Wednesday 8 July 2015

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Serbia hails Russia's UN veto on Srebrenica but victims angry

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BELGRADE (AFP) - Serbia on Wednesday hailed Russias veto on a draft UN Security Council resolution recognising the 1995 Srebrenica massacre as a genocide, but a representative of victims families said it would make reconciliation impossible.Not only was the stigmatisation of the entire Serbian people as genocidal prevented, but Russia today showed and proved that it has been a real and honest friend, Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic said in a statement.This is a great day for Serbia.Belgrade was upset with a draft UN resolution submitted by Britain which called for the Security Council to recognise the mass murder of 8,000 Muslim men and boys by Bosnian Serb forces in July 1995 as genocide.But in Sarajevo, Munira Subasic, the head of the Mothers of Srebrenica, told AFP that Russias veto would make trust and reconciliation impossible.We are not surprised by such a decision... Russia is actually supporting criminals, those who killed our children, Subasic said.By deciding (to veto) Russia has left the door open for a new war, she added.Saturday marks the 20th anniversary of the start of the killing, which two international courts have declared a genocide.The end of the 1992-1995 war saw Bosnia divided into two semi-independent entities -- a Serb-run Republika Srpska and Croat-Muslim Federation.Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik welcomed the Russian veto, thanking Moscow for preventing the adoption of a resolution that would have complicated the situation and deepened divisions within Bosnia.Dodik recently dismissed the massacre -- the worst atrocity on European soil since World War II -- as a lie.Republika Srpska officials in Sarajevo have nonetheless not objected for Saturday to mark a day of mourning throughout the former Yugoslavian republic.

Greek PM vows 'credible' reforms as deadline looms

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BRUSSELS (AFP) - Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras vowed Wednesday to present credible reform plans before a deadline set by exasperated European leaders as Athens formally sought a new bailout to avoid crashing out of the euro.But in a sign of the deep crisis gripping his country, the finance ministry in Athens said Greek banks would remain closed until Monday.Leftist leader Tsipras was greeted by a mix of boos and cheers as he addressed the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, on Wednesday.He defended his decision to hold an anti-austerity referendum last Sunday that dismayed Europe, appealed for unity but also promised his blueprint for a deal would have substance.The Greek government will tomorrow file new concrete proposals, credible reforms, for a fair and viable solution, Tsipras told lawmakers during a heated debate.Eurozone leaders lost patience at a crisis meeting in Brussels on Tuesday after Tsipras and his new finance minister, Euclid Tsakalotos, turned up without any concrete plans for ending the standoff.They ordered Athens to file a complete reform plan by midnight (2200 GMT) on Thursday, with European President Donald Tusk saying the final deadline for a deal would be a summit of all 28 EU leaders on Sunday.The Greek government promised on Wednesday it would start pension and tax reforms next week, as demanded by creditors, in return for a three-year loan to drag its financial system back from the brink of collapse.French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said the Greek proposals were a step in the right direction and the request was balanced, positive.He reiterated Frances stance that keeping Greece in the eurozone was a geopolitical issue of the highest importance.Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy also said of Greece: The tune has changed, its not what we were hearing until now and thats positive.But Tusk reiterated Sundays summit was the final chance for a deal to avoid Grexit -- departure of Greece from the 19-nation single European currency -- which would have global repercussions.This is really and truly the final wake-up call for Greece and for us, our last chance, said Tusk, warning that failure may lead to the bankruptcy of Greece and cause geopolitical problems for Europe.Leading financial figures cautioned, though, that restructuring Greeces debt mountain had to be a part of a deal.Debt restructuring is needed in the case of Greece for it have debt sustainability, International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Christine Lagarde told a conference in Washington.The IMF is one of Greeces creditors, along with European Commission and European Central Bank (ECB).US Treasury Jacob Lew also weighed in, saying creditors needed to give Greece a path for debt restructure and growth.Greeces debt is not sustainable, he warned.The ECB has been providing emergency liquidity to keep Greek banks from collapsing, and on Wednesday decided to leave the limit on its stop-gap credit facility to Greece unchanged at 89 billion euros ($99 billion), a banking source said.But further support will depend on political developments in Brussels and Athens.Greeces banks, closed since June 28, will remain shuttered until next Monday, the finance ministry said in Athens.The bank holiday is extended to July 13, the finance ministry said in a statement.A ministry source also told AFP that withdrawals by Greeks would remain limited to 60 euros ($66) to avert a cash shortage.Shortage, tourism fearsThe cash emergency, which has led to long queues at ATMs, has triggered fears for essential supplies in Greece as more and more businesses have been unable to pay bills.Last-minute tourist reservations have plunged 30 percent, the Greek Tourism Confederation said.The head of Frances central bank, Christian Noyer, who told French radio he feared Greece could descend into chaos without a deal this week.World stocks were mixed, with Asian and US shares sinking but European stocks edging higher on hopes of a deal.The euro advanced to $1.1041 from a five-week low of $1.0916 in New York trade on Tuesday.In his formal letter to the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) -- the lender of last resort set up during the eurozone debt crisis -- Tsakalotos said Greece would immediately implement a set of measures as early as the beginning of next week.Greece has had two previous international bailouts worth 240 billion euros, the last of which expired on June 30.The price of those loans was five years of austerity measures, and in Sundays Greek referendum voters overwhelmingly rejected more belt-tightening required by the creditors.

