Thursday 24 September 2015

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Saudi crown prince orders probe into deadly hajj stampede

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MINA (AFP) - Saudi Arabias crown prince ordered an investigation into the stampede at the hajj pilgrimage that left more than 700 dead on Thursday, the official Saudi Press Agency reported.Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, who chairs the Saudi hajj committee, ordered the probe during a meeting with senior officials responsible for the pilgrimage in Mina, where the stampede took place.The findings of the investigation will be submitted to King Salman, who will take appropriate measures in response, the agency added.Thursdays tragedy comes on the heels of another one, in which 108 people were killed when a massive construction crane collapsed on Meccas Grand Mosque on September 11 as thousands were gathering for the hajj.At the time, Nayef said the accident would not affect this years pilgrimage and that the safety of pilgrims was a priority.Earlier Thursday, Health Minister Khaled al-Faleh promised that there would be a rapid and transparent investigation of the stampede, which he blamed on undisciplined pilgrims not following instructions.

Six-month truce agreed in three Syria towns: monitor

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BEIRUT (AFP) - An agreement was reached Thursday between the warring parties in Syria for a six-month truce in the rebel-held town of Zabadani and two Shiite towns in the northwest, a monitor said.A ceasefire in Zabadani and the villages of Fuaa and Kafraya was agreed under the sponsorship of the UN, Rami Abdel Rahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told AFP.A UN spokeswoman, Jessy Chahine, told AFP: We can confirm that there were positive developments in the talks, which were facilitated by the UN, but added that it was up to the parties themselves to say if there was a deal to announce.Pro-government forces launched an offensive to try to recapture Zabadani on the border with Lebanon in July.This prompted a rebel alliance, including Sunni Muslim extremists of Al-Qaeda, to besiege the Idlib province villages of Fuaa and Kafraya, whose residents are Shiites.The agreement for a six-month truce was reached between rebel fighters including Islamist group Ahrar al-Sham and pro-regime forces and their allies of the Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah movement, Abdel Rahman said.Short truces agreed previously between the warring parties were often broken.A Syrian source close to the talks told AFP that after a ceasefire began last Sunday, the accord will see the evacuation of some 10,000 civilians from besieged Fuaa and Kafraya on Saturday and Sunday.They will be driven out in Red Cross vehicles to regime-controlled areas. In exchange, some 500 rebels will withdraw from Zabadani and head for Idlib province.

UN chief says EU must do more to address migrant crisis

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UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday welcomed the European Unions decision to inject $1 billion to help countries overwhelmed by Syrian refugees, but said more must be done to relocate migrants.EU leaders agreed at a summit in Brussels to boost assistance for UN aid efforts in Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey, which has taken in the bulk of Syrias four million refugees from the war.On the eve of the summit, EU interior ministers agreed to relocate 120,000 refugees from Greece and Italy over the next two years.Ban described the decisions as a step in the right direction but said that efforts are still required to resolve the crises and conflicts that cause people to flee, including in Syria.The UN chief calls on European leaders to do more to ensure dignified and humane reception and claim processing of the thousands of men, women and children seeking protection in Europe, said a statement from his spokesman.Ban urged the 28-nation bloc to consider increasing legal and safe pathways into Europe for migrants and refugees so that they are not left in the hands of criminal networks and embark on perilous journeys.Europe and countries beyond must make available many more relocation places to provide the many refugees who are in camps or living under temporary arrangements with a viable long term solution, when safe return is not possible, he said.With millions of Syrians forced into camps across the Middle East and tens of thousands crossing Europe on foot, the United States has promised to take in at least 10,000 Syrian refugees next year.That figure is dwarfed by a million asylum seekers that Germany is expecting to welcome by the end of this year.

