Tuesday 8 September 2015

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Violence claims one life in Karachi

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – According to details, police have recovered body of a man from a house in Dastagir No 15 area who was strangulated to death. Police have termed it a case of suicide.Some unidentified persons opened fire in Sohrab Goth area and injured a man. On the other hand, police have arrested a notorious drug peddler, Bahadur Ali, after an encounter in Katti Pahari area and recovered large quantity of drugs from his possession.

Morgan hails 'outstanding' trio as England beat Australia

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MANCHESTER (AFP) - England captain Eoin Morgan praised the efforts of century-maker James Taylor and spinners Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali after the trio all played key roles in a 93-run win over Australia in the third one-day international at Old Trafford.Tuesdays floodlit success ensured England kept their series with the world champions alive at 2-1 down with two to play ahead of Fridays encounter across the Pennines at Headingley, the Leeds headquarters of Yorkshire.Jason Roy (63) and Morgan (62) - who shared a third-wicket partnership of 119 with Taylor (101) -- also made telling contributions.England were able to frustrate Australia with 20 overs worth of spin that yielded five wickets for 73 runs.Off-spinner Ali took an ODI best three for 32 and leg-spinner Rashid two for 41 as Australia, chasing 301 to win, were bowled out for 207 with six overs of their innings left. Morgan, asked about Ali and Rashid, told Sky Sports: I thought they were outstanding. I think it was set up by the start, we knew the first 15 or 20 overs with the new ball was going to set the tone for us with the ball because it was a lot easier on this particular wicket facing the new ball.I think Steve Finns spell up the top was really impressive, and then for the two spinners to come on and bowl with control -- they didnt really bowl that many bad balls throughout their 10 overs.I was very impressed, not surprised, but very impressed, said the skipper, whose side had lost 11 of their previous 12 ODIs against Australia.Man-of-the-match Taylors century was his first at this level and Morgan said: I think the games weve played so far the top score before that was 85 so we want guys to make match-winning contributions and James Taylor managed to do that today.The former Ireland international added: Jason Roy played very much his game, a lot of strong shots down the ground, clean striking which was nice to watch and then me and James Taylor managed to get a really good partnership going in the middle.Taylor added: I got 98 not out against Australia (during an England defeat at the World Cup) so to get a hundred against them in a winning cause is nice.Aaron Finch marked his return to the Australia team in place of the injured David Warner by top-scoring for Steven Smiths side with 53 at Lancashires base in Manchester.But the Victorian was disappointed by his failure to go in to a big score after being caught in the deep by Rashid.Its a nice place to get in and get a big score -- and none of us did that today, said Finch, who has been playing county cricket alongside Rashid at reigning county champions Yorkshire.I put my hand up for that. I got off to a good start and got us into a good position and threw it away, added Finch, who made a hundred against England at the World Cup.Australia left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc, the man of the tournament at the World Cup, finished with expensive figures of one for 79 in 10 overs.But a sympathetic Finch said: Its just one of those days for Mitch. Hes performed so well for two years in this format for Australia you can forgive one game. He was player of the World Cup, he was winning games single-handedly.I think he had an off day and its just one of those things.