Tennis: Djokovic, Federer, Murray ease into semi-finals

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LONDON (AFP) - Defending champion Novak Djokovic eased into the Wimbledon semi-finals on Wednesday as Roger Federer and Andy Murray set-up a mouthwatering clash for a spot in the championship match.But Roland Garros champion Stan Wawrinka was unable to complete a clean-sweep of the semi-finals by the top four when he was knocked out by French 21st seed Richard Gasquet in a five-set thriller.Top seed and world number one Djokovic, also the champion in 2011, made the semi-finals for a sixth successive year and seventh time in total by demolishing ninth seed and US Open winner Marin Cilic 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.It was the 28-year-old Serbs 13th win in 13 matches against the Croatian.Second seeded Federer, the seven-time champion, reached his 10th Wimbledon semi-final with a 6-3, 7-5, 6-2 win over French 12th seed Gilles Simon.Murray, the third seed, cruised into his sixth All England Club semi-final with an equally comfortable 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 win against unseeded Canadian Vasek Pospisil.Djokovic, an eight-time Grand Slam champion, hit 27 winners and committed just 12 unforced errors without allowing a break point to Cilic.It was a very solid performance after a tough five-set match against Kevin (Anderson) in the fourth round, Djokovic said.The top players are expected to reach the final stages of these competitions, but still Im happy to make my way through. Of course I try not to take it for granted.There were two other significant landmarks for Djokovic on Wednesday -- his 650th tour-level match win and his 50th Wimbledon victory. Federer, 33, who is bidding to become the oldest Wimbledon champion in the Open Era, will be playing in his 37th Grand Slam semi-final.He shrugged off two rain delays as well as being broken for the first time at the tournament to complete victory over Simon in just 94 minutes.Federer fired 11 aces and 36 winners as he secured a sixth win in eight meetings with Simon.Federer holds a narrow 12-11 lead over Murray and has won their last three clashes.He defeated the British third seed in the 2012 Wimbledon final -- their only meeting at the tournament -- before Murray gained revenge just weeks later in the Olympic Games final.We both like to look back on that summer of 2012. If we knew I would win Wimbledon and him Olympics, I think we both would have taken it. It was a great summer for us, Federer said.The only blip for Federer on Wednesday was dropping serve for the first time at the tournament in the 10th game of the second set which ended a run of 116th consecutive service holds since the first round in Halle last month.Murray, 28, claimed his 150th Grand Slam match victory to make his 17th Grand Slam semi-final appearance, and his sixth at the All England Club.Ive played Roger many times. I know him well and we get on well, but obviously on Friday it will be a different story, Murray said.Weve played some good matches here and hopefully this will be a great one.Bidding to become the first British man to win multiple Wimbledon titles since Fred Perry, who lifted the trophy from 1934-1936, Murray has extended his winning streak on grass to 10 matches.With David Beckham, Prince William and his wife Kate among numerous celebrities packed onto Centre Court, the two-time Grand Slam champion was barely tested.Gasquet stunned fourth seed Wawrinka 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-4, 11-9 to reach his second Wimbledon semi-final, eight years after his first.But the 29-year-old will have his work cut out to beat Djokovic.The Serb has an 11-1 career record over the Frenchman whose only win came back in 2007.Gasquet had a chance to wrap up the quarter-final in the ninth game of the decider when he was just two points from victory.But despite Wawrinka clawing his way back, the 29-year-old claimed victory on a third match point when, for once, the Swiss stars fabled one-handed backhand let him down.On tackling Djokovic, Gasquet said: It will be tough but Im happy with how Ive played today and Ill try to play my best again against the best player in the world.

