Sunday 15 November 2015

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Obama, Putin strike chord on Syria as leaders vow to quell terror

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ANTALYA (AFP) - US President Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin of Russia agreed Sunday on the first steps towards peace in Syria, as the Paris attacks jolted world leaders into a crackdown on foreign fighters.The horror of the attacks in Paris shook leaders at a summit in Turkey, adding a new urgency to their search for a solution to the four-year war in Syria that has enabled the rise of Islamic State jihadists. Putting aside important differences, Obama and Putin met over a coffee table on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in the resort of Antalya to align their positions on Syria after the Paris assaults, which killed at least 129 people and were claimed by IS.The conversation lasted approximately 35 minutes and centred around ongoing efforts to resolve the conflict in Syria, an imperative made all the more urgent by the horrifying terrorist attacks in Paris, a US official said.Obama and Putin agreed on the need for United Nations talks, a ceasefire and a transition government in Syria, the US official said, echoing a plan for Syria already forged by diplomats at talks in Vienna the previous day.The Kremlin said divergences remained on tactics even if they shared the same goal against Islamic State.It was the two presidents first meeting since Russia in September launched an air campaign in Syria which the Kremlin insists is aimed against IS jihadists. The West however suspects Moscows true aim is to target opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.In images captured on Turkish public television, Putin and Obama were seen hunching towards each other as they held animated talks, in stark contrast to the frigid body language that marked previous meetings.The Paris attacks on Friday darkened the mood and injected urgency into anti-terrorism discussions at the G20 summit, which is also grappling with the spreading refugee crisis, climate change and tax avoidance by multinational corporations.Host President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared a minute of silence for the Paris victims before the plenary session got under way.In a draft special statement obtained by AFP a day before its formal adoption, world leaders raised the alarm over an acute and growing flow of foreign terrorist fighters.They vowed to share intelligence, track border crossings and boost aviation security to halt the movement of jihadist fighters.British Prime Minister David Cameron said security in Europe depended on destroying the death cult of IS in its strongholds of northern Iraq and Syria.We need to keep on making the case that we will be safer in the UK, in France and across Europe if we destroy this death cult once and for all, said Cameron.Chinese President Xi Jinping said terrorism is a common enemy and called for a joint front to fight against the threat. Turkey also said it had foiled an Islamic State plot to launch a major attack in its biggest city Istanbul on Friday, the same day as the Paris attacks.An official told AFP that the security forces had arrested a gang of five extremists, including an associate of the notorious British Islamic State executioner Mohammed Emwazi, widely known as Jihadi John.The migrant crisis is a key topic at the G20 summit, with Turkey housing some 2.2 million Syrian refugees but the European Union is urging Ankara to do more to prevent migrants undertaking risky boat crossings to reach the EU.With some eastern European members expressing concern about accepting more refugees, European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker warned that the attacks in Paris should in no way poison the sensitive debate over refugees.Those who organised, who perpetrated the attacks are the very same people who the refugees are fleeing and not the opposite, Juncker said.Discussions on climate change will assume greater importance than usual coming ahead of a UN climate conference in Paris at the end of the month that aims to agree a global pact to curb warming of the planet.French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius urged leaders to strengthen a planned G20 declaration on global warming, sources said.

