Friday 4 September 2015

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Defence Day: Pillion riding banned in Karachi for 2 days

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – Sindh Home Department has imposed a two-day ban on pillion riding in Karachi on the occasion of Defence Day of Pakistan to maintain law and order situation in the city.The pillion riding ban will take effect from 12:00 midnight today. Police have warned that cases would be registered against ban violators.

Sheikhupura: 3 killed as bus hits motorcycle

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SHEIKHUPURA (Dunya News) – According to details, a Faisalabad-bound bus hit a motorcycle on Ferozwala-Sheikhupura Road in Kot Abdul Malik on Friday, killing three people riding on the bike.Rescue teams reached the spot and shifted the bodies to District Headquarters Hospital, Sheikhupura. The driver of the bus managed to escape from the scene.

Tennis: Djokovic downs Seppi to reach US Open last 16

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NEW YORK (AFP) - Novak Djokovic swept into the last 16 of a Grand Slam tournament for the 26th successive time Friday and celebrated the victory with a spot of baby-sitting.The world number one defeated Italys Andreas Seppi for the 11th time in 11 meetings, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5 to inch closer to a sixth final in New York.But instead of celebrating, the 28-year-old rushed straight into his media obligations before heading back to his city base to join wife Jelena and baby son Stefan.The couples first child was born last October and since then Djokovic has won 69 matches and eight titles with just five losses.That run includes this years Australian Open and Wimbledon crowns.I think its a great balance. Im experiencing it now since last October, said Djokovic of his professional and private lives.It has brought a lot of joy in my life, but also a lot of positive energy and motivation to my professional life.Djokovic, whose Grand Slam collection now stands at nine, is aiming to reach the finals of all four majors in the same year for the first time.Only a heartbreaking loss in the French Open final to Stan Wawrinka in June prevented him from a shot at a calendar Grand Slam -- a feat not achieved by a man since Rod Laver swept all four in 1969.You always try to set up a new kind of goals, find an inspiration, he added.Youre always in a pursuit of finding that something that is going to drive you, that is going to keep you on alert every single day, keep you going for practice sessions, and doing the same things day in and day out. When my boy arrived, it was completely a new dimension of experience for me and my wife. Im still riding the wave. It has helped my tennis, definitely. Im more focused, but Im balanced. You need that balance. Tennis is a very demanding sport. You need something that is going to keep you intact.The family factor has also proved crucial to Djokovics rivals.World number two Roger Federer is the father of two sets of twins.Andy Murray, meanwhile, the world number three, is set to become a father in February while Wawrinka has a five-year-old daughter.Family -- what bigger inspiration can you find more than that? asked Djokovic.On Friday, Djokovic recorded his 31st successive win over Italian opponents with his win over Seppi.He will next face Spanish 23rd seed Roberto Bautista Agut on Sunday for a place in the quarter-finals.The Serb star had dropped just 10 games in his first two rounds, not facing a break point, but was pushed hard by 25th seed Seppi, who knocked Federer out of the Australian Open.He dropped serve for the first time in the second set and was broken again as he served for the match in the 10th game of the third.But the 31-year-old Seppi was unable to capitalise and handed the advantage straight back to the world number one in the 11th game.I had to hang in there and try and play at my pace, said Djokovic.He was aggressive and went for backhands down the line. I just had to stay patient and wait for my opportunities, which is easier said than done.Djokovic ended with 11 aces and 37 winners but will look to reduce the error count of 31 in the fourth round, where victory would put him into a 25th consecutive Grand Slam quarter-final.