Clinton apologizes for use of private email account

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - Hillary Clinton apologized Tuesday for using a private email server while secretary of state, calling the decision, which has dogged her Democratic presidential bid, a mistake.The Democratic frontrunner, who is facing eroding support, has long dismissed the email uproar as a manufactured imbroglio.But in an interview Tuesday evening, Clinton told ABCs World News Tonight that she took full responsibility for the episode, which she regretted.That was a mistake. Im sorry about that. I take responsibility, she told the news network.Clinton used her private email account and home server in lieu of the official government email system while she served as top diplomat from 2009 to 2013.Until Tuesday, Clinton had demurred from issuing a direct apology.I certainly wish that I had made a different choice, Clinton said last week, adding that she was sorry that the controversy was confusing for the public.As I look back at it now, even though it was allowed, I should have used two accounts, one for personal emails, one for work-related emails, Clinton said Tuesday.The lingering email saga has weighed on Clintons popularity, with a Gallup poll released Friday showing her favorability rating at 41 percent, compared to 51 percent who view her unfavorably -- the lowest level since 1992.And the issue is unlikely to go away anytime soon, since the Department of State, to which Clinton turned over 30,000 official emails in late 2014, is publicly releasing them to the public in batches.Many contain information that has been retroactively classified, raising questions about whether Clinton was inappropriately sending and receiving highly sensitive material, and whether sufficient security measures were in place to protect her server from hackers.Clinton maintained that during her tenure at the State Department she did not send or receive any information that was marked classified at the time.She also added that everyone she had emailed with, including people in the White House, of course across the State Department, knew that she was using a personal email account.It appeared, you know, as my address, Clinton said.The Federal Bureau of Investigation is examining the server to determine whether the arrangement has compromised government secrets.Amid rising discomfort over handling of the email fallout, Vice President Joe Biden, a fellow Democrat, has begun publicly discussing the prospect of his own White house bid.Asked whether Biden would make a good leader, Clinton gave her reluctant support for the man with whom she worked closely during the first term of the Obama administration.I think he could be a good president, theres no doubt about that, she answered.But she took a harsh tone when it came to Republican frontrunner Donald Trump, whose ever-expanding lead atop his partys presidential field has made him a formidable force.He wont tell you how he would do anything, Clinton said.Americans, she maintained, need a leader who cares about them again. So -- thats what Im going to try to do.

Egypt in 'major operation' in Sinai, 56 militants killed

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CAIRO (AFP) - Egypts army said Tuesday it had launched a major military operation against the Islamic State group in the Sinai Peninsula, killing 56 jihadists and losing two soldiers.The army said it launched the operation Monday morning to eliminate terrorist elements around the North Sinai towns of Rafah, Sheikh Zuweid and El-Arish.It said in an initial statement that 29 jihadists were killed in Mondays fighting. An army an officer and a soldier were also killed, and four wounded, when their vehicle was blown up by a bomb.A subsequent statement said another 27 jihadists had been killed and 154 arrested Tuesday.The army often reports large death tolls among the insurgents but they are impossible to verify and there has been little noticeable effect on ISs ability to carry out deadly attacks on the security forces.ISs Egyptian affiliate said it killed the two soldiers with a roadside bomb that targeted their vehicle as it left a military base with a large convoy.Egypt has been struggling to quell an insurgency in the peninsula since the military overthrew Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013.The government says hundreds of police and soldiers have been killed, many of them in attacks claimed by ISs Sinai Province affiliate.The operation came days after the Sinai Province released a video documenting its attacks on the military in Sinai, including footage of a wire-guided missile strike that destroyed a navy vessel.The group has claimed several roadside bombings over the past two weeks, which the military has not commented on.Six peacekeepers, including four Americans, with a multinational force monitoring Egypts peace treaty with Israel were wounded in two roadside bombings last week.Under a new law, reporting details of militant attacks that contradict official statements can result in massive fines for journalists.The law also empowers courts to bar the journalists from working in their profession for up to a year.

US warns Russia moves in Syria risk 'confrontation'

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - The White House on Tuesday warned that a Russian military buildup in Syria could spark a confrontation with US-led forces carrying out an air campaign against the Islamic State group.Amid reports that Russia is readying to step up its support for Bashar Al-Assads regime by deploying its own military, the White House expressed grave misgivings.Weve indicated that the United States is concerned by reports that Russia may have deployed additional military personnel and aircraft to Syria, said White House spokesman Josh Earnest.These steps could lead to greater loss of life, they could increase refugee flows and risk confrontation with the counter-ISIL coalition thats operating inside of Syria, he said, using an acronym to refer to the Islamic State.A US-led coalition has run more than 50,000 sorties as part of more than one-year-old operation to counter Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria.It earlier emerged that at least two NATO members have refused the Russian military overflight rights, amid concerns over Moscows intentions.Russia insists it is transporting humanitarian aid.The White House would not be drawn on whether it had asked allies to deny overflight rights, but said Russias intentions were difficult to decipher.Weve certainly made very clear to Russia our views, said Earnest. If they were to follow through in providing that kind of support, it could be both destabilizing and counterproductive to the interest of the international community.