Putin, Obama to meet as Syria diplomatic drive quickens

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - US President Barack Obama on Thursday accepted an invitation to meet Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, as a drive to revive efforts to resolve the Syrian conflict kicked into higher gear.The announcement that Putin and Obama will hold talks at the United Nations in New York on Monday comes amid an apparent shift on Syrian President Bashar al-Assads potential role in any deal to end the four-year war that has killed 250,000 people.And US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said Moscow and Washington could finds ways to cooperate in the crisis.Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a fierce Assad critic, suggested for the first time that the Syrian president could play a part in a future political transition.But nobody envisages a future with Assad in Syria, Erdogan cautioned.In a sign that European thinking may also be changing, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said we have to speak with many actors, this includes Assad, but others as well.Russia, a longstanding Assad ally, has rankled the West by building up its military presence in Syria.On Thursday, it sparked fresh alarm by announcing it would carry out naval exercises in the eastern Mediterranean this month and in October.At the Pentagon, Carter said if Russia were to fight Islamic State jihadists while also pursuing a political solution, and not just indiscriminately attack Assad foes, the United States and Moscow might find ways of working together.On a course like that, it is possible that we could find areas of cooperation, Carter said.But if its a matter of pouring gasoline on the fire on the civil war in Syria, that is certainly not productive.French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian called on Moscow to justify its very significant buildup in Syria and said if its intention was to protect Assad, it should say so.European leaders, faced with the worst migrant crisis since World War II, have called for a renewed UN-led international effort to end a war that has forced 12 million people from their homes.The tensions over Syria have further strained ties between Russia and the West which have plunged to Cold War lows over the Ukraine crisis.However, while the two sides have spent months trading barbs over the Syria conflict, the flood of refugees on Europes doorstep and the jihadist threat posed by the Islamic State group have given new urgency to ending the chaos.The foreign ministers of France, Britain and Germany -- as well as EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini -- held discussions on Syria in Paris on Thursday.Germanys Frank-Walter Steinmeier said as he arrived that it was too early to raise the question of whether Assad should be involved in peace talks.There is a need to stop the fighting in the region, Steinmeier said.Therefore we have to find an approach... to bridge the different positions of the actors in the region. Tonight we are preparing our common European position.NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg urged Russia to make its intentions in Syria clear -- and said they should assist in US-led strikes on Islamic State extremists.The first step now is to sit down with the United States and to make clear what are (Russias) intentions... and to try to cooperate and give a constructive contribution to the efforts led by the United States to fight ISIL (Islamic State), he told AFP.Syrian officials have said Russia is already helping their fight against Islamic State, which has seized large parts of its territory.The Syrian military for the first time on Wednesday deployed drones supplied by Russia in its fight against the jihadists, a security source in Damascus said.Syrian ambassador to Russia Riad Haddad told Interfax news agency that Moscows assistance would help Syria finally win against terrorist groups.But experts warn that significant obstacles remain to any solution to the brutal Syrian conflict with major players in the West and the Gulf on the one hand, and Russia and Iran on the other, pursuing vastly different military and diplomatic tactics.Western leaders have long demanded Assads departure as part of any diplomatic solution, while Russia and Iran want him to stay.US Secretary of State John Kerry said last week the US was prepared to negotiate with Assad on the conditions of his exit and urged Russia to persuade Assad to enter talks.What we want is a political transition away from him and towards a government that is responsive to the Syrian people, State Department spokesman John Kirby said Thursday.But a German government source warned Merkels comments in Brussels late Wednesday signalled nothing new as representatives of Assads regime had often joined negotiations.