Tennis: Venus eases Serena's path, Cilic escapes upset

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NEW YORK (AFP) - Venus Williams eliminated the highest-rated rival in her sister Serenas path to a historic US Open final by defeating 12th-seeded Swiss teen Belinda Bencic 6-3, 6-4 on Friday.Bencic, who inflicted the most recent defeat upon top-ranked Serena Williams in a Toronto semi-final last month, fell to 0-4 against Venus and has yet to win a set off the seven-time Grand Slam champion.Im really pleased I played a (great) match against someone who had such a great summer, Venus Williams said.On the mens side, Croatias Marin Cilic barely escaped making the earliest exit of any defending champion since 1999 before outlasting 56th-ranked Kazak Mikhail Kukushkin 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/1), 6-3, 6-7 (3/7), 6-1, in their third-round match.Venus Williams, seeded 23rd, advanced to a fourth-round match against either US compatriot Madison Brengle or Estonian qualifier Anett Kontaveit and could face her sister Serena in the quarter-finals.I hope we both get to the quarter-finals, Venus said.Serena, who holds all four Grand Slam titles, continues her quest for more tennis history when she faces 101st-ranked fellow American Bethanie Mattek-Sands later in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Williams is trying to complete the first calendar Grand Slam since Steffi Graf in 1988 and only the fourth ever while also seeking her 22nd career Slam singles crown, matching Grafs Open Era record and two shy of Australian Margaret Courts all-time mark.This could be the first Grand Slam event in which Serena reaches the final without facing a top-10 opponent.Venus broke Bencic in the eighth game and held on her fourth ace to take the first set in 33 minutes, having blasted 16 winners to only four by Bencic.Bencic broke for a 3-1 lead when Venus sent a forehand long but Venus responded with a forehand winner to break back in the seventh game and broke again in the ninth before ending matters with her fifth ace after 78 minutes.She played very aggressive, Bencic said. She served very good. It was difficult for me to put any pressure on her serve. I tried to fight and hang in there against her but its very tough when she goes for her shots all the time.Venus, 35, fired 31 winners against 15 unforced errors while Bencic, 18, had 12 of each.I would rather make an error and play aggressive, go for it, Williams said.Not since Andre Agassi lost to Arnaud Clement in the 1999 second round had a mens champion been ousted before the fourth round but ninth seed Cilic barely escaped that fate.Cilic fought back after losing the first set and having to save two set points in the 12th game of the second to reach a last-16 date with either Spanish seventh seed David Ferrer or French 27th seed Jeremy Chardy.It wasnt easy but I stayed together and got it done, Cilic said.World number one Novak Djokovic, the 2011 champion trying for his fifth finals trip in six attempts, faces Italian 25th seed Andreas Seppi. The Serbian star, seeking his 10th career Grand Slam title and third of the year, has won 30 matches in a row against Italians, 10 of them over Seppi, since losing to Filippo Volandri in his ATP debut at Umag in 2004.Spanish eighth seed Rafael Nadal, a 14-time Grand Slam champion on a quarter-final collision course with Djokovic, meets Italian 32nd seed Fabio Fognini, who beat the Spaniard at Rio de Janeiro and Barcelona earlier this year. Russian 13th seed Ekaterina Makarova ousted Ukraine 17th seed Elina Svitolina 6-3, 7-5 in a matchup of the top-ranked remaining players in their quarter of the draw.Makarova, playing with a taped upper right leg, began cramping while serving at match point. Told she could not see a trainer until a changeover, she fought on and advanced on a forehand winner.Just at match point it starts cramping, Makarova said. I was scared. Its the first time I was cramping. She told me she cant treat me until the changeover. I kept playing and kept trying.A Grand Slam record 12 men have retired from matches at this tournament with two women quitting during matches as well, many from heat-related cramping issues.Makarova will next face Frances Kristina Mladenovic, who was a 6-2, 6-3 winner over injured Maria Sharapovas replacement, Russian lucky loser Daria Kasatkina. Mladenovic makes her deepest Grand Slam run after third-round efforts this year at Wimbledon and Roland Garros.What a way to reach my first second week of a Slam, Mladenovic said.Frances Benoit Paire reached his first Grand Slam fourth round with a 7-6 (7/3), 6-1, 6-1 victory over Spains Tommy Robredo. He next faces countryman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who ousted Ukraines Sergiy Stakhovsky 6-3, 7-5, 6-2.

Football: Germany go top, N. Ireland move closer to Euro 2016

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PARIS (AFP) - Striker Mario Goetze scored twice in a 3-1 win over Poland which put Germany top in their group as Northern Ireland moved closer to the Euro 2016 finals by beating the Faroe Islands 3-1 on Friday.It was Polands first defeat in seven Euro 2016 qualifiers with the world champions gaining revenge for losing 2-0 in Warsaw last October to knock Adam Nawalkas side from top of Group D.Georgias 1-0 home win over Scotland, who Germany play in Glasgow on Monday, and the Republic of Irelands 4-0 thumping of Gibraltar means Germany are top with 16 points with Poland second on 14 while Ireland go third with 12, one ahead of the Scots.We had just one objective - to win the match, it was the most important, said Germany coach Joachim Loew.Overall I can only be very satisfied, we produced some super football in the first 35 minutes. The Polish chances came uniquely from our mistakes.All four goals came from Bayern Munich players as Thomas Mueller gave Germany an early lead, then Goetze made it 2-0 before Poland captain Robert Lewandowski pulled one back with a diving header for 2-1 at the break. Mueller and Goetze then combined for Germanys third on 82 minutes.A double from captain Robbie Keane, which took his international tally to 67, and goals from Cyrus Christie and Shane Long saw the Republic of Ireland past Gibraltar in Faro. Martin ONeills side next play Georgia in Dublin on Monday.There is still a long way to go but we got the job done, said Keane. Monday will be a massive game for us.In Group F, Northern Ireland are just one victory away from their first European championship final as they sit top with 16 points, one point ahead of Romania who were held to a goalless draw in Hungary.Two goals from Gareth McAuley and a third from Kyle Lafferty sealed the victory with the Faroe Islands hit by Joan Edmundssons sending off of after 64 minutes for a second bookable offence.The Northern Irish will qualify if they beat Hungary on Monday night at Windsor Park.We seem to have come through unscathed and it would be fantastic if we could do it in front of our own fans at Windsor Park, said Northern Ireland manager Michael ONeill.Finland came away with a 1-0 win from Greece in a match between two teams struggling in Group F.Meanwhile Euro 2016 hosts France ended their run of defeats with a 1-0 friendly win over Portugal in Lisbon thanks to a late Mathieu Valbuena freekick.Substitute Valbuenas curling effort five minutes from time got Les Bleus back to winning ways after three loses in four matches, but striker Nabil Fekir was stretchered off after 13 minutes with an injury which was later confirmed as a ruptured cruciate ligament in his right knee which will rule him out for six months.Didier Deschampss side have another friendly lined up against Serbia on Monday in Bordeaux.In Group I, Cristiano Ronaldos Portugal were the big winners despite not playing a qualifier after group rivals Denmark and Albania played 0-0 in Copenhagen.Portugal lead the group with 12 points, one point ahead of Albania and Denmark.Albania host Portugal on Monday with the Scandinavians travelling to modest Armenia who lost 2-0 at Serbia, bottom of the table after being deducted three points.