US hopes better data can fight segregation

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CHICAGO (AFP) - The US housing department unveiled new rules Wednesday aimed at fighting segregation with the help of a database which will identify neighborhoods in need of transformation.Unfortunately, too many Americans find their dreams limited by where they come from, and a ZIP code should never determine a childs future, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro said in a statement.This important step will give local leaders the tools they need to provide all Americans with access to safe, affordable housing in communities that are rich with opportunity.The new rules come two weeks after a sharply divided Supreme Court upheld a key tool used to fight housing discrimination.The justices ruled 5-4 that housing practices and policies with discriminatory outcomes could be challenged under the 1968 Fair Housing Act, even if there is no proof that government agencies or companies meant to discriminate.The new rules will push cities and towns that accept federal funding to take meaningful actions to overcome patterns of segregation and foster inclusive communities free from barriers that restrict access to opportunity.Castro made the announcement during a visit to a Chicago housing development he hailed as a visionary effort to enhance neighborhoods and help residents build better lives for themselves and their children.In recent years the city has torn down eight crime- and poverty-ridden high-rise buildings which had become emblematic of a failed experiment in public housing and replaced them with 475 smaller, mixed-income units. It also encouraged retailers such as Starbucks to set up shop in the neighborhood.The housing administration is hoping other municipalities will follow suit as it pushes to focus efforts beyond merely preventing discriminatory landlords or mortgage lenders from turning people away.A public database will allow activists and community leaders to map out patterns of integration and segregation, poverty rates, the availability of affordable housing, access to public transportation and even the quality of neighborhood schools.Communities will be required to set goals for transforming racially and ethnically concentrated areas of poverty into areas of opportunity, the housing authority said.

Ex-junta chief charged over Guinea stadium massacre: lawyer

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CONAKRY (AFP) - Guinean magistrates indicted the former head of the ousted junta on Wednesday in Burkina Faso over the 2009 Conakry stadium massacre in which at least 157 protesters were killed, his lawyer said.Security forces opened fire and mowed down demonstrators after tens of thousands gathered at the capitals main stadium on September 28, 2009 to protest against the military regime led by Moussa Dadis Camara.Women were raped, hundreds of people were wounded and dozens are still missing.He has been indicted by a pool of magistrates visiting from Conakry to question him about his involvement in the events of September 28 2009, Camaras advocate Jean-Baptiste Jocamey Haba told AFP by phone from Burkina Fasos capital Ouagadougou, the ousted dictators home-in-exile since 2010.Camara seized power in 2008 when longtime strongman Lansana Conte died. He ruled for close to a year before being forced to flee the country by an assassination attempt.Hundreds of victims have given evidence since Guinea opened its inquiry into the massacre in 2010, according to local and global rights organisations.Camaras newly-formed Party of Patriotic Front for Democracy and Development (PFDD) confirmed that he would for the first time be giving evidence to the hearings as the accused and not simply as a witness.A spokesman described the prosecution as a purely political reaction to Camaras announcement that he intended to run for president in elections to be staged in October.The strongman told a meeting of the party in Ouagadougou in May he would push a national, unifying agenda as their leader.Encouraging progressTwo judges and a prosecutor from Guinea interrogated Camara over more than two hours in Ouagadougous senior criminal court Wednesday following a request by Burkina Faso for assistance in the case, said his lawyer, who was present.An aide told AFP Camara would be summoned to the court again next week, adding that the soldier seemed relieved to have been heard.Guinean judicial sources told AFP last month 13 other members of the junta were facing charges over the massacre, on top of eight people already indicted.The list of defendants and their charges has not been made public but they are said to include a policeman, the then housing minister and a civilian adviser to the junta.The first eight charged include the juntas security, public health and special services ministers and Lieutenant-Colonel Claude Pivi, the former head of presidential security.Pivi was charged two years ago with several counts of murder, rape, pillaging and arson by the three judges in charge of the case, according to a judicial source.He was not at the stadium that day but the judges accuse him of masterminding the deadly crackdown that continued in the following days.Pivi was a leading figure in the junta and he was in charge of presidential security for current leader Alpha Conde at the time he was charged.Condes government was initially criticised for not taking sufficient action against the suspected masterminds of the stadium massacre.Camaras indictment follows a visit to Conakry last week by International Criminal Court prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, who welcomed significant and encouraging progress in the investigation into the massacre.