Tennis: Ivanovic launches Pan Pacific defence campaign

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TOKYO (AFP) - Defending champion Ana Ivanovic survived a brave challenge from Italian Camila Giorgi on Thursday at the Pan Pacific Open, managing a tough 7-5, 6-2 victory.The victory put the Serb second seed in a quarter-final against Dominika Cibulkova in a rematch of the US Open where Ivanivic was ousted by the Slovak.In Tokyo, Ivanovic struggled to keep full control of the match particularly during the first set when she suffered five double faults, as Giorgi fired a succession of big serves and deep returns to keep their gap within close margins.In the second set, Giorgi led 2-0, as the world number-12 Ivanovic vented her frustration.Later, however, Ivanovic snapped back winning the next six straight games and the set 6-2 in one hour and 39 minutes.I am very happy to have the victory because it was a very, very tough match, said Ivanovic, who won the Tokyo event last year by beating Caroline Wozniacki in the final.The Dane is also here to regain the trophy that she lifted in 2010 and is the top-seed this year.She (Giorgi) has been playing very well, hitting the balls very deep. I had to stay low and she generated a lot of power on ground strokes as well as serves, Ivanovic said.The Serb said she was eager to fight Cibulkova after the US Open.I really feel like I am ready for revenge. I had great preparation. I really did everything possible to get in shape, she said.Hopefully, I can get the better of her this time, she said.In other matches, Agnieszka Radwanska, 2011 Pan Pacific winner, cruised by Elina Svitolina with a 6-4, 6-1 victory.In a quarter-final, the seventh-seed Pole will face fourth-seed Czech rising star Karolina Pliskova, who beat Kurumi Nara of Japan 6-2, 6-4.Radwanska won all of their three previous matches.Cibulkova beat sixth-seed Carla Suarez Navarro 6-4, 6-4.

Tennis: Allertova upsets top seed Halep in WTA Guangzhou Open

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GUANGZHOU (AFP) - Denisa Allertova of the Czech Republic defeated top seed Simona Halep in straight sets in quarterfinal play Thursday in the WTA Guangzhou International Womens Open.Unseeded Allertova pulled off the biggest upset of the tournament so far, beating the Romanian 6-4, 6-3.Halep, ranked number two in the world, was defeated in the semifinals of the US Open this month by eventual champion Flavia Pennetta of Italy.In another upset, unseeded Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium defeated Romanias Monica Niculescu, the number six seed, 6-2, 6-2.Sara Errani, seeded third, overwhelmed number eight seed Zheng Saisai, Chinas top player, 6-1, 6-0, leaving no more Chinese singles players in the event.And in the only battle of seeded players, Jelena Jankovic of Serbia, number four, defeated fifth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia, 6-2, 7-5.Players are battling for prize money of $250,000.

Tennis: Stephens advances to Korea Open quarter-final

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SEOUL (AFP) - American Sloane Stephens cruised past Japanese veteran Kimiko Date-Krumm to advance to the quarter-finals of the WTA Korea Open on Thursday.Third-seeded Stephens defeated 44-year-old Date-Krumm, champion in Seoul in 2009, 6-3, 6-4 in the second round of the tournament.The 22-year-old American, ranked 32nd in the world, won her first WTA title at the Citi Open in Washington last month.Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus, ranked 136th in the world, meanwhile earned a surprise win over Magdalena Rybarikova, currently ranked 73rd, defeating the Slovak 6-3, 6-3. Russias Elizaveta Kulichkova also breezed past the fourth-seeded American Varvara Lepchenko 6-0, 6-2, while Romanian Irina Begu, ranked 29th in the world, defeated Slovenian Polona Hercog after a tough battle, eventually winning 6-2, 6-7 (6/8), 6-2.

Golf: Wiesberger, Hebert share European Open lead

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BAD GRIESBACH (AFP) - Bernd Wiesberger and Benjamin Hebert produced matching seven under par 64s to share the first round lead in the European Open at the Bernhard Langer-designed Bad Griesbach Golf Resort on Thursday.They are one shot clear of a group of four -- Graeme Storm, Richard Bland, Richard Green and Darren Fichardt.German legend Langer is one of a large group only two shots off the lead on five under par.Austrias Wiesberger and Frances Hebert made the most of benign conditions to card seven birdies apiece.French Open winner Wiesberger had to hold his nerve as he birdied the last to join Hebert already safely in the clubhouse.I felt really good coming into this week, said the 29-year-old Wiesberger.I played good golf last week and I dragged that into today as well.I hit the ball pretty good so few courses wouldnt suit me right now. Its not often you can say that but I felt in control of my ball flight and yardages. I had a few hiccups on the greens but you cant have it all.Hebert, 28, put his encouraging start down to local knowledge.Ive played here two times already on the Challenge Tour and it is a good course. It was in great shape this afternoon and tomorrow (Friday) the greens will be perfect in the morning. It does help playing here before. I know the course well. I know where we can be more aggressive and where to play easier. Its a good advantage.