France hits back, striking IS in Syria after Paris carnage

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PARIS (AFP) - French warplanes pounded the Islamic State groups de facto capital in Syria on Sunday, in the first such strikes since a wave of coordinated attacks claimed by the jihadists left 129 people dead in Paris.As the nation prepared to mourn the victims of the carnage in a minute of silence on Monday, a dozen warplanes dropped 20 bombs on IS targets in the Islamists stronghold of Raqa, signalling the French governments resolve in its fight against the group.The strike destroyed an IS command post, jihadist recruitment centre, a munitions depot and a terrorist training camp, the defence ministry said.The air raids came after President Francois Hollande called the Paris attacks -- the worst in the countrys history -- an act of war and vowed to hit back without mercy.As the probe into the assault spread across Europe, French police released a photograph of a dangerous suspect wanted over the attacks.The suspect, 26-year-old Salah Abdeslam said to be one of three brothers linked to the attacks, is also wanted by Belgium, which has issued an international arrest warrant for him.He is believed to be either on the run or one of the gunmen who died during the attacks, security sources said. He lived in the poor immigrant Brussels neighbourhood of Molenbeek, where Belgian police made several arrests in connection with the Paris attacks.Security sources said the wanted mans brother, 31-year-old Brahim Abdeslam, blew himself up outside a cafe on Boulevard Voltaire in eastern Paris, while the third brother is believed to be among seven people detained in Belgium.Six other gunmen wearing suicide belts died during the attacks in the French capital -- three at the Stade de France stadium and three at the Bataclan concert hall, the scene of the worst bloodshed.The sports minister said at least one of the bombers who detonated their explosives near the stadium had tried to enter the venue where France were playing Germany in an international football match at the time.As night fell over the jittery French capital on Sunday, crowds shocked by the brutality of the killings packed into the Notre-Dame cathedral to mourn the dead.Prosecutors say they believe three groups of attackers were involved in the carnage, and they do not rule out that one or more assailants may still be at large.It is now known that three of the suicide bombers were French nationals, two of whom lived in the Belgian capital Brussels.In a further sign of the growing Belgian connection to the attacks, investigators said two cars used in the violence were hired in Belgium.One was found near the Bataclan venue, and the other in the suburb of Montreuil east of Paris, with a number of AK47 rifles inside.Witnesses said the second car, a black Seat, was used by gunmen who shot dozens of people in bars and restaurants in the hip Canal St Martin area of Paris.The first attacker to be named by investigators was Omar Ismail Mostefai, a 29-year-old father and French citizen, who was identified by a severed finger found among the carnage at the Bataclan, where 89 people were killed after heavily armed men in wearing explosives vests stormed the venue.French police detained six people close to Mostefai, including his father, brother and sister-in-law, judicial sources said.Born in the modest Paris suburb of Courcouronnes, he had eight convictions for petty crimes but had never served a prison sentence.Its a crazy thing, its madness. Yesterday I was in Paris and I saw what a mess this was, one of his brothers told AFP before he was taken into custody on Saturday night.In southern Germany, authorities were questioning a man from Montenegro found last week with a car-load of eight Kalashnikov rifles, three pistols and explosives.The man, who had been heading for Paris, has refused to cooperate with police.Meanwhile, the discovery of a Syrian passport near the body of one suicide attacker has raised fears that some of the assailants might have entered Europe as part of the huge influx of people fleeing Syrias civil war.Greek and Serbian authorities have confirmed the passport was issued to a man who registered as a refugee in October on the island of Leros and applied for asylum in Serbia a few days later. But European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, who has urged EU countries to take in more refugees, said there was no need for a complete review of the blocs policies.Those who organised, who perpetrated the attacks are the very same people who the refugees are fleeing and not the opposite, he said.Paris residents struggled to come to terms with the latest atrocities, 10 months after jihadists hit satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and a Jewish supermarket.Museums and parks were closed and Sunday markets empty, although thousands still flocked to lay flowers and light candles at the sites of the violence. But in a sign of just how shaken people were, the sound of fire-crackers at Place de la Republique, where mourners were standing in quiet solidarity, sent scores fleeing in panic before they realised it was a false alarm.We need to get out, you shouldnt stay at home, 38-year-old Herve told AFP. You need to go out and look, get a feel for yourself of what happened.The Islamic State group said they carried out the attacks in revenge for French air strikes in Syria and threatened further violence in France as long as it continues its Crusader campaign.World leaders united Sunday to denounce terrorism at a heavily-guarded G20 summit in Turkey and observed a minutes silence in respect of those who were killed.We stand in solidarity with France in hunting down the perpetrators of this crime and bringing them to justice, US President Barack Obama said after talks with his host, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.Russias Vladimir Putin said overcoming global terror was possible only if all the international community unites its efforts.