Tennis: Gasquet stuns Wawrinka to reach Wimbledon semi-finals

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LONDON (AFP) - Richard Gasquet stunned fourth seeded French Open winner Stan Wawrinka 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-4, 11-9 to set-up a Wimbledon semi-final clash against defending champion Novak Djokovic.It will be 21st seed Gasquets second appearance in the semi-finals, eight years after his first.But he will have his work cut out to beat Djokovic who has an 11-1 career record over the Frenchman.Gasquet had a chance to wrap up the quarter-final in the ninth game of the decider when he was just two points from victory.But despite Wawrinka clawing his way back, the 29-year-old claimed victory on a third match point when, for once, the Swiss stars fabled one-handed backhand let him down.It was tough on Wawrinka who fired 22 aces and 73 winners but was undone by 48 unforced errors.It was tough and I made some mistakes. He had big confidence after Paris and I had to fight. I really wanted to win. Its a great feeling as its a big match, said Gasquet.On tackling Djokovic, the Frenchman added: It will be tough but Im happy with how Ive played today and Ill try to play my best again against the best player in the world.Gasquet took the first set on the back of a break in the seventh game.But Wawrinka, bidding to make the last four at Wimbledon for the first time at the 11th attempt, hit back in the 10th game of the second to level the tie.The 30-year-old swiftly moved two sets to one to the good courtesy of a break in the fourth game of the third.But with victory in sight, a double fault on set point, his first of the tie, allowed Gasquet to send the quarter-final into the final set decider.