Turkish forces enter northern Iraq as PKK violence spirals

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ANKARA (AFP) - Turkish forces crossed into northern Iraq to pursue Kurdish militants on Tuesday after the deadliest rebel attacks in years left dozens dead in a new escalation of the decades-long conflict. Thirteen Turkish police were killed on Tuesday in a new attack by Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants as violence in the east threatened to spiral out of control.That attack came two days after 16 Turkish soldiers were killed in a twin roadside bomb attack in Daglica in the southeastern Hakkari region, the army said, in the deadliest strike on troops in the most recent phase of the conflict. Early on Tuesday, the Turkish air force pounded PKK targets in northern Iraq while special forces crossed the border in a rare land incursion, a Turkish government source told AFP. This is a short-term measure intended to prevent the terrorists escape, the official said.The state-run Anatolia agency said 150 Turkish troops had entered northern Iraq with the aim of destroying two dozen PKK militants who escaped from Turkey over the border after carrying out the Daglica attack.Reacting to the escalation, the US called for the Turkish government and PKK to return to the negotiating table.The United States has indicated that it is important for Turkey and the PKK to return to their process of reaching a peaceful solution, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said, while adding the US obviously stands with our ally in Turkey.Since late July, Ankara has used air power and ground forces to try cripple the PKK in its strongholds in southeastern Turkey and northern Iraq.But the group has hit back, killing dozens of Turkish police and soldiers in almost daily attacks, with the bloodier attacks marking a new intensification of the conflict.The 13 police were killed in a bomb attack on a minibus in the eastern region of Igdir, the local governorate said, slightly revising down an earlier toll. They had been en route to the Dilucu post near the border with Azerbaijan when the attack took place.A PKK spokesman in northern Iraq confirmed to AFP that the group carried out the attack. Meanwhile, one policeman was killed in the Tunceli region of eastern Turkey and another in the southeastern region of Mardin, in attacks blamed on the PKK, official media said.The violence has upended a 2013 ceasefire aimed at allowing a final peace deal to end the PKKs three-decade insurgency, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives.The PKK initially took up arms in 1984 with the aim of establishing an independent state for Turkeys Kurdish minority, although lately the demands have focused on greater autonomy and rights.Commentators have expressed alarm that the current situation increasingly resembles the worst days of the PKKs insurgency in the 1990s when attacks on this scale were commonplace.We did not and will not abandon the nations future to three or five terrorists, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a defiant speech in Ankara.But he promised that with Gods permission, Turkey, which has overcome plenty of crises, will get over the plague of terror.In a scene that has become familiar in recent weeks, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu attended a funeral for soldiers killed in the Daglica attack.For the unity of this nation, this homeland, anyone responsible for each and every act of bloodshed will be brought to account, he said, weeping openly.Pro-Kurdish MPs meanwhile expressed alarm over the situation in the mainly Kurdish southeastern city of Cizre in the restive Sirnak province, where residents were under an army curfew for a fifth day in a row.Several people have been killed and others wounded including children while food is running short, pro-Kurdish media have reported.Martial law is being imposed in Cizre under the pretext of a curfew, the Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) said in a statement, denouncing a massacre in the city.Meanwhile, a pro-Erdogan mob of 100 people tried to storm the headquarters of the Hurriyet newspaper in Istanbul for the second time in three days, accusing the paper of misquoting the president.The unrest comes at an explosive time in Turkey as the country prepares to hold snap elections on November 1 following June polls, in which Erdogans party lost its overall majority after a pro-Kurdish party made major gains.It also comes as Turkey joins in US-led airstrikes against the Islamic State jihadist group across the border in Syria. Meanwhile, the PKK on Tuesday released 20 Turkish citizens, including customs officials, kidnapped by the militants in eastern Turkey in August and later moved to Iraq.The PKK handed them over to a delegation of rights activists, Iraqi Kurdistan officials and members of the pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party who travelled to Iraq, security sources in eastern Turkey told AFP.

UN chief urges European leaders to respond to migrant crisis

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UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged European leaders Tuesday to act responsibly and humanely toward refugees arriving at their borders and invited leaders to a meeting on migration at the end of this month.Ban has called the leaders of seven European governments over the past several days as the rush of refugees from war-torn Syria, Iraq and elsewhere has reached a crisis level, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.In those conversations, Ban has emphasized that the large majority of people arriving in Europe are refugees fleeing war and violence, who have a right to seek asylum without any form of discrimination, according to Dujarric.Ban also applauded the inspiring examples that have been displayed all over Europe by private citizens and civil society.But he said those efforts need to continue: The Secretary-General appealed to these leaders to be the voice of those in need of protection and to quickly find a joint approach to address their basic needs. Ban invited leaders to a high-level meeting on migration and refugees September 30 in New York, on the sidelines of the annual UN General Assembly, which nearly 150 heads of state are expected to attend.Dujarric did not specify which leaders had been invited or other details about the meeting.He said the countries Ban had called recently were Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, but did not mention how the calls had been received.Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban has been outspoken in his opposition to welcoming migrants to his country or Europe in general.