US transfers five Guantanamo detainees to UAE: Pentagon

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States announced Sunday the transfer of five detainees from Guantanamo Bay to the United Arab Emirates, another step in a long-delayed plan to close the controversial military prison.The move means that 107 detainees remain at Guantanamo Bay, the Pentagon said in a statement, adding that it was grateful to the government of the United Arab Emirates for its willingness to support ongoing US efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility.The five were named as: Ali Ahmad Mohammed al-Razihi, Khalid Abd-al-Jabbar Mohammed Uthman al-Qadasi, Adil Said al-Hajj Ubayd al-Busays, Sulayman Awad Bin Uqayl al-Nahdi and Fahmi Salem Said al-Asani.The United States opened Guantanamo to hold terror suspects following the September 11, 2001 attacks, and photos of shackled men in orange jumpsuits became a defining image of US foreign policy in the early 2000s.Inmates were called enemy combatants and denied standard US legal rights, meaning many were held for years without charge or trial. The Guantanamo population has dwindled, and prisoners no longer deemed a risk have either been repatriated or sent to a host country.The Guantanamo prison costs the US taxpayer around $400-450 million annually, according to estimates.The United States coordinated with the government of the United Arab Emirates to ensure these transfers took place consistent with appropriate security and humane treatment measures, the Pentagon added, saying the five had been cleared for transfer after thorough security reviews.The US keeps a very close eye on those who have been released, but some figures have estimated that up to 30 percent return to militant groups with the aim of carrying out attacks on Western targets. But a US official has said that figure includes both confirmed and suspected cases. He said 16 percent of freed inmates were confirmed to have returned to the battlefield, while about 12 percent are suspected of having done so.The latest transfers come with the Pentagon poised to release a much-anticipated report on shutting down Guantanamo Bay, even as Congress battles to block the transfer of the military prison inmates from eastern Cuba to US soil.President Barack Obama made closing Guantanamo a key election pledge, but lawmakers have repeatedly thwarted him.The reports findings are sure to fuel debate on the fate of dozens of longtime captives from Americas War on Terror who may well spend the rest of their lives behind bars.Guantanamo still houses five accused plotters of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Among them is the self-proclaimed mastermind, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.Guantanamo is also home to the man accused of masterminding the attack on the USS Cole in 2000, Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri. He was captured in 2002 and transferred to Guantanamo in 2006.All six face the death penalty if convicted.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon to visit North Korea: Yonhap

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SEOUL (AFP) - UN chief Ban Ki-moon is to visit North Korea, the first head of the world body to set foot in the isolated state for more than 20 years, South Koreas Yonhap news agency reported Monday.Citing an unidentified high-level UN source, Yonhap said Ban would visit Pyongyang in his official capacity as secretary general later this week, though no precise dates were given.The UN spokesmans office in New York declined to comment on the report, while the South Korean foreign ministry and presidential Blue House both said they were unaware of the visit.The UN source told Yonhap that Ban was almost certain to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un -- a meeting which, if it happens, would mark a major diplomatic opening by Pyongyang.Since taking over power following the death of his father Kim Jong-Il in 2011, Kim Jong-Un has yet to receive a single head of state, and has not travelled outside the country.The young leader has received a number of high-ranking Chinese officials in Pyongyang, but the most prominent foreigner he has met in the past four years is probably the former NBA basketball star, Dennis Rodman.A noted breach of protocol saw Kim snub the president of Mongolia who visited Pyongyang in 2013.There cant be such a situation where the UN secretary-general visits North Korea and does not meet with the supreme leader of the UN member state, the UN source said.Ban had been scheduled to visit North Korea in May this year, when Pyongyang invited him to tour the joint North-South Kaesong Industrial Zone which lies just over the inter-Korean border.Pyongyang withdrew the invitation at the last minute after Ban criticised a recent North Korean missile test.There are concerns that the North is now preparing another missile test, with the South Korean defence ministry confirming Monday that Pyongyang had issued a no-sail notice to shipping off its east coast until December 7.Two UN secretary generals have visited North Korea in the past -- Kurt Waldheim in 1979 and, in 1993, Boutros Boutros-Ghali who met with then-leader Kim Il-Sung to discuss tensions over Pyongyangs nuclear ambitions.Analysts said North Korea would use the visit to flag its willingness to engage with the international community at a time when it is under fire over its nuclear weapons programme and human rights record.Pyongyang will also try to argue that the United States and South Korea have been behind the recent strains in inter-Korean relations, and that the North was open to dialogue all along, said Hong Hyun-Ik, an analyst at the Sejong Institute think-tank in Seoul.I think Kim will meet him personally in order to talk up what he sees as his achievements with North Koreas economy, Hong said.The Norths invitation might also have been prompted by diplomatic shifts in the region that have left North Korea looking more isolated than ever, with Seoul moving closer to Pyongyangs main diplomatic and economic ally China, and improving strained relations with Tokyo.Earlier this year, the leaders of South Korea, China and Japan held their first summit for more than three years in Seoul.Although the focus was on trade and other economic issues, the three declared their firm opposition to the development of nuclear weapons on the North Korean peninsula.North Korea is already under a raft of UN sanctions imposed after its three nuclear tests in 2006, 2009 and 2013.It has also come under increasing pressure on the human rights front, following a report published last year by a UN commission which concluded North Korea was committing human rights violations without parallel in the contemporary world.It will not be Bans first visit to the North. He crossed the border to visit the joint industrial zone of Kaesong with a delegation of foreign diplomats in 2006 when he was South Koreas foreign minister.Although he has formally denied any intention to run, Ban is widely seen in South Korea as candidate in waiting for the next presidential election in late 2017.