Golf: Dredge leads Slattery at midway point in Moscow

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MOSCOW (AFP) - Bradley Dredge matched his opening 66 in Fridays second round to lead the Russian Open by one shot at the halfway point.The Welshmans more or less faultless second round 66 began when he picked up three shots in the opening four holes before another birdie ahead of the turn.He added another birdie on his back nine before safely parring the closing six holes for a 10-under par total of 132.Dredge said: For me the highlight has been the putting, Ive been putting really well. If I could get two more rounds of 66 that would be tough to beat but its only halfway through. Slattery staged a remarkable recovery to add a second round of 67 to his opening 66.After carding two bogeys in his first 10 holes on Friday, the 37-year-old Englishman shot five birdies on the back nine to head into the weekend on nine under.Australias Daniel Gaunt, who held a share of the overnight lead, is a shot further back on eight under after carding four birdies and two bogeys on his way to a two under par 69.

Formula One: Hamilton stays on top as Mercedes dominate again

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MONZA (AFP) - Lewis Hamilton continued his domination of Formula One by topping the times ahead of Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg in Fridays second free practice ahead of this weekends Italian Grand Prix.The newly-blond defending two-time world champion, in his 50th Grand Prix for Mercedes, clocked a best lap in one minute and 24.279 seconds on a warm, if overcast, afternoon at the high-speed Autodromo Nazional where Mercedes new engines reigned supreme.Hamilton had been fastest in the mornings opening free session ahead of Rosberg as the Mercedes pair took early control and demonstrated their speed advantage.Hamiltons best time was 0.021 seconds faster than that of his German partner, who became a father for the first time last weekend and who lies 28 points adrift in the drivers title race.Both men were satisfied with Rosberg adding that he was surprised at Mercedes continuing ascendancy and the performance of their new engine.Hamilton said: It has been a good day, a day of testing - with a lot of things to try. The car has been feeling good so far this weekend and its given great pace to the team so we just need to keep it together.Although Mercedes has introduced an updated engine after having used all its remaining development tokens, Hamilton said it felt the same as before.It just feels the same. It is more reliability changes to improve reliability, he said. The engine feels fantastic because it is a fantastic engine. It still feels the same.Rosberg said: Yes, we are surprised by this margin of advantage here. We look really quick here at the moment and I am pleased with that. Lewis has been quick up until now, but it got very close at the end as we were trying the qualifying runs.That is okay so we know were going in the right direction. It has not gone my way up until now, but of course I will try and try again and tomorrow is another shot.It has been very close today and for sure there is a good opportunity tomorrow.Four-time champion German Sebastian Vettel was third for Ferrari, unable to close a gap of 0.759 seconds on the two silver arrows much to the disappointment of the tifosi gathered within the old royal park where the circuit, dubbed by some as the temple of speed, plays host to their home event for what may be the penultimate time.Negotiations to extend Monzas contract to host the historic Italian event beyond next year (2016) have not progressed smoothly.On Friday, F1s veteran commercial ringmaster Bernie Ecclestone said a renewal was unlikely because the Monza management dont want to pay to host the race.He told reporters that it was clear at the moment, that a renewal is unlikely on the basis of the fact that they dont want to pay for it.As local motor racing fans digested that setback, Vettel offered more disappointment when he said he was not surprised by Mercedes opening day dominance.It is always to say what people are doing on a Friday, but they are very strong, said Vettel. They do look very, very quick. No surprise, I would say.And if theyre not in front tomorrow -- that would be a surprise, but we like surprises. So, well do our utmost to turn things around.He added that he had enjoyed the experience of being a Ferrari driver in front of home fans at Monza.Behind Vettel, two more Mercedes-powered cars filled the fourth and fifth places with Mexican Sergio Perez narrowly outpacing his Force India team-mate German Nico Hulkenberg ahead of Finn Kimi Raikkonen, who was sixth in the second Ferrari.Frenchman Romain Grosjean was seventh ahead of his Lotus team-mate Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado and the two Williams of Finn Valtteri Bottas and Brazilian Felipe Massa.The session was without serious incidents, but Dutch teenager Max Verstappen survived one frightening incident when he had a moment and recovered control of his car at high speed.Briton Jenson Buttons car had a water leak as he struggled to 19th place for McLaren Honda ahead of the equally desultory Russian Daniil Kvyat whose Red Bull, fitted with an old Renault engine, left him relatively powerless and in 20th.Two-time world champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso was, by contrast, in good form as he climbed to 16 th in the second McLaren while Australian Daniel Ricciardo was 13 in the other Red Bull. For both teams, and their drivers, however, it was a day without much joy.