Germany to take half a million refugees as Greek isles overwhelmed

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BERLIN (AFP) - Germany said it could take half a million refugees annually over several years as Greek islands struggled Tuesday to process a huge backlog of migrants desperate to travel to western Europe.Reflecting deepening concern, the European Unions president warned the EU faced a years-long refugee crisis, while the UN urged countries worldwide to help tackle the problem.German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged greater flexibility in EU migrant quotas as her deputy, Sigmar Gabriel, said Berlin could surely deal with something in the order of half a million (refugees) for several years.Germany, which has previously said it would take in 800,000 asylum-seekers this year, would continue accepting a greatly disproportionate share among EU members because we are an economically strong country, Gabriel said.But it was unacceptable for the EU to rely on just a few countries, such as Austria, Sweden and Germany, he added, stressing that European policy needs to change.On the Greek holiday island of Lesbos, where around 20,000 refugees and migrants have been waiting in squalid conditions to be registered for travel to the mainland, a new processing centre set up overnight was helping to defuse a situation that Athens warned was on the verge of explosion.Around 30,000 people are stuck on islands in the Aegean Sea.Greeces migrant agency said it had asked the EU for emergency medical aid, bedding and over 9.5 million euros ($10.6 million) to support reception services on Lesbos, Samos, Kos and Chios.Lesbos mayor Spyros Galinos said the pressure was easing after an additional 140 staff arrived from Athens to handle migrant and refugee registration. A police source said Tuesday night a staggering 14,000 people had been registered since the previous night. The huge queues seen earlier in the day had dwindled to just a few dozen people by nightfall.Earlier, a handful of coastguards and riot police armed with batons struggled to control some 2,500 migrants in Lesboss main port trying to board a government-chartered ferry bound for Athens.It was horrible the last three days... There are no rooms, no hotels, no bathrooms, no beds, no anything, said Hussam Hamzat, a 27-year-old engineer from Damascus who finally got his departure papers Tuesday after an overnight wait.I stayed here eight, nine days -- oh my God, I cant even remember, said Aleddin, an engineering student hoping to join his brother in Germany.The migrants are desperate to get into northern EU countries that have thrown open their doors, but between them lie several transit countries, some of whom like Hungary are intent on trying to keep them out.Several hundred migrants broke through police lines at Roszke, on Hungarys southern border with Serbia, local media reported. Further south, hundreds of migrants poured across Macedonias border with Greece, another bottleneck on the trans-Europe route.The scenes underscored the task facing authorities from the Mediterranean to the Baltic Sea in handling the influx of people, many of them Syrians fleeing war and misery.EU president Donald Tusk warned Monday the situation would likely last for many years to come.The UNs special representative for migration and development, Peter Sutherland, called Tuesday on countries around the world to join in the asylum effort, proposing an international conference where every country is held up to the spotlight.Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann called for an emergency response like that seen during the global financial crisis.In the financial crisis of 2008 we did everything we could to prevent a collapse of banks and the financial system. We must demonstrate the same efforts now so that the right to asylum can be upheld, Faymann said in Vienna.The remarks touched on a deep east-west division within the EU about how to respond to the situation.Hungary vowed Tuesday to speed up construction of an anti-migrant fence on its 175-kilometre (110-mile) southern border.The barrier intends to buttress a razor-wire fence that was completed on August 29 yet has failed to stop large numbers of people climbing over or under it.European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker is expected Wednesday to unveil a plan to relocate 120,000 migrants from frontline EU states.Germany would take more than 31,000 migrants, France 24,000 and Spain almost 15,000, a source told AFP. France has already agreed to take the 24,000 over two years while British Prime Minister David Cameron has said Britain can take 20,000 over five years. Opposition MPs on Tuesday urged Cameron to go further.We need a bigger plan, said Yvette Cooper, a contender for the leadership of the main opposition Labour Party said.The mayor of the French port of Calais, Natacha Bouchart said Britains intake should include the around 3,500 migrants camped out in her town in the hope of smuggling across the Channel to Britain.Merkel, however, urged a cautious approach to quotas.She described Junckers plan as an important first step but urged the bloc not to set a rigid quota ceiling and to factor in the situation on the ground.The migrants plight has touched hearts around the world, spurred especially by pictures last week of three-year-old Syrian Aylan Kurdi, whose lifeless body washed up on a Turkish beach. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Tuesday President Barack Obamas administration was also looking at how it could provide more help. Venezuela said it would accept 20,000 refugees, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff declared migrants would be welcomed there with open arms and Chiles leader Michelle Bachelet also vowed to take a large number. Canadas Quebec province also said it will take 3,650 this year. New figures released Tuesday by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said 381,412 people had arrived in Europe by sea so far this year, including 121,000 who had landed in Italy and 258,365 in Greece. A total of 2,850 people died, or were listed as missing, in the perilous crossing of the Mediterranean.