Firecrackers and fear trigger scenes of panic in Paris

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PARIS (AFP) - Firecrackers and exploding light bulbs and heaters triggered scenes of panic in Paris on Sunday, as rumours of fresh shootings sent people diving for cover and calling for police.We were just singing along with a group of young people when everyone started to run, so we ran too, said a 23-year-old who gave her name only as Laurine.Along with hundreds of others, she had come to the Place de la Republique in central Paris to lay flowers and candles in memory of the 129 people killed in the neighbourhood in Fridays attacks.Another young man said he heard a sound like an explosion and started to run.But police told AFP the reason for the panic was firecrackers.A few blocks away there were similar scenes when a heater or a light bulb exploded on a terrace, sowing panic as passers-by warned friends on social media of a new attack.At one cafe targeted by gunmen on Friday, Le Carillon, people shouted and ran.A few hundred metres (yards) away, a few people jumped into the cold waters of the Ourcq canal, a security agent told AFP.The mayor of the area, Christophe Girard, who was at Note-Dame cathedral attending a mass in memory of the 129 people who died in the attacks, said he received a text message saying there was gunfire near the town hall.He left the cathedral to reassure and calm local residents, he told AFP.

Tennis: Djokovic, Federer make strong starts at Tour Finals

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LONDON (AFP) - Novak Djokovic made a flying start to his bid for a record fourth successive ATP Tour Finals title with a 6-1, 6-1 rout of Japans Kei Nishikori, while Roger Federer cruised to a 6-4, 6-2 win against Tomas Berdych on Sunday.Defending champion Djokovic and six-time winner Federer have dominated the prestigious season-ending event for the last decade, lifting the trophy eight times between them in the last nine years.Both believe they can take home the silverware this year and their performances on the opening day of the tournament suggested that belief isnt misplaced.Djokovic arrived at Londons O2 Arena hoping to win the title for a fifth time and in the process become the first player to lift the trophy four years in a row.The world number one showed why he is the firm favourite to do just that, demolishing Nishikori in 65 minutes in the tournaments opening match to record his 23rd successive win and his 79th victory in 84 matches this year.With two more group ties remaining against Federer and Berdych, Djokovics stroll by the banks of the River Thames was a significant statement of intent to his rivals.No question I played some of the best tennis Ive played this year, Djokovic said.Undoubtedly it was an incredible performance that I was hoping I could have coming into this tournament, where Ive had a great record in the last couple of years.I was feeling very comfortable on the court. Kei didnt perform at his best because I didnt allow him to dictate the play.Nishikori added: He played unbelievable tennis. Im very ashamed with this score, but I still have two more matches.Djokovic has dominated to such an extent over the last 11 months that the sports big four, previously comprised of the Serb, Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray, has been reduced to a one-man show.The 28-year-old has amassed 10 titles over the last 11 months, including the Australian and US Opens, Wimbledon and a record six Masters tournaments.Since losing to Federer in the Cincinnati final in August, Djokovic has been unbeatable and Nishikori never came close to inflicting his first Tour Finals defeat in 15 matches as the Serb secured a 38th consecutive indoor match victory.Meanwhile Federer, the oldest Tour Finals qualifier since Andre Agassi in 2005, is undeniably in the twilight of his career, yet the 34-year-old is still good enough to compete for the sports top prizes and is in the hunt for a semi-final berth once again after easing past Berdych in 69 minutes.Only Djokovic has won more Tour-level titles than Federers six this year and it was the brilliant Serb who denied the world number three when they met in the Wimbledon and US Open finals.Federer has made a habit of producing landmark achievements at the Tour Finals and, in a testament to his astonishing longevity at the highest level, this was his record 14th straight appearance at an event he has won a record six times in nine final appearances.Berdych initially seemed capable of causing an upset when a pair of Federer double faults contributed to the Swiss being broken in the second game.But the 17-time Grand Slam winner brushed off that sluggish opening with an immediate response as he hit back in the next game when Berdych slipped on break point.A hard-fought set swung Federers way when an error-strewn service game from Berdych gifted him a decisive second break at 4-4.With the first set wrapped up, Federer tightened his grip with another break in the first game of the second set.That effectively ended Berdychs hopes and Federer cruised to the finish line with one more break.

