.

Hundreds evacuate as Mexico's 'Volcano of Fire' erupts

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COLIMA (AFP) - Hundreds of people were evacuated from villages around Mexicos Volcano of Fire and an airport closed on Saturday amid fears an eruption could escalate to become the biggest in a century.Ash from the Colima Volcano, as it is also known, rained down on nearby communities while lava flowed down its flanks, prompting authorities to seal off a 12-kilometer (7.5-mile) area around the crater.The communities in this 12-kilometer radius are very small and dont exceed 800 inhabitants. They have all been evacuated, said Luis Felipe Puente, national civil protection coordinator.Colimas airport was closed to private and commercial flights due to falling ash in the area, said Governor Mario Anguiano Moreno.Volcanic activity began to intensify late Thursday, with a four-kilometer column of ash late Friday.One village at the foot of the mountain, Yerbabuena, was smothered in up to five centimeters (nearly two inches) of ash, authorities said, and rain also tumbled down, adding to the misery.Ash traveled as far as the city of Colima, where residents wore masks and a thin layer of talc-like material covered streets and cars.The interior ministry said the volcanic activity was atypical, presenting conditions similar to those of 1913, when a major eruption took place and covered the region in ash.The ministry said three scenarios are possible: A gradual waning of activity in coming weeks, a 1913-like explosion or a collapse of the volcanos dome.But Puente said there was a drop in volcanic activity in the afternoon compared to earlier in the day, and that authorities were monitoring the volcano minute by minute.

Libya groups agree peace deal without Tripoli parliament

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RABAT (AFP) - Libyan political parties and members of civil society initialled a UN-proposed peace accord in Morocco on Saturday, despite the absence of a rival parliament not recognised by the international community.This is a step, but it is really an important step along the path to peace, UN envoy Bernardino Leon said at a ceremony in the Moroccan resort of Skhirat marking the agreement.The deal was backed by members of Libyas internationally recognised parliament, based in the eastern port city of Tobruk, as well as representatives of political parties, municipalities and civil society groups.Libya has been plunged into chaos since the 2011 overthrow of dictator Moamer Kadhafi, and now has two parliaments and governments vying for power.No representatives attended from the rival parliament in Tripoli -- controlled by Islamist militias since last year -- which has rejected a UN proposal to resolve Libyas political crisis by forming of a national unity government and holding new elections.Leon said the door remained open to groups that did not attend, and added that remaining contentious issues could be discussed after the conclusion of the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan this month.Among these issues are a call for respecting the judiciary, a possible reference to a Supreme Court decision invalidating the parliament in the east, which was elected in June 2014.

'Decision time' nears in Iran nuclear talks

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VIENNA (AFP) - World powers talked deep into the night Saturday seeking to break a deadlock in marathon negotiations with Iran and strike a historic deal to rein in Tehrans nuclear ambitions.A new deadline for an agreement is looming on Monday, and both sides are asking how much longer busy ministers can clear their schedules to hunker down in Vienna as they seek to end a 13-year standoff with the Islamic republic.Everything is on the table. Its now time to decide, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius warned on the 15th day of the tortuous talks.Iran and the so-called P51 group, including Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States, are seeking to curtail Tehrans ability to develop nuclear weapons in exchange for relief from painful sanctions.Three previous deadlines in this round of talks -- June 30, July 7 and July 9 -- have already been missed and officials at the negotiations said sanctions and an arms embargo remain key sticking points.Ninety-eight percent of the text is finished, said a source close to the discussions after a flurry of bilateral and multilateral talks throughout Saturday.Two or three important questions remained, however, including how long any agreement made in Vienna should last, and over the lifting of international sanctions on Iran such as a UN arms embargo, the source added.Now there needs to be a political decision. And if that is taken things could quickly progress, the person said.US Secretary of State John Kerry tweeted that there were still difficult issues to resolve after emerging from almost 90 minutes of talks with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif and EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini.The three met again later in the evening, in between two meetings of the P51 group, which ended just before midnight.Kerry had spoken earlier by telephone with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, but it remained unclear when Lavrov would return to the Austrian capital.Under the parameters of a framework deal reached in Lausanne in April, Iran is to slash the number of its centrifuges from more than 19,000 to just over 6,000 and cut its stocks of enriched uranium, which can be used to make a bomb, from more than seven tonnes to about 350 kilos (770 pounds).The aim is to ensure that it would take Iran at least a year -- from an estimated two to three months currently -- to acquire enough fissile material to build a bomb.But for weeks experts have been wrangling over exactly how to implement the Lausanne guidelines.ArroganceThe negotiations have also stumbled over demands that UN nuclear inspectors have access to military sites, to investigate suspicions Iran sought to develop nuclear weapons in the past, allegations Tehran categorically denies.The terms of an interim accord agreed in November 2013 have been extended until Monday to give the negotiators more time to strike an accord.In Tehran, Irans supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the battle against the arrogance of arch-foe the United States would continue.The US is perfect instance of Arrogance. Prepare yourselves for more fight against Arrogance, his English-language Twitter account quoted him as saying in a meeting with university students.The toughest problems in the Iranian nuclear talks have been left to last, including a mechanism for lifting interlocking EU, US and UN sanctions.A new headache has emerged in recent days, with the Iranian delegation insisting that a UN arms embargo be lifted once a deal is reached.Expert Kelsey Davenport, from the Washington-based Arms Control Association think-tank, warned: Now is not the time for brinksmanship or a hardening of positions.This is an historic moment and there could be serious repercussions if negotiators fail to seize this opportunity to get a good deal, she told AFP.
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