Turkish nationalists attack headquarters of pro-Kurdish party, newspaper

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ANKARA (AFP) - An angry crowd on Tuesday attacked the Ankara headquarters of Turkeys main pro-Kurdish party, in a night of nationalist-tinged violence across the country, reports and officials said.Dozens of nationalist protesters marched on the the headquarters of the pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) in Ankara, throwing stones and ripping down the sign outside, pictures broadcast by the CNN-Turk channel showed.Our headquarters in under attack but the police is not performing its duties, the party said on its official Twitter feed.Smoke was seen coming from the building, an AFP photographer said, although police eventually dispersed the demonstrators.Pictures posted on social media suggested the interior of the building had been badly damaged in the attack with some offices completely gutted by fire.Nationalists accuse the HDP of being the political wing of the Kurdish militant Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has carried out a series of deadly attacks that have killed dozens of members of the security forces in recent days. The HDP denies this is the case. In the southern resort city of Alanya, the local HDP headquarters was set on fire, sending yellow flames into the night sky, CNN-Turk reported.Reports said 2,000 people carrying the Turkish flag had marched on the building, with the fire eventually doused by the fire brigade.Similar nationalist demonstrations were taking place across Turkey, with protesters damaging HDP buildings in at least six other cities, it said.The attacks come amid rising tensions in Turkey and warnings the country is on the verge of a protracted civil conflict with its Kurdish minority.The violence against the HDP also came as the headquarters of Turkish newspaper Hurriyet in Istanbul were attacked for the second time in three nights.Windows were smashed and the building pelted with stones until the riot police finally arrived, the paper said.In a series of tweets urging calm, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu condemned the damage inflicted on newspapers and political party headquarters as unacceptable.No-one should put themselves above the law, he said.Davutoglu said military operations against the PKK would continue with determination but people should not take matters into their own hands.We will not allow brothers to fight each other, he said, calling on Turks to be calm and have confidence in the state. Meanwhile, Turkish Internet users reported they were unable to access Twitter inside the country, a measure frequently used by the authorities in times of crisis.