Golf: Strange, fighting back from tragedy, leads in Japan

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TOKYO (AFP) - Scott Strange shot a six-under-par 64 to lead the Asia-Pacific Open Mitsubishi Diamond Cup on Thursday as he underlined his return to form after being rocked by a triple tragedy.The 38-year-old Australian lost both his sister and mother to cancer in 2008 and 2009, and a good friend also passed away in events which threatened to derail his career.But Strange is now enjoying a resurgence and his strong showing at Otone Country Club in Japans Ibaraki prefecture put him two shots clear of the field after round one.I lost my way until 2013 because my mother (Sylvia) and sister (Natalie) died of cancer and my good friend passed away, he said, according to comments released by the Asian Tour. After that, I started thinking there is more to life than golf. Now Im starting to piece things together by being a father and playing golf. In some ways, I feel that Ive matured at the age of 38 said Strange.Canadas Richard T. Lee, Wonjoon Lee of Australia and Akio Sadakata of Japan shared second spot on 66 at US$1.2 million event.

David Beckham launches UN appeal to protect kids

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UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - Football legend, male model and father of four David Beckham went to UN headquarters in New York on Thursday to call on world leaders to end violence against children.The former England captain asked leaders to put children at the heart of the Sustainable Development Goals, the new 15-year agenda that the UN General Assembly will adopt over the weekend.Many of the goals concern children directly: ensuring access for all to quality education, eliminating poverty, providing food security, improving nutrition and promoting durable agriculture.Beckham, who has been a UNICEF ambassador for 11 years, told the event attended by UN chief Ban Ki-moon that 2014 was one of the most devastating years on record for children. More than 15 million children were exposed to extreme violence and many more affected by natural disasters, he said warning that 2015 is proving to be just as bad. As a UN ambassador and as a father it breaks my heart to see children continue to suffer, said the 40-year-old former mid-fielder for Manchester United, Real Madrid and LA Galaxy.Children all share the same hope for a better future. With the world focused on the new global goals there is a real opportunity to make that hope a reality, he said.Ban and Beckham helped unveil a digital installation in the lobby of UN headquarters that delivers messages from children across the globe about their lives and hopes for the future.Every child has a voice but too often they are just not heard, said Beckham. At this crucial time when all the world leaders are gathered here in New York... their voices will be heard.Beckham said he would personally not rest until children, especially the most disadvantaged, are put at the heart of the new global goals. It was Beckhams second visit to New York in days. He was last in the Big Apple on September 13 to attend wife Victorias fashion show and the mens final at the US Open.