Golf: Injured McIlroy to miss Open

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GULLANE (AFP) - Rory McIlroy has withdrawn from next weeks British Open at St Andrews after failing to recover from an ankle injury he sustained playing football.After much consideration, I have decided not to play in the Open Championship at St. Andrews, the world number one said Wednesday on his Twitter and Instagram accounts.Im taking a long term view of this injury and, although rehab is progressing well, I want to come back to tournament play when I feel 100% healthy and 100% competitive.Thank you for all your support and best wishes. I hope to be back on the course as soon as I can.The 26-year-old Northern Irishman had revealed the extent of the injury on his Twitter and Instagram accounts on Monday.Total rupture of left ATFL (ankle ligament) and associated joint capsule damage in a soccer kickabout with friends on Saturday, he said.Continuing to assess extent of injury and treatment plan day by day. Rehab already started..... Working hard to get back as soon as I can.He also posted a photograph on Instagram showing himself on crutches and wearing a protective boot.McIlroy quickly pulled out of this weeks Scottish Open at Gullane and it was immediately clear that the extent of the injury made it highly unlikely that he would be able to tee off in the Open championship first round next Thursday.The Open organisers the R&A Tweeted after McIlroy had said he would be missing that they were naturally very disappointed that Rory will be unable to defend his title at St Andrews next week.Rory will play in many more Open Championships and our primary concern is for his complete recovery.Everyone associated with The Open wishes Rory the very best as he looks to return to full fitness.McIlroys budding rivalry with 21-year-old American Jordan Spieth - the two of them own all four major titles between them - had been billed as the focal point of this years Open and his absence will be sorely felt.But golfers preparing for the Scottish Open at Gullane were quick to come to his defence earlier on Wednesday.Rickie Fowler, who is the same age as McIlroy, said that it was just an unfortunate accident.I havent spoken to him yet, but it is unfortunate, the American said. Im of the impression that you have to live, you cant be too cautious.Soccer is not as big of a sport in the US, but I grew up with my fair share of action sports. Thats something that I dont do as much now, but I dont stay away from completely. I still like to live and have a little bit of fun.Fellow American Phil Mickelson, who won the Open at nearby Muirfield the year before McIlroys triumph, concurred saying that he had undergone a similar fate in 1994.I snapped my finger before the Masters skiing and I said then, and I feel the same way now, you cant live your life in fear. You have to enjoy the moment, the 45-year-old said.I didnt feel like anything he was doing was an unnecessary risk. He was just playing around and accidents happen. People get hurt taking a shower and doing normal day-to-day things. You cant stop living your life.It remains to be seen whether McIlroy will be fit in time to defend his PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, Wisconsin next month and even whether he will be able to play again this season.

Cycling: German Greipel wins Tour de France fifth stage

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AMIENS (AFP) - Andre Greipel continued German domination as he won his second stage of the Tour de France in a sprint finish at the end of Wednesdays 189.5km run from Arras to Amiens.Greipel overhauled Briton Mark Cavendish and Alexander Kristoff of Norway while holding off the fast-finishing Slovak Peter Sagan.Having won Sundays second stage as well, Greipel kept his hold on the green points jersey and also maintained German hegemony of Tour sprints following the success of Marcel Kittel the previous two years -- winning four stages in each.Last year Germans won four of the first six stages before finishing with seven out of 21 in total, and this was the third German victory in five days as well as the second in a row following Tony Martins on Tuesday.Greipel timed his charge to the line to perfection, coming up behind Cavendish, as the Briton overtook Kristoff, to power clear and reach the line just before Sagan, arriving like a bullet, crossed in second.Cavendish was third and once again missed out on a 26th Tour stage victory.It was a relatively calm day for the overall contenders despite a number of crashes that resulted in New Zealands Jack Bauer and French sprinter Nacer Bouhanni leaving the race.Martin kept the leaders yellow jersey he took off 2013 champion Chris Froome on Tuesday, the latter remaining second overall at 12sec with Tejay Van Garderen third at 25sec.Reigning champion Vincenzo Nibali is still just over a minute and half behind Froome with Nairo Quintana even further back at almost 2min.But two-time former winner Alberto Contador is eighth overall at 48sec and 36sec behind Froome.