Tennis: Champion Cilic into US Open semi-finals after five-set battle

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NEW YORK (AFP) - Defending champion Marin Cilic reached the US Open semi-finals on Tuesday with a 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (3/7), 6-4 win over Frances Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.Over a four-hour battle on Arthur Ashe Stadium, the 26-year-old claimed a fifth win in six matches against Tsonga, firing 29 aces and 63 winners.But the 30-year-old Tsonga made him work in 35-degree (95 F) heat, saving four match points before the champion went through.Croatian ninth seed Cilic goes on to face either Serbian top seed Novak Djokovic or Spanish 18th seed Feliciano Lopez for a place in Sundays final.He will be hoping Lopez prevails as he has a 3-2 career lead over the left-hander compared to a dismal 0-13 record against Djokovic.It was a big mental battle. I lost the fourth set despite having three match points. Jo played some amazing shots, said Cilic, who dashed Tsongas hopes of completing the set of semi-finals spots at all four majors.It was very hot, very demanding. I am proud that I stuck to my game plan and didnt back down.Tsonga, who had also made the quarter-finals in 2011, went into the tie having not been broken in 56 service games at this years US Open.Cilic had to save four break points in the sixth game of the opener.But it was the Frenchman who cracked first, his perfect serving run ending at 60 as Cilic converted on a fourth break point for a 5-4 lead on his way to securing the opener.Cilic turned the screw again in the second set, breaking for 3-2 courtesy of a fifth double fault served up by Tsonga.The Croatian was in complete control, sweeping into a two-set lead with Tsonga bedevilled by 14 unforced errors compared to his opponents five.Just as tellingly, Cilic didnt allow a single break point in the entire set.Tsongas mood wasnt helped by needing strapping applied to below his left knee at the changeover.He looked doomed when he managed just three points off the first three Cilic service games of the third set, but suddenly shook himself out of his lethargy to win three games on the bounce to claim the third set.Tsonga fought off two match points in the 10th game of the fourth set and another in the 12th.The 30-year-old capitalised on his escape, sweeping the tie-breaker, topped off by a 13th ace of the contest.But Cilic finished the fresher, breaking for a 3-2 lead and despite double-faulting on a fourth match point in the 10th game, he secured victory when Tsonga fired a forehand wide.Djokovic, meanwhile, will be playing his 26th consecutive Grand Slam quarter-final as he continues his push towards a 10th major and third of the year after the Australian Open and Wimbledon.Tuesday will represent his ninth successive US Open quarter-final slot while 33-year-old Lopez is playing in his first at the 14th attempt.Lopez has lost all five times he has played Djokovic, winning just one set in their first meeting at the 2007 Australian Open.Lopez knocked out Fabio Fognini, the conqueror of 14-time major winner Rafael Nadal in the last round.Nadals shock exit was followed by an even more seismic event on Monday, when third seed Andy Murray was dumped out by Kevin Anderson in what was the 2012 champions earliest Slam exit in five years.

Golf: Bae in President Cup despite military service order

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LOS ANGELES (AFP) - International captain Nick Price said he was confident Bae Sang-Moon would be able to participate in next months Presidents Cup after naming the soon-to-be conscripted South Korean golfer as one of his two captains picks on Tuesday. A South Korean court in July ruled that the two-time PGA Tour winner Bae must return home to complete two years of mandatory military service, something all able-bodied Korean men must do between the ages of 18-35. Bae has agreed to put his golfing career on hold and will return to Korea to comply with the court order. Price said he had taken soundings from authorities in South Korea about Baes availability for the October 6-11 event in Incheon City and had been told there would be no problems with his participation. I have been assured that it should not be a problem, said Price, who selected Australias Steven Bowditch as his other captains pick. As far I understand they will speak to the government but Im pretty sure hell be cleared to play, Price added. Price said he had been keen to select Bae due to his successful record at the venue for the Presidents Cup, where he has twice won the KPGA Shinhan Donghae Open in recent years. I chose (Bae) because he has played pretty well the last couple of weeks but also because hes won on the golf course. He loves the golf course, and its very important to have someone on the team that the Korean fans and media could pull for, Price said. But it was a difficult decision. Bae said he did not anticipate a problem, saying he had agreed with authorities to begin his military service after the Ryder Cup-style tournament. Nothing changed right now, he said. I dont think there will be a problem. I told them I would do military service after the Presidents Cup. Meanwhile United States captain Jay Haas completed his 12-strong party by naming veteran Phil Mickelson and son Bill Haas as his captains picks.

Dollar mixed amid uncertainty over Fed rate hike

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NEW YORK (AFP) - The dollar traded mixed Tuesday amid uncertainty about the timing of the Federal Reserves first interest rate increase in more than nine years.A disappointing US jobs report Friday clouded the outlook for a hike by the central bank at its September 16-17 policy meeting.Interest rate futures show an implied 30 percent probability that the US Federal Open Market Committee will vote to increase rates in two weeks time -- down notably from the 65 percent chance seen through mid-August, said David Rodriguez at DailyFX.The sharp downgrade occurred on substantial financial market volatility, and the US dollar fell as traders exited existing USD-long positions, he said.The euro firmed as the eurozones second-quarter economic growth was revised higher, to 0.4 percent quarter on quarter, from 0.3 percent.