RugbyU: Nine try All Blacks swamp Namibia

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LONDON (AFP) - New captain Sam Cane led the All Blacks B team on a nine-try blitz to demolish Namibia 58-14 in the World Cup on Thursday. Nehe Milner-Skudder and Julian Savea got two tries each and the All Blacks had their bonus point try within 30 minutes as the superiority of the top-ranked side told over the world number 20 minnows.Namibia were brave and the All Blacks were not completely fluid. But there was never any chance of an upset as they controlled 71 percent of possession.The All Blacks made wholesale changes to the side that opened their title defence with a 26-16 win over Argentina and lost Liam Messam to injury before the match started.But they had enough power to produce an uncompromising pack and their backs tore Namibias defence to shreds with Sonny Bill Williams unleashing all his tricks from cheeky offloads to the sidestep to the powerful direct running. The All Blacks had points on the board within four minutes. At the kick-off, their pack drove Namibia from the 22-metre line to the halfway where they won two quick penalties with fullback Beauden Barrett slotting the second. Within two minutes it was the All Blacks backs in action, stretching the Namibian defence to breaking point to allow a supporting Victor Vito to score the opening try. Man-of-the-match Milner-Skudder (twice), Malakai Fekitoa and Beauden Barrett followed him over in the first half with Barrett adding three conversions and a penalty. A pair of penalties by Theuns Kotze put Namibia on the board as the All Blacks turned with a 34-6 lead. The All Blacks were held to four tries in the second half, two to Julian Savea and one each to Ben Smith and Codie Taylor.Kotze kicked a third penalty for Namibia and Johan Deysel scored his try which brought the biggest cheer of the night from the crowd. I thought we did quite well, Deysel said after.We gave away a few stupid tries, but I think that was a lack of experience, he added.Some of the All Blacks tries were textbook, working Namibia from side to side at pace until the gaps opened, but others were the result of audacious skill particularly from Williams. When he appeared sandwiched in a swarm of defenders Williams managed to free an arm to offload for Fekitoas try. He was again central in Milner-Skudders second try, stooping at full pace to flick the ball off the ground allowing Savea to unselfishly forego the chance to score and fire a long pass to the right wing. Barretts try was from a 40-metre run in which he glided past Namibias most feared defender Jacques Burger with ease. At times the All Blacks were guilty of trying to be too clever resulting in unforced errors and when they conceded a try to Deysel 10 minutes into the second half coach Steve Hansen decided to unload the serious talent he had on the bench. Namibia were the last team to take the field in the tournament. Their attempts to provide a valiant opposition in their first ever match against the All Blacks centered around veteran flanker Berger and experienced halves Theuns Kotze, Eugene Jantjies.But their defence was exposed, they had few chances to run and kicking for territory was erratic.Namibia, who have been in every World Cup since 1999 have now lost all 16 matches they have played and have become the second team behind Japan to concede more than 1,000 points in the competition.

Formula One: Hamilton fears more trouble in title race

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SUZUKA (AFP) - World champion Lewis Hamilton warned Thursday that the technical problems that forced him to retire from last weeks Singapore Grand Prix could yet resurface in this years title run-in.Though he still leads the Formula One championship by 41 points with six races remaining, the Briton said in Suzuka that Mercedes needed to stay wise to the dangers after an off-weekend gave Ferraris Sebastian Vettel a glimmer of hope.Vettels victory brought the German to within eight points of Hamiltons Mercedes rival Nico Rosberg, who closed the gap slightly after finishing fourth.As to what happened in Singapore, it was specific to Singapore, said Hamilton, who was left fuming after a small metal clamp fell off his car, ending his bid for an eighth victory of 2015. Im not going to sit here thinking it was a fluke or anything like that. Im sure there are going to be more situations like that -- whether its this year, next year or the year after, but Im hopeful we can bounce back from that and it will never happen again.So complete has been the dominance of Mercedes over the past two years that last Sundays stunning reversal of fortune took the entire F1 paddock by surprise.The guys have come up with a lot of solutions and a lot of reasons, Hamilton said of his first retirement of the season. The majority of them believe one of the reasons is that it was down to a domino effect, and they will still continue to look for answers.Normal service is expected to be resumed this weekend at Suzuka, which suits Mercedess power better than Singapores street circuit, where Ferrari impressed and Vettel halted a run of 23 straight qualifying wins for Mercedes. Hamilton won something of a hollow victory last year in a race marred by a horror crash involving Frenchman Jules Bianchi, who died as a result of his injuries nine months later.Rosberg insisted that Mercedes would strike back from their Singapore set-back in Japan.Singapore was our big weakness last year also, said the German. But we are still the same team that has won so many races -- still the same car, same drivers, so the confidence is there.Vettel, meanwhile, refused to get carried away after showing glimpses of the immaculate driving that saw him sweep to four successive titles between 2010-13. It is a completely different track here, he said. We have to remain realistic. It was a big surprise to see Mercedes struggling, which I dont expect to be the case here. If the chance is there we have to go for it, he added. But the favourites still have to remain Mercedes with their two cars.