Cycling: Oliveira wins stage, Aru retains Vuelta lead

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TARAZONA (AFP) - Portugals Nelson Oliveira came home alone to land the 13th stage of Spains Vuelta on Friday with Fabio Aru retaining the overall leaders red jersey.For Lampre rider Oliveira, a three-time national time-trial champion, this was a first ever stage win on one of the Grand Tours.He set up his personal milestone by attacking with 30 kilometres of the 178km ride from Calatayud to Tarazona remaining. He had his fellow members of a breakaway group in trouble on the final climb of the day, extending his lead to the line.Frances Julien Simon (Cofidis) out-sprinted Irelands Nicolas Roche (Team Sky) for second, this pair chased home by the rest of the breakaway group.It was a difficult day but things worked out in the best way possible for me, reflected Oliveira in an interview with Spains public television station.Its my first international victory and the first on a Grand Tour, he added.Those last 30km were the longest of my life.Italian Aru took 36th place to keep the overall lead by 27sec from Katushas Joaquim Rodriguez. Tom Dumoulin is third, a further three seconds away.Aru is trying to go one better after filling the runner-up spot in the Giro dItalia in May. Despite his position at the head of the Vuelta standings he will be only too mindful of the precariousness of his position.In Italy, he lost three minutes to eventual winner Alberto Contador in a race-against-the-clock, and there is one looming next Wednesday - the 17th stage 38.7km time-trial in Burgos.So first he will be out to exploit his advantage in the three tough days coming up in the mountains.Were going to see how the legs hold up in these three stages. If I feel good tomorrow (Saturday) Ill try to do something to make time, the Italian said.Saturdays 14th stage is the longest of the 2015 Vuelta, a 215km mountainous ride from Vitoria to the ski station of Alto Campoo, with an hors-category summit finish.