Tennis: Vinci reaches US Open semis as Serena-Venus looms

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NEW YORK (AFP) - Serena and Venus Williams prepared for their hotly anticipated US Open quarter-finals showdown Tuesday while Italys Roberta Vinci put herself in the winners path, advancing to her first Grand Slam semi-final.Vinci, ranked 43rd, advanced to the US Open semi-finals by downing Frances 40th-ranked Kristina Mladenovic 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 at Arthur Ashe Stadium, setting the stage for the dramatic 27th matchup between the Williams sisters.Im so happy to be in the semi-final, if I play Serena or Venus, it doesnt matter right now, Vinci said.World number one Serena, who holds all four major trophies, is three wins from completing the first calendar Grand Slam since Steffi Graf in 1988 and matching Grafs career Open Era record of 22 singles titles, two shy of Australian Margaret Courts all-time mark.Venus, the elder sister by two years at 35, will try to spoil Serenas historic run. Venus seeks her third US Open crown after 2000 and 2001, the 23rd seed hoping to add to a Slam trophy haul that also includes five Wimbledon titles, the most recent in 2008.Vinci is 0-4 against Serena and 0-3 against Venus in her career. She becomes the lowest-ranked Slam semi-finalist since 83rd-rated compatriot Flavia Pennetta at the 2013 US Open.Serena owns a 15-11 edge in the sibling rivalry, including an 8-5 advantage in Grand Slam meetings. But at the US Open, they are level at 2-2. Venus beat Serena in the 2001 final but lost to her sister in the next years final.Serena has won six of their past seven meetings, the most recent two months ago at Wimbledon, while Venus won their most recent hardcourt match 13 months ago at a Montreal semi-final.The Serena-Venus rivalry is the second-most contested at Grand Slam events in the Open Era, the 14 meetings second only to the 22 between Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova.Vinci reached her first Grand Slam semi-final at age 32, having lost in 2012 and 2013 US Open quarter-finals.Amazing moment for me. Its unbelievable, Vinci said. First semi-final in my career. Im so happy. I dont have words to say.Mladenovic, playing in her first Slam quarter-final at age 22, made 64 unforced errors and 11 double faults in failing to become the the first Frenchwoman in a US Open semi-final since Amelie Mauresmo in 2006.Vinci broke in the second game of the match and held out to claim the first set. Vinci saved six break points in the second game of the second set and traded breaks twice before Mladenovic smashed a backhand winner to break in the 12th game and take the set.Vinci successfully appealed a line call to erase a break in the fourth game of the third set and broke in the critical seventh game, which lasted more than 14 minutes and through 10 deuces before Mladenovic hit a forehand long on Vincis fifth break point. Vinci held twice more to secure the win after two hours and 32 minutes.The impending Serena-Venus showdown was overshadowing all else at the US Open.Either sister would become the oldest Grand Slam champion by winning the tournament. It would be the 70th career title for Serena and the 47th for Venus.Venus is the oldest quarter-finalist at any Slam since Navratilova in 1994 at Wimbledon at age 37. Shes the second-oldest quarter-finalist at the US Open in the Open Era (since 1968), about six months younger than Billie Jean King in 1979.Three-time defending champion Serena, seeking an Open Era record seventh US Open crown overall, is on a 32-match Grand Slam win streak, having captured four Slams in a row and four matches in this New York run.Serena is also on a 25-match US Open win streak, her last loss on the Flushing Meadows hardcourts coming to Aussie Samantha Stosur in the 2011 US Open final.Serena owns three French Open titles and six trophies each from Wimbledon and the US and Australian Opens.Serena has not exited the US Open before the semi-finals since a 2007 run to the last-eight while Venus is on her deepest US Open run since a 2010 semi-final appearance.No womens top seed has fallen before the semi-finals since Dinara Safina in 2009 and no defending champion has lost in the quarter-finals since Stosur in 2012.