Tennis: Czech Republic beat Russia to defend Fed Cup title

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PRAGUE (AFP) - Karolina Pliskova won her singles rubber and then teamed up with Barbora Strycova to take the decisive doubles and lead the Czech Republic to a successful defence of their Fed Cup title on Sunday.Pliskova and Strycova beat Russias Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Elena Vesnina 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 at Pragues hardcourt O2 Arena to hand the hosts their fourth trophy in five years.The Czechs won their ninth title overall, including five as Czechoslovakia which went on to split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1993.Russia have won four titles from 11 final ties, including those they played as the former Soviet Union.Its the first experience for me in the Fed Cup so Im really happy (about) how we made it and we both played really good, said Pliskova, playing only her second Fed Cup tie.Im speechless, it was unbelievable, added Strycova.Russian captain Anastasia Myskina, a former French Open champion, did not conceal her disappointment.We tried, we did our best, Im proud of my girls, I think they played good, she said.World number 11 Pliskova was the star of the day after she saw off 28th-ranked Pavlyuchenkova 6-3, 6-4 in Sundays second singles rubber.In the days opener, Maria Sharapova, the world number four, came back from a set down to edge sixth-ranked Petra Kvitova 3-6, 6-4, 6-2.Propelled by Pliskovas success in the singles, the Czech doubles pair started in high spirits but their early break was not enough as the Russians broke twice to take the first set.But the hosts declined to bow out early and dominated the second set, despite a late break by the Russians.They broke Vesninas serve in game one of the final set and then did it again six games later to lift the trophy.In Sundays second singles rubber, the hard-hitting Pliskova, 23, took the first set with a single break, capitalising on aggressive play against 24-year-old Pavlyuchenkova.Both traded breaks in the opening games of set two and Pliskova then struck again in the ninth game to send the home crowd into a frenzy.Its definitely one of the biggest wins in my career, beamed Pliskova. I was trying to focus on my serve and it was working today so Im really happy for that.Earlier, a rampant Kvitova forced out two breaks in the first set, keeping Sharapova under constant pressure with daring returns.Petra played unbelievable in the first set, she was so aggressive, hitting really deep, said 28-year-old Sharapova, a five-time Grand Slam winner.Playing only her fifth Fed Cup tie, Sharapova regained momentum in an epic second set as the 25-year-old Kvitova seemed to lose concentration, giving away two breaks against one for Sharapova.I felt like I started getting my feet in the match because in the first set she was just playing too well and there was not much I could do, said Sharapova.Kvitova said: The second set could go either way and unfortunately it didnt go mine.In the final set, Sharapova broke twice while Kvitova piled up the errors.In the third set I just felt like I was the fresher one, like I could play another three hours, and that mentality really helped me, said Sharapova.On Saturday, Sharapova won her first ever meeting with Pliskova 6-3, 6-4 to level 1-1 after Kvitova had come back from a set down to beat Pavlyuchenkova 2-6, 6-1, 6-1 in the opener.

Golf: Park holds off Ciganda to win Ochoa Invitational

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MEXICO CITY (AFP) - Park In-Bee capped her final round with back-to-back birdies to win the Lorena Ochoa Invitational, setting up a tantalizing showdown with world No. 1 Lydia Ko in next weeks season-ending Tour Championship. The 27-year-old South Korean Park fired an eight-under 64 to reach a 18-under 270 total and finish three strokes ahead of playing partner Carlota Ciganda on Sunday.Spains Ciganda closed with a 63 while US LPGA Tour rookie-of-the-year Kim Sei-Young, who was the other player in the final group, finished third, five strokes back of Park.Park is playing her first event since withdrawing from the Blue Bay tournament on Hainan Island in China because of a cyst on her left hand.Park needed to finish eighth or better this week to remain in the Player of the Year chase. She is aiming to take top honours for the LPGA season and to do that she needs to regain the number one ranking from New Zealands Ko.Park also is chasing Ko for the most money won on the Tour this season.Ko did not play this week. She and Park will square off at the season-ending Tour Championship in Florida, where Ko will be defending her 2014 title.