Obama and Saudi king stress warm ties at White House summit

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - US President Barack Obama and Saudi Arabias King Salman held a long-delayed first White House summit Friday marked by warm public words, despite differing views on Middle Eastern crises.Obama made the rare move of greeting the 79-year-old monarch at the doors of the White House, as he hailed the longstanding friendship between the two countries.Salmans inaugural visit as king -- originally scheduled for May and canceled by Riyadh -- had been billed as a way of putting relations back on a more stable footing.In the Oval Office, Obama was effusive, saying he wanted to once again reaffirm not only our personal friendship, but the deep and abiding friendship between our two people.For his part Salman said his visit was a symbol of the deep and strong relationship that we have with the United States. After the meeting, the allies released a joint statement, published by the White House and later read out at a news conference by Saudi foreign minister Adel Al-Jubeir.In it, they outlined their joint determination to defeat the Islamic State group and to find a political solution to the conflict in Syria that would see Bashar Al-Assad step down.Meanwhile, Al-Jubeir said King Salman accepted Obamas assurances that the nuclear deal between world powers and Iran would prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon.These meetings normally end in some kind of public statement that puts as positive a spin as possible on the meeting, said Anthony Cordesman of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.But behind the warm public statements, there are disagreements on Syria and Yemen and lingering Saudi doubts about the Iran deal.The White House said that during the meeting Salman expressed his support for the Iran deal.Saudi officials have privately expressed grave misgivings that the nuclear agreement may legitimize their arch-foe Iran. Al-Jubeir said Saudi Arabia had consulted its European and Arab allies and had studied the deal and was reassured that it has snapback provisions to reimpose sanctions if Iran breaks its terms.To assuage Saudi concerns and bolster Riyadhs military edge, the pair also discussed fast-tracking the provision of military equipment to the kingdom, including missile defense technology.Obama acknowledged only that the two sides had much to discuss.This is obviously a challenging time in world affairs, particularly in the Middle East, Obama said, adding that the pair would discuss a wide range of issues.Obama said the two sides share concerns about the need to restore a functioning government in Yemen and relieve an urgent humanitarian crisis.Saudi Arabia began a bombing campaign in Yemen to oust Iranian-backed rebels soon after Salman and his son and defense minister, Deputy Crown Prince Muhammad, came to power.The United States has supported that effort, but has repeatedly warned about the impact the fighting has had on civilians.The UN has estimated that around six million people in Yemen face possible starvation and 850,000 children face acute malnutrition.The White House and Al-Jubeir said King Salman had committed to work toward opening Red Sea ports that would bring vital supplies, so long as the operation is monitored by the United Nations.Al-Jubeir said Saudi Arabia fears the ports could be used by Iran or others to bring weapons to Huthi Shiite militias, and emphasised that the kingdom had provided tens of millions of dollars in aid. And the minister said Saudi Arabia was in intense talks with Russia, the United States and Syrian opposition groups about a political accord to end the violence in Syria.The two leaders reiterated that any meaningful political transition would have to include the departure of Bashar Al-Assad who has lost legitimacy to lead Syria, the joint statement said.But Saudi Arabias backing for opposition groups like Jaysh al-Islam, an amalgam of factions that include hardline Islamists, has concerned the White House.Riyadh views Sunni fighters as a counterbalance to the Iranian-backed Shia militias helping prop up Bashar al-Assad.The kingdom sees the conflict against the Iranian-supported Assad regime as an extension of the wider Persian-Arab rivalry, said Simon Henderson of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.Ahead of the meeting, senior Obama foreign policy aide Ben Rhodes said the White House wants to make sure both countries have a common view on which Syrian opposition groups get support. We are looking to isolate more extremist elements of the opposition, thats been an ongoing conversation with Saudi Arabia, he said.Fridays meeting also afforded US officials a closer look at Salmans son and heir apparent Muhammad.Although relatively new to the world stage -- even the 30-somethings age is not known for sure -- he is believed to be one of the architects of Riyadhs newfound military assertiveness in Yemen.

Syria car bombs kill 26, including anti-regime Druze cleric: monitor

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BEIRUT (AFP) - The toll from twin car bombs that rocked the outskirts of the Syrian city of Sweida Friday has risen to 26 people, including a prominent Druze cleric known for criticising Syrias regime, a monitor said.The death toll from the car bomb attacks outside Sweida has risen to 26 people. Another 50 people are wounded, said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Abdel Rahman earlier said that Sheikh Wahid al-Balous, who spoke out often against both the Syrian regime and Islamists, was killed in the attack as he was driving on the outskirts of the city. The second car bomb struck near the hospital in the Dahr al-Jabal neighbourhood where the wounded were being taken, the monitor added.Syrias official news agency SANA earlier said eight people had been killed and 22 wounded.Sweida is the heartland of Syrias Druze minority, which made up around three percent of the countrys pre-war population of 23 million. Balous was the leader of the Sheikhs of Dignity group, which aimed to protect the Druze areas in Syria, said Malek Abu Kheir, a journalist from Sweida who knew him.The Sheikhs of Dignity are the most powerful militia in the area and had fought fierce battles against the Islamic State jihadist group and Al-Qaedas Syrian affiliate.Balous opposed army conscripts from Sweida being sent outside the province, and often spoke out against both jihadist groups and the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, Abu Kheir told AFP. Days before Balous was killed, Sweida residents had gathered in the city to demand more regular government services, including electricity and water.Activists told AFP the protesters had the support of Balous.The head of Lebanons Druze community Walid Jumblatt, in a condolence statement he posted on Twitter, accused the Assad government of killing Balous.My condolences to Sheikh Wahid al-Balous and his companions, who were assassinated by the regime of Bashar al-Assad, he said. But the chief of Syrias Druze, Sheikh Youssef Jarboua, accused the enemies of the nation and humanitarian state.Syrian Information Minister Omran Zohbi said the terrorism that struck Sweida wants to send a message to its people, that because they stood by their nation, they will pay the price of this stance with blood.According to SANA, parliament condemned the two terrorist explosions in Sweida.These cowardly terrorist acts will not discourage the Syrian people from continuing their fight against terrorism, but will instead strengthen their perseverance, the parliament statement said. Neither Zohbi nor the parliamentary statement mentioned Balous.The Druze community has been somewhat divided during the war, with some members fighting on the government side and others expressing sympathy for the opposition.Thousands of Druze men have evaded military service in the armys dwindling ranks and have mostly taken up arms only in defence of their own areas.In Sweida, Druze have formed a local militia to protect themselves from the rebels, residents say.