Football: Superstar Ronaldo meets near-nude clone in Tokyo

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TOKYO (AFP) - Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo came face to face with a scantily clad life-size double on Wednesday when Japanese scientists unveiled a cyber clone of the Portuguese pin-up.The 30-year-old, who was in Tokyo to promote an electric muscle stimulator for sculpting a washboard stomach, gave the thumbs-up to the doppelganger with moving facial features, created after a 3D scan of his body using 110 micro cameras.Its perfect, smiled Ronaldo as he checked out the clone with fluttering eyelids and roving eyes. I love it.The silicon dummy, made with the help of a Hollywood studio, was naked but for a black pair of Ronaldos own brand of underwear and the pulsing Six-Pad device attached to its torso. I have to say he looks just like me, added Ronaldo. I would be a liar if I said it doesnt. Ronaldo, the reigning world footballer of the year, has legions of fans who swoon over his chiselled looks and muscular physique, which he regularly shows off by removing his shirt to celebrate goals.There was a similar reaction when Ronaldo was wheeled out for Japanese television as studio guests giddily prodded and poked his stomach. A detailed graphic also revealed his eight-pack -- not the standard six that gym-goers aspire to.Celebrities on Fuji TVs Viking show cooed Oh, your face is so small -- a traditional Japanese compliment for good-looking foreigners -- as Ronaldo appeared in jeans, a tight T-shirt and diamond ear studs.Ronaldo, who earns an estimated $43 million a year in salary and endorsements, laughed when the male presenter asked about reports the player does 3,000 sit-ups daily.No, thats not true, he said. I hit the gym after training every day, sure. But I do about 300 sit-ups a day.Asked to show off his belly, Ronaldo duly obliged to approving gasps, while studio guests lifted their own shirts to reveal flabby tummies, one wag shouting Ive got a one-pack to Ronaldos amusement.Ronaldo visited Japan last year to push a face-stretching gadget designed to enhance the users smile, although he refused to put it in his mouth as intended, perhaps fearful of a backlash on social media.Japan is a common destination for European or American stars who are paid big money to sell products that never see the light of day back home.Many insist on confidentiality clauses, preventing commercials from being shown in their home countries, although the spread of the Internet has now complicated the process.

Iran faces off with global powers in game of brinkmanship

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VIENNA (AFP) - In a game of high-stakes diplomatic brinkmanship, global powers readied Wednesday for a late-night push to forge a deal curbing Tehrans nuclear ambitions and ending a 13-year standoff.With all bets off after ministers missed yet another deadline to seal the accord, US Secretary of State John Kerry huddled with his team in a rainy Vienna to pore over documents seeking to find a way forward.US Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz and Irans nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi met twice for a total of three hours trying to hammer out details of what will be a highly complex accord, a US official said.Iran and six world powers on Tuesday effectively gave themselves until Friday to reach a deal by extending a November 2013 interim accord, after missing two target dates in this round of talks now in their 12th day.This followed what diplomats said was a stormy meeting Monday evening between Kerry and the foreign ministers of Iran and the other major powers that one senior envoy saw a very heated exchange of views.Iranian media reported that Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini: Never threaten an Iranian.During separate talks between Kerry and Zarif, other residents at the posh Coburg hotel heard shouting and raised voices, prompting a Kerry aide to poke his head round the door and advise the two to pipe down, a diplomatic source said.But as they stare each down, both Iran and the United States have now insisted there is no target date, and they plan to keep talking in Vienna until a deal emerges or not.Its doable by tomorrow night (Thursday) if talks advance this evening, said a Western diplomatic source.French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and British counterpart Philip Hammond were due back in the Austrian capital late Wednesday, to pow-wow once more with Kerry and Irans top diplomat Mohammad Javad Zarif.Observers say it is hard to believe that after almost two years of intense and tough negotiations the talks could collapse.All sides have insisted they are not planning a formal months-long extension of the talks, and one clear success has been the 2013 interim deal under which Tehran has frozen parts of its nuclear programme in return for minor sanctions relief.White House spokesman Josh Earnest praised the interim accord on Tuesday, saying it essentially opened the door to these broader talks. And what it did was it froze Irans nuclear program in place. It rolled it back in some key aspects.In another twist to the talks, if Kerry fails to hand over a deal by the end of Thursday, US lawmakers will get 60 days instead of 30 to review it which may delay its implementation.But Earnest brushed aside the congressional deadline, recalling lawmakers would be in recess for most of August anyway, and adding: We welcome additional scrutiny of the deal.The mooted accord would curb Irans nuclear programme for a decade or more in order to deny the country the ability to develop nuclear arms. Despite progress on a main deal and a series of complicated annexes, negotiations have stalled on how to ease sanctions against Iran, probing allegations that in the past Tehran did try to develop nuclear arms and ensuring Iran can continue to have a modest, peaceful nuclear programme.Iran has also insisted there should be changes to a UN arms embargo and an easing of restrictions on missile sales.While Iran had managed to develop its own arms industry, global powers must change their approach on sanctions if they want a deal, the countrys lead negotiator Abbas Araghchi said.But a US official insisted there would be ongoing restrictions on arms just like there will be ongoing restrictions regarding missiles.