Formula One: Rosberg wins in Brazil, seals second spot in championship

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SAO PAULO (AFP) - Nico Rosberg sealed his place as runner-up in this years Formula One world championship on Sunday when he won the Brazilian Grand Prix ahead of his Mercedes team-mate and newly-crowned three-time champion Lewis Hamilton.It was the 30-year-old Germans second consecutive triumph following his Mexico win after his unforced error at the United States Grand Prix gifted Hamilton victory and his third title in Texas last month.Starting from his fifth consecutive pole position, Rosberg made a flawless start and controlled the race from the front, relinquishing the lead only when he pitted three times, while Hamilton chased and challenged in vain.The 30-year-old Englishman, who arrived in Brazil 24 hours later than scheduled after what he described as a difficult week of illness and a road accident, finished second ahead of third-placed four-time champion Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari.Rosberg repeated his Brazilian win of 2014 with a near-textbook drive that gave Hamilton little chance to make his superior race speed count before he settled for second and came home 7.7 seconds behind his team-mate. Kimi Raikkonen came home fourth in the second Ferrari ahead of Valtteri Bottas of Williams, Nico Hulkenberg of Force India, Danil Kvyat of Red Bull and local hero Felipe Massa in the second Williams.Frenchman Romain Grosjean finished ninth for Lotus ahead of Dutch teenager Max Verstappen, who maintained his stunning maiden season form by finishing 10th for Toro Rosso.It was Rosbergs fifth win of 2015 and the 13th of his career. He made a flawless start from his fifth straight pole and, when Hamilton attempted to sling-shot out of his slipstream into the first corner and through the Senna S curves, gave him no encouragement and little room to manoeuvre.Hamilton had no choice, but to slip into second place and follow the leader as the race began without major incident.On another warm, dry day at Interlagos, with a track temperature of 47 degrees Celsius, and where a tactical race designed around tyre strategy was in prospect, Rosberg was clearly baring his teeth.It was a different story at the back of the field where Carlos Sainz, having suffered a car failure with his Toro Rosso, on the formation lap, which forced him to start from the pit lane, he failed to complete a lap and retired.Rosberg held his lead with some aplomb through the opening laps until he pitted on lap 14, gifting Hamilton his hammer time at the front of the field. The Briton followed him in and despite an excellent stop was unable to re-join ahead of the German.The two Ferraris followed the Mercedes pair in grid order with Bottas fifth and Maldonado sixth, but the gap between Rosberg and the world champion was the main focus of attention as Hamilton closed the gap in pursuit of his first win on Brazilian soil in nine attempts.The two were more than seven seconds clear of Vettel and 18 ahead of Raikkonen, with Bottas a further 12 second adrift. Mercedes mastery was total, but the race was neutralised by their drivers respect for corporate needs and aversion to needless risk.Rosberg made a second stop after 33 laps, Hamilton after 34, the champions race compromised by his team-mates tactical decision, which forced him to re-join behind the Ferrari of Raikkonen, who had pitted only once.Rebuffed, Hamilton dropped back to 2.5 seconds behind Rosberg, before clocking a fastest lap in 1:15.304, a reminder of his superior pace, if not track position, before the leader pitted again after 48 laps.After a lap in front, Hamilton re-joined second again, trimming the gap to 1.2 seconds with 18 laps to go, but it was a signal of intent that he was unable to translate into a passing move as he eased off in the closing laps to follow Rosberg to the flag.

Rallying: Emotional Ogier caps season with Rally GB win

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CARDIFF (AFP) - World champion Sebastien Ogier capped another triumphant year with an emotional third successive victory in the season-ending Wales Rally GB on Sunday.The Frenchman, behind the wheel of his VW Polo-R, finished 26 seconds ahead of Kris Meeke, with the Britons Citroen teammate Andreas Mikkelsen of Norway completing the podium at 36.2sec.Were happy to finish the season like that from a sporting view, but my mind wasnt really there this weekend, said Ogier referring to Friday nights terror attacks in his native France which killed 129 people.It was hard to carry on after the tragedy in France and our thoughts were with the people. We wanted this victory as our small sign for those who have been touched, and to show we must be even stronger against these things, said Ogier.It was the eighth win of the season and 32nd in total for the 31-year-old Ogier who won his third world title in September.Victory here is the best way to finish the season but there is no point to celebrate anything, Ogier said. We have other things on our mind. It has been a difficult weekend.Volkswagen finished atop the manufacturers championship, while Meekes second place and seventh position for Norways Mads Ostberg gave Citroen the runners-up spot ahead of Hyundai.I never believed in victory, I think that Ogier had it all in hand, but Im very satisfied to get on the podium for the first time in my rally, said Meeke.Ogiers VW teammate Jari-Matti Latvala won four stages on Sunday but finished far down the standings after crashing off the road in atrocious weather conditions on Friday and suffering technical problems Saturday.But by picking up three bonus points in the final Power Stage (SS19) Latvala finished runner-up behind Ogier in the world championship.Ogier matches retired compatriot Sebastien Loeb with a third straight Rally GB win after overcoming numerous obstacles in a race which was hampered by heavy rain and high winds.Meeke had taken the lead after SS11 when Ogier was forced to come to a standstill after Thierry Neuville rolled his Hyundai.Race organisers deducted 31 seconds from Ogiers time to compensate the delay which allowed the French driver to recapture the lead which he held until the finish line.