UAE, Bahrain lose 45 troops on black day for Yemen coalition

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ABU DHABI (AFP) - The UAE said 45 of its soldiers engaged in a Saudi-led campaign against Shiite rebels in Yemen were killed in an accidental explosion that the insurgents claimed was caused by rocket fire.In what was the deadliest day for the coalition since it was formed in March, Bahrain said five of its soldiers guarding the Saudi border with Yemen were also killed.The Yemeni government said an accidential explosion at an arms depot at a military base in the eastern province of Marib killed the Emiratis, but the rebels said their fighters fired a rocket that caused the blast.Coalition ally Bahrain said five of its soldiers were killed in southern Saudi Arabia where they had been posted to help defend the border with war-wracked Yemen. It did not give a precise location.However, Yemens exiled presidency said the Bahrainis died in the same blast that killed the Emiratis.Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, head of the UAE armed forces, underlined in a tweet his countrys determination to continue supporting the Yemenis against injustice and aggression.The coalition has battled Iran-backed Huthi rebels to restore the rule of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, exiled in Riyadh.Around 60 people, mainly military personnel, have died in cross-border rebel attacks in the south of the Saudi kingdom since the coalition began air strikes on the Huthis and their allies.The campaign began as the Huthis advanced on the southern port of Aden, after they took control of the capital Sanaa last September.The UAE armed forces, in a statement carried by state news agency WAM, did not disclose the circumstances of what was its highest casualty toll of the six-month-old air war.The Emirati army had previously announced seven deaths in Yemen among its ranks.Before the Emirati toll rose, the pro-Hadi army command said a total of 33 Yemeni soldiers and coalition forces were killed and dozens wounded in the blast at Safer, 250 kilometres (150 miles) from Sanaa.A thick plume of black smoke was still billowing from the base several hours later.Fridays coalition losses came as Saudi King Salman was in Washington for talks with US President Barack Obama at which Yemen figured high on the agenda.Obama said the two sides share concerns about the need to restore a functioning government in Yemen and relieve an urgent humanitarian crisis.The United States has supported the coalition effort, but repeatedly warned about the effect the fighting has had on civilians.More than 4,500 people have been killed in the conflict, including hundreds of children, according to the United Nations, which has warned that the impoverished country is on the brink of famine.According to military sources, the coalition sent reinforcements to the Safer base this week, including tanks, armoured vehicles, troop carriers, rocket launchers and Apache helicopters.The extra hardware and troop reinforcements aim to boost the counter-offensive launched by loyalist forces and the coalition to advance on Sanaa, one military official in Yemen said.The Huthis, meanwhile, said their forces had killed dozens of officers and soldiers of the mercenaries in the Saudi aggression when they fired a Tochka ballistic missile at the camp.The strike was revenge for the crimes and the war of extermination being carried out by the Saudi aggressor and its mercenaries, they said.The government denied the Huthi account, saying the explosion near an Emirati encampment in Safer was caused by badly stored munitions.However, one Yemeni military source told AFP an initial investigation found that the blast was caused by a surface-to-surface missile fired by the rebels.The Huthis, who advanced from Sanaa to overrun large chunks of the country, were driven out of Aden in July.They have since been on the defensive in southern Yemen, losing control of several provinces.The Arab coalition has also sent in troops, with Saudi media reporting that roughly 1,500 soldiers, most from the UAE, had entered Aden.The UAE only confirmed last month that its troops were on the ground there.The blast in Safer came as loyalist forces kept up their drive to claw back territory lost to the Huthis over the past year.Coalition warplanes later on Friday carried out air strikes on the rebel-held defence ministry complex in Sanaa and also targeted arms depots in the north of the capital, witnesses said.

Libya peace deal possible 'in coming days': UN envoy

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GENEVA (AFP) - A deal on a unity government in Libya could be reached in the coming days, but difficult work remained before an accord is finalised, the UN envoy to the conflict-torn nation said Friday. The comments from Bernardino Leon came after members of the Tripoli-based parliament, which is not recognised by the international community, voiced optimism that its concerns were being addressed. Libya, torn apart since the ouster of Moamer Kadhafi in 2011, has two rival parliaments, including the Tripoli body, known as the General National Congress (GNC), and the internationally-recognised government based in Tobruk in the far east. We really have a chance to reach a final agreement in the coming days. We cannot afford, Libya cannot afford, to miss this opportunity, the UN envoy told reporters. On the contentious issue of who will lead a prospective unity government, Leon said the Tobruk parliament had submitted candidates but that the GNC had so far not provided a list of names. It is going to be really difficult and tough, but still possible, he added, when asked about hopes for finalising a deal. Leons plan calls for an accord to be reached before September 20, ahead of the United Nations General assembly, with the government coming into force a month later. The two-year transitional government would work towards organising parliamentary elections, under the terms being discussed. The GNC, controlled by Islamist backed Libya Dawn forces, has at times backed away from the UN-brokered talks, boycotting meetings and refusing to sign a provisional agreement. The GNCs lead negotiator, Awad Abdel Sadek, told journalists that the latest round was productive and fruitful, and that Leon had offered new ideas to address its concerns. We are very optimistic about reaching consensual formulas soon. Some points still need more efforts and discussions, but if we keep up with the same spirit...then I think that we will be able to achieve what is left very soon, Sadek said in Arabic. Leon said talks would continue with some groups in Geneva through the evening and that the next round with all parties was expected some time next week, without specifying a location.Relentless violence, including the rising influence of the Islamic State group and Libyas emergence as a hub for smugglers offering to get migrants across the Mediterranean, has added urgency to the long-running and often derailed UN talks.