Iran's Zarif urges joint action against extremism

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LONDON (AFP) - Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Wednesday said a nuclear deal with Western powers was within reach and could open the way to joint action against extremism, as talks continued in Vienna.Iran is ready to strike a fair and balanced deal and prepared to open new horizons to address the shared challenges of far greater magnitude, Zarif wrote in a commentary piece in the Financial Times.Among these shared threats is the increasingly brutal extremism that is engulfing the heart of the Middle East and even extending into Europe, he added.Zarif referred specifically to Islamist-inspired killings in France, Kuwait and Tunisia on June 26.He also condemned Western sanctions against his country, which are intended to thwart Irans nuclear ambitions, which Tehran insists are peaceful, saying they were the most indiscriminate imposed on any nation in human history.My counterparts have rightfully opted for the negotiating table. But they still need to make the critical choice between an agreement and coercion, said Zarif, who is taking part in the Vienna talks.In a game of high-stakes diplomatic brinkmanship, global powers readied Wednesday for a late-night push to forge a deal to end a 13-year standoff.Iran and six world powers on Tuesday effectively gave themselves until Friday to reach a deal by extending a November 2013 interim accord, after missing two target dates in this round of talks now in their 12th day.

Berlusconi sentenced to 3 years for bribing Italian senator

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ROME (AFP) - Former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi suffered a fresh legal blow Wednesday when a Naples court sentenced him to three years for bribing a senator.But the 78-year-old will not actually have to serve any time in prison because of legal technicalities, his lawyer, Niccolo Ghedini, said.Ghedini slammed the verdict as unjust and unjustified but said the case would reach its statute of limitations on November 6. Since no legal action can be taken after that date, the guilty verdict will have no legal consequences for Berlusconi as there is not enough time for his case to come to be judged on appeal. It was a good trial, passionate, but in terms of consequences the imminent expiration date takes all the pathos out of the verdict, said prosecutor Henry John Woodcock.The case revolved around an alleged plot to destabilise a 2006-08 centre-left government.Bribes totalling three million euros ($3.3 million) were paid through an intermediary to Senator Sergio De Gregorio to get him to leave the coalition of then premier Romano Prodi.The idea was to further weaken an already fragile coalition and the defection was widely seen as hurting Prodis government, which collapsed in 2008, two years after it was elected.Berlusconis centre-right Forza Italia party won the resulting election and he served a third term as Italian premier until 2011.The senator admitted accepting the money.In summing up the bribery case, prosecutor Vincenzo Piscitelli had told the court the payoff was part of a colossal economic investment made with the aim of achieving the sole goal that interested Berlusconi, who was obsessed by his desire to kick Prodi out and take his post.The prosecution had called for a five-year sentence.Berlusconi was not in court to hear the verdict, delivered by tribunal president Isabella Romani.The case was just one in a string of legal woes for the media tycoon.Earlier this year, he completed a community service order for corporate tax fraud but was cleared of having sex with an under-age dancer known as Ruby the Heart-stealer after judges ruled he could not have known she was a minor.Berlusconi would have gone to prison for the tax fraud had he been younger but was allowed to serve his time by helping out once a week with dementia sufferers at an old peoples home.In another headache for Berlusconi, prosecutors in Milan recently concluded a probe into evidence given by Ruby and other young women who attended sex parties at Berlusconis lavish properties.The inquiry determined that he paid Ruby and other young women some 10 million euros for their silence over what went on at his so-called Bunga Bunga parties.Prosecutors said late last month that they had established he gave Ruby gifts and cash worth seven million euros as well as accommodation and the covering of medical bills.Other witnesses received a further three million euros worth of enticements to keep quiet and in total 34 people, 21 of them young women, are suspected of varying degrees of corruption and giving false evidence.Berlusconi is almost certain to face trial over the allegations. His defence says the gifts are proof of nothing more than their clients generosity.