Nation set to celebrate Eid-ul-Azha today

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LAHORE (Dunya News) – Millions of faithful will celebrate Eid-ul-Azha today (Friday) across Pakistan with religious fervor. Eid congregations will be held in cities, towns and villages across the country. The main Eid congregation in Lahore will be held at the Badshahi Mosque.Ulema and khateebs from different schools of thought would deliver special sermons and lectures to highlight the significance of the day.Special prayers will be offered for the prosperity of the country and unity among the Muslim Ummah. Muslims will pray for the progress, safety and success of Pakistan Army in its war against the terrorists.To celebrate Eid-ul-Azha, Muslims sacrifice animals including cow, goat, sheep and camel according to their purchasing power on any of the three days of Eid. People this year have suffered a lot due to the mounting prices of the sacrificial animals.

Supersonic car that inspires schoolkids unveiled in UK

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LONDON (AFP) - Dont want to do your maths homework? A rocket-powered car that could break the world land speed record and travel at over 1,000 miles per hour (1,600 kilometres) per hour could be the solution.The Bloodhound Supersonic Car (SSC) unveiled in London on Thursday is an engineering marvel that its builders hope will inspire a new generation of engineers like the Space Race during the Cold War.With a fighter jet engine and rockets, the sleek 135,000-horsepower car is as powerful as 180 Formula One racing cars and will go faster than a bullet.In 1997, Royal Air Force pilot Andy Green established the current record of 1,228 kilometres per hour -- faster than the speed of sound -- in the Nevada desert in the United States on board the Thrust SSC.Almost 20 years later, Green is planning to get behind the wheel again and beat his own record.The plan is to reach 800 miles (1,287 kilometres) per hour next year in South Africa and then shatter a mind-bending 1,000 miles per hour threshold in 2017.We want to set the bar so high that it will be very difficult for anyone to take, it, project director Richard Noble told AFP.The 15-million pound (20 million euro, $23 million) car is a jumble of hi-tech that relates as much to aeronautics and aerospace as to the automotive industry.The cars has three power plants - a Rolls-Royce EJ200 jet from a Eurofighter Typhoon, a cluster of Nammo hybrid rockets and a Jaguar V8 engine that drives the rocket oxidiser pump.The cockpit looks like the one on a jet, including the oxygen mask.Its like an airplane but on four wheels, said Mark Blackwell, a technician on the project.Beating the record is a big motivator for the team but is not an end in itself -- their aim is also to give a taste for science to a new generation.We had a meeting with the Ministry of Defence and they said we have a terrible problem -- we cant recruit scientist engineers, Noble said.In the US during 1961 to 1972, the number of PhD achieved in science education increased by 300 percent because of the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union, he said.More than 100,000 children from 6,000 schools in Britain and 1,000 in South Africa are involved in an education project around the Bloodhound (www.bloodhoundssc.com).Kids respond very well, set up rocket clubs, do more maths, said Kirsty Allpress from the Bloodhound Education Team, which visits schools to talk about the car.Noble said that footage of the car and data relating to the project is all uploaded onto the website and this information is then used by teachers for classwork.What youve got here is an enormous global online game, he said.

Study finds birds migrating to Britain because food is better

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LONDON (AFP) - Britons who leave food in their gardens for birds have helped change migration patterns, with one species now heading to the UK for the winter rather than to sunny Spain, researchers said Thursday.Blackcaps, which breed in southern Germany and Austria, are increasingly migrating towards Britain rather than their traditional wintering grounds in southern Spain, the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) said.The findings came in a study conducted over 12 winters and involving over 14,000 volunteers who put out food and submitted information on birds visiting their gardens.This is the first time that weve shown that feeding birds actually influences the distribution of a bird species across a whole country, lead researcher Dr Kate Plummer told the BBC.The BTO added in a statement that the authors had found strong evidence that blackcap occupancy rates are influenced by both supplementary food and climactic temperature.It added that winters in Britain had become milder in recent decades and that the changes in migration patterns had become genetically encoded.Blackcaps were barely recorded in Britain before the 1950s, but their numbers have increased rapidly in the last 60 years.
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