IS blows up famed tower tombs at Syria's Palmyra

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DAMASCUS (AFP) - Islamic State group jihadists have blown up several of ancient Palmyras famed tower tombs as they press their demolition of the UNESCO-listed world heritage site, Syrias antiquities chief said Friday.IS has carried out a sustained campaign of destruction against heritage sites in areas under its control in Syria and Iraq, and in mid-August beheaded the 82-year-old former antiquities chief in Palmyra.News of the demolition of the tower tombs which date to the first century AD comes after the jihadists destruction of the ancient shrine of Baal Shamin and the 2,000-year-old Temple of Bel, regarded as Palmyras masterpiece.Antiquities director Maamun Abdulkarim told AFP that among at least seven tombs destroyed were the three best preserved and most treasured funerary towers, including the famed Tower of Elahbel.We received reports 10 days ago but weve just confirmed the news, he said.We obtained satellite images from the US-based Syrian Heritage Initiative, taken on September 2.All of Palmyra, including the four cemeteries outside the walls of the ancient city, has been a UNESCO world heritage site since 1980.In its listing, the UN agency singles out the tower tombs as the oldest and most distinctive of Palmyras funerary monuments -- tall multi-storey sandstone buildings belonging to the richest families.On the fronts of those that survive, foremost among them the Tower of Elahbel, there is an arch with sarcophagus halfway up, which in ancient times supported a reclining statue, it says.Corridors and rooms were subdivided by vertical bays of loculi (niches for the dead) closed by slabs of stone carved with the image of the deceased and painted in lively colours.Abdulkarim said the Tower of Jambalik, built in 83 AD, was also destroyed, along with the Tower of Ketout built in 44 AD and famed for vivid scenes etched into its walls. He said the tower tombs were symbols of the economic boom of Palmyra in the first century AD, when it dominated the caravan trade between east and west from its oasis in the desert. Some of Palmyras monuments still remain intact, including its grand amphitheatre and the Temple of Nabu.The amphitheatre has instead been exploited by IS to parade its brutal version of Islamic justice since it captured the city in May.In one macabre display, child recruits executed 25 Syrian soldiers on the stage.According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group, IS addressed a letter to Palmyras residents promising further destruction.It pledged to demolish and destroy more heritage, saying that everything that is worshipped without God will be destroyed, the Observatory said. Gruesome violence and the destruction of priceless artefacts have become hallmarks of IS as it has expanded its so-called caliphate straddling Iraq and Syria. The Sunni extremist group considers pre-Islamic monuments, tombs and statues to be idolatrous and worthy of destruction.But experts say that while the jihadists prize the shock value of demolishing ancient sites, they are also keen to preserve some artefacts to sell on the black market to fund their caliphate. According to Cheikhmous Ali of the Association for the Protection of Syrian Archaeology, upwards of 900 monuments and archaeological sites have been damaged or destroyed during more than four years of civil war.The destruction of the tower tombs is an indication of the failure of the international community and global institutions to intervene and solve the situation in Syria, he said. Its a continuation of the tragedy of destruction that Syrian heritage has been witnessing for four years.In addition to damaging sites in Syria, IS has also carried out widespread destruction in neighbouring Iraq, demolishing statues, shrines and manuscripts in second city Mosul, and razing the ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud.