Syria Kurds hunt jihadists after retaking town near IS bastion

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BEIRUT (AFP) - Kurdish forces backed by US-led strikes hunted down Islamic State group jihadists Wednesday after fending off an assault on a town near ISs de facto Syrian capital, the Kurds and a monitor said.Kurdish forces had seized Ain Issa on June 23, but on Monday jihadists launched a new assault on the town located 55 kilometres (35 miles) from Raqa.Ain Issa was liberated and IS fighters were driven out, the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG) said on Twitter.The town is totally under the control of the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units after the death of dozens of mercenaries, the YPG said without elaborating.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also said the Kurds were in control of Ain Issa, and that they were now trying to track down any IS fighters who have gone into hiding.The battle between the Kurds and the jihadists is one of many active fronts of the Syrian civil war.The YPG have been backed from the air by an international coalition that has been carrying out air raids on IS in Syria since September 2014, helping them to recapture ground lost to the jihadists.

22 dead in Arab-Berber unrest in Algeria: media

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ALGIERS (AFP) - At least 22 people have died in clashes between Berber and Arab communities in southern Algeria on the edge of the Sahara desert, the national news agency APS reported Wednesday.It was the bloodiest toll in two years of frequent clashes between the communities, prompting President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to convene an emergency meeting of top leaders including army chief of staff General Ahmed Gaid Salah.APS said another 19 people wounded in two days of clashes between Chaamba Arabs and Mozabite Berbers in the Mzab valley had died of their injuries, raising the toll since Tuesday to 22.Dozens of other people were hurt in the violence on Tuesday and Wednesday, the agency said, citing hospital sources and officials.Homes, shops, public buildings, cars and palm groves were set on fire in the area of Guerrara and the regions main town of Ghardaia, 600 kilometres (370 miles) south of Algiers.Nineteen of the killings took place in Guerrara.Interior Minister Nouredine Bedoui travelled to the stricken region, APS reported, while an AFP correspondent said Algiers-Ghardaia flights were cancelled until Sunday.The situation is very serious. This is not just clashes any more, its terrorism, a Mozabite leader told AFP, adding that armed gangs had seized control of the towns entrances.A security source said police reinforcements were sent from Algiers.The latest round of clashes in Mzab broke out last week, prompting the deployment of anti-riot personnel who have fired tear gas to disperse crowds.Hundreds of homes and shops, mostly of Mozabites, have been ransacked in and around Ghardaia since centuries-old good ties between the areas Arabs and Berbers broke down in December 2013, mostly over property disputes and after vandals destroyed a historic Berber shrine in December 2013.Ghardaia is a UNESCO world heritage site renowned for its traditional white-washed houses and bustling market, selling jewellery, carpets and leather.

Optimistic Rouhani says Iran readying for post-sanctions

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TEHRAN (AFP) - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani expressed optimism Wednesday that a nuclear deal with world powers is imminent, saying his government is already preparing its economy for the lifting of sanctions.Negotiations with the P51 group are at a sensitive stage and the Islamic republic of Iran is preparing for (the period of) post-negotiations and post-sanctions, he said.Rouhani made the remarks to reporters at Tehrans Mehrabad airport before flying to Russia to attend a meeting on Friday of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.Iran has applied to join the SOC, which groups China, Russia and the former Soviet republics of Central Asia.Rouhani said China and Russia are likely to hold talks on the nuclear issue at the summit in Ufa, a city about 1,100 kilometres (680 miles) east of Moscow.The two countries form part of the P51 along with Britain, France and the United States plus Germany.The Iranian president is to hold talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Thursday.His assessment came as world powers readied for a late-night push to forge a deal that would curb Irans nuclear ambitions in exchange for an easing of sanctions.Iran and the P51 have effectively given themselves until Friday to reach a deal by extending a November 2013 interim accord, after missing two target dates in this round of talks now in their 12th day.This followed what diplomats said was a stormy meeting Monday evening between US Secretary of State John Kerry and the foreign ministers of Iran and the other major powers that one senior envoy said saw a very heated exchange of views.
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