Football: Tearful Rooney nets 50th England goal

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LONDON (AFP) - Wayne Rooney became Englands all-time leading goal-scorer after netting his 50th international goal in a historic 2-0 victory over Switzerland at Wembley in Euro 2016 qualifying on Tuesday.With England having already qualified for next years tournament, the stage was set for their captain to surpass Bobby Charltons mark of 49, which he had equalled in Saturdays 6-0 win in San Marino.After substitute Harry Kane broke the deadlock, the moment duly arrived in the 84th minute, Rooney crashing a penalty into Yann Sommers top-right corner and being rewarded with a standing ovation that left him wiping away tears.The result gave Roy Hodgsons side an eighth consecutive win, keeping them on course to finish Group E with a perfect record ahead of Octobers final two qualifiers against Estonia and Lithuania.But while England, who lost Fabian Delph to an early injury, can start making plans for France, Switzerland remain under threat from Slovenia in the race for the second and final automatic qualifying spot.Valentin Stocker and Josip Drmic, architects of Switzerlands stirring late fightback in Saturdays 3-2 defeat of Slovenia, were rewarded with starting berths as the visitors looked to nail down a top-two place.Both sides made three changes, but one of Englands entrants, Delph, lasted less than 20 seconds.In scenes that recalled his City debut against Real Madrid in a pre-season friendly, when he went off after only 19 minutes, the former Aston Villa man pulled up clutching his left hamstring and had to go off.Ross Barkley was the England substitute who found himself peeling off his tracksuit top sooner than expected.Persevering with the 4-3-3 system used against San Marino, England quickly made inroads, with Gary Cahills header snatched off Rooneys toes by Swiss goalkeeper Sommer and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain volleying over.Every sight of goal for Rooney drew a roar of expectation from the crowd and in the 17th minute he was released by James Milner, only to steer his shot wide.Three minutes later the roles were reversed. Milners low drive obliged Sommer to block.Shakiness in the England back four gave Switzerland reason for hope, however, and they threatened when Granit Xhaka released Xherdan Shaqiri, whose heavy touch allowed Joe Hart to slide out and save.Shaqiri, newly of Stoke City, was a busy presence and shortly before half-time he teed up Drmic, who dragged wide.England continued to create shooting chances in the second half, Barkley seeing a curler blocked and Rooney twice failing to extend Sommer with a header and 20-yard snapshot.But after Hart had to smuggle Xhakas header around his near post, Hodgson took action, introducing Kane for Jonjo Shelvey and shifting to a 4-2-3-1 formation that saw Rooney drop back into a number 10 role.Kane supplied the breakthrough 10 minutes later with an assured left-foot finish from Luke Shaws low cross.After Swiss centre-back Timm Klose had threatened an unlikely solo goal by blundering through a succession of challenges, the moment arrived that the 75,751 fans in the ground had been waited for.Xhaka felled Raheem Sterling, Italian referee Gianluca Rocchi pointed to the spot, and Rooney blasted his way into English football history.

Football: Austria rout Sweden to qualify for Euro 2016

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SOLNA (AFP) - Austria will appear at only their second European Championships finals after their 4-1 thrashing of Sweden secured their place at next years finals in France on Tuesday in Solna. Swiss coach and former international midfielder Marcel Koller guided the Austrians to a place in France after their maiden appearance at the final stages in 2008 when they automatically qualified as co-hosts with Switzerland. Bayern Munichs David Alaba, the youngest player to ever play for Austria at 17 in 2009, scored from the penalty spot after just nine minutes before West German-born Martin Harnik plundered his 12th international goal, seven minutes before half-time with a header, to give the visitors a cushion. Veteran Basel striker Marc Janko, 34, then put the icing on the cake and started the early celebrations with Austrias third on 79 minutes before Harnik grabbed his second of the night with two minutes remaining to add insult to injury for the Swedes. Austrian goalkeeper Robert Almer turned in a brilliant performance to keep Sweden at bay who were able to field star Paris Saint-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic who scored a late consolation goal in vain for the well-beaten hosts. Since taking over in November 2011, Koller has lost just eight matches in 32 games for the fast improving Austrians. Despite their lack of success in European Championships, Austria have appeared at seven World Cups, the most recent being in 1998, while their best showing was finishing third in 1954.Sweden lost for the second straight match, after crashing 1-0 against Russia on Saturday, while their hosts that day in Moscow dispatched Liechtenstein 7-0 on Tuesday to move into the second qualifying spot, two points in front of the Scandinavians, in Group G. In the pools third match Montenegro won 2-0 on the road at Moldova as they climb within a point of Sweden and a potential place in the play-offs with two matches to play.
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