Boko Haram attacks leave over 2.1 mln displaced in Nigeria

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ABUJA (AFP) - Mounting attacks by Nigerias ferocious Boko Haram Islamists have sent more than 2.1 million people fleeing their homes in northeast Nigeria, the International Organization for Migration said Friday.Revising sharply upwards its previous estimate of 1.5 million, the Geneva-based IOM agency attributed the increase to a very recent spike in Boko Harams six-year insurgency.But the state-run National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said other factors were at play, such as unrelenting communal strife and the return of Nigerians who had previously fled the country.Newly-elected President Muhammadu Buhari, who completes his first 100 days in office this weekend, has promised to do far better than the previous administration in wiping out the feared Islamist insurgents.But more than 1,000 people have died in Boko Haram attacks since May 29 when Buhari came to power.The recent spike in attacks by insurgents triggered the increase, the IOM said, referring to the stepped up attacks. But the hike was also due to improved access to previously inaccessible areas of Borno state, where the IDP population is now well over 1.6 million.The IOM said the new figure covered internally displaced people (IDPs) in the northeastern states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe as well as the central state of Nassarawa and Abuja. It urged the government as well as the international community to step in quickly as many were in dire need of food and shelter.Many IDPs, especially in host communities, have yet to receive basic items including food and shelter, said Enira Krdzalic, IOM Nigeria Chief of Mission.It is very important for the authorities and for humanitarian partners to speed up the delivery of adequate assistance to these people, she added.Attacks by Boko Haram, seeking to impose a strict Islamic system in northern Nigeria, have killed at least 15,000 people since 2009, with the groups campaign also waged across Nigerias borders.In recent weeks suicide bombers, many of them women, have staged attacks in Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad. The IOM said the majority of those displaced (92%) now live in host communities while the remainder live in camps or camp-like sites. But Manzo Ezekiel, spokesman for the state-run NEMA, said the agency was already aware of the increase in IDPs and denied this was solely due to the upsurge in Boko Haram attacks. We are aware of the new figure of 2.1 million displaced people but it should be noted that there were other factors that brought about the increase apart from the Boko conflict, he said. We have people displaced by communal violence in states like Nassarawa and Taraba included in the figure, he said. Ezekiel said there were also thousands of Nigerians who fled the country but were just returning home. For example, some 9,000 Nigerians recently came back from Cameroon and were received and camped by NEMA in Adamawa state, he said. He said the agency has been meeting the needs of the displaced people.NEMA is on ground providing them with food, shelter and drugs, he said. Our appeal is for those affected to come to the camps so that we can attend to them. We cannot go to peoples homes to give relief to them. They have to come to the camps and the collection centres to receive support, he said.Ezekiel said only eight percent are in the camps while the majority are staying with their host communities. For them to be reached, they have to register with NEMA so that we will know exactly those we have to take care of, he added.To fight Boko Haram an 8,700-strong Multi-National Joint Task Force, drawing in Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon and Benin, is expected to deploy soon.

17 killed in Tajikistan shootouts blamed on top official

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DUSHANBE (AFP) - Eight police officers and nine alleged militants were killed in two shootouts in Tajikistan on Friday that the government blamed on a deputy defence minister and the countrys moderate Islamic opposition.The US embassy in Tajikistan meanwhile warned the unrest might be a precursor to other acts of violence.An armed group killed four police in an early morning shootout on the outskirts of the capital Dushanbe and a further four policemen were killed in a shootout in the town of Vahdat just outside the capital Dushanbe, the interior ministry said.Nine alleged militants were killed during the shootouts, the ministry said, adding that another six were detained.The terrorist group was led by deputy defence minister Abduhalim Nazarzoda, a police spokesman told AFP. The government announced later Friday that Nazarzoda had been relieved of his duties in connection with a crime committed.The interior ministry said Nazarzoda fought on the side of the United Tajik Opposition during a civil war that lasted between 1992 to 1997.Authorities also claimed that the deputy defence minister was a member of the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT) that the government effectively shut down last week. The party is an umbrella opposition bloc for moderate Muslims as well as more secular-minded Tajiks following a 1997 peace deal between the government and the United Tajik Opposition that ended the civil war.The US embassy in Tajikistan said it was temporarily closing and advised American officials not to send their children to local schools.Although the significance of these events is unclear, they may be precursors to other acts of violence, the embassy said in a statement.Official Americans have been advised to shelter in place and not send children to school today. Internet users in the country have reported blocks on Facebook, YouTube and Russian social media service Odnoklassniki.The latest upsurge in violence comes amid growing tensions in the Muslim majority but secular country of eight million over the role of Islam in public life.Last week the justice ministry issued a de-facto ban on the work of the IRPT, the only legal Islamic party in the former Soviet state, in a move analysts said could radicalise the opposition.That came after the party failed to win a single seat in a disputed March vote for the first time since the end of the civil war.The failure of the party to make it to parliament left President Emomali Rakhmon without any genuine opposition in the legislature.His government has accused the party of links to Islamic State militants after sightings of the fundamentalist groups trademark black flag were reported in two provincial towns. Tajikistan claims that up to 600 citizens have joined the Islamic State groups ranks in Iraq and Syria.Among them is Gulmurod Halimov, a former commander of a special forces unit who announced his sensational defection to the radical group in a clip released in May.Amid the crackdown on Islamist militants the Tajik government has become notorious for its heavy-handed tactics including forced beard shavings that police deny are official policy and de-facto bans on the import and sale of hijabs.
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