Badminton: Lee downs Chen to take China Open title

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BEIJING (AFP) - Former world number one Lee Chong Wei beat current top rank Chen Long to win the China Open on Sunday in straight sets, securing his second major title of the season.Lee dismissed Chinas Chen in 50 minutes at the Haixia Olympic Sports Centre in the southeastern city of Fuzhou, 21-15, 21-11, denying the top seed his sixth Super Series title of the year.Lee, currently unseeded after a eight-month doping ban, has had a patchy year that saw him make early exits in Japan, South Korea and Denmark, and had lost to Chen in their last four meetings.The Malaysian beat longtime rival and five-time world champion Lin Dan on Saturday to reach the final, in a hard-fought three sets that may silence critics who have questioned Lees fitness since he returned to the court.Im really happy to have won the China Open on the home court of Lin Dan and Chen Long, said Lee. Ive won many titles, except the China Open. It was very hard to get. Today I just played fast, just kept going.Meanwhile, in the womens singles, world number six Li Xuerui of China beat top seed and defending champion Saina Nehwal of India 21-12, 21-15.Former world number one and Olympic champion Li continued a solid run in Fuzhou after scooping the title in Denmark last month, while Nehwal has recently been plagued by injury and illness.I started well, but I wasnt able to connect the shuttle, it was very strange, said Nehwal.Many of my shots went out, and she was anticipating everything.Chinese players faired well in both the womens and mixed doubles. Chinas Tang Yuanting and Yu Yang beat Japans Misaki Matsutomo and Ayaka Takahashi 18-21, 21-13, 21-12.In mixed doubles, Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei of China triumphed over Denmarks Joachim Fischer Nielsen and Christinna Pedersen, 21-19, 17-21, 21-19.

COAS Gen Raheel Sharif reaches Washington

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WASHINGTON (Dunya News) - Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif reached Washington for an official 5-day visit of the United States on early Monday morning.The commentators are terming the visit very important in light of regional security and ongoing situation. During his five days stay in the US, he will meet top US leadership and discuss key issues including Afghan government’s negotiations with Taliban and RAW’s involvement in terrorist activities in Pakistan. Army Chief will inform American leadership of successes and achievements in ongoing Operation Zarb-e-Azb.According to Director General (DG) Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asim Saleem Bajwa, the Army Chief’s visit to the US is crucial in light of the changing regional situation. He said the visit will entail key discussions on bilateral relations, regional security and peace.The Army Chief will visit Brazil and Ivory Coast after completing the US visit. DG ISPR said Pakistan has always provided support for peace in Afghanistan.He said that Pakistan had already alerted that terrorists can find safe havens in Afghanistan to escape Operation Zarb-e-Azb, adding that the Afghan government should also take steps to stop terrorists.Also Read: Army Chief to meet US leadership, discuss key issues including RAWs terrorismGeneral Raheel Sharif visit comes weeks after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s meeting with US President Barack Obama at his Oval Office at the White House. However, the analysts consider the visit of Army chief more crucial than the premier’s observing the fact that Pakistani military has always been more powerful, and the main stakeholder in fight against terrorism and peace process in Afghanistan.Analysts said General Raheel Sharif’s influence on Pakistan’s nuclear ambitions and Afghan peace talks makes him, rather than the civilian leadership, the dominant broker for Washington’s regional agenda.

Karachi: Baba Ladlas younger brother arrested

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – According to details, law enforcement agencies on a tip-off conducted a search operation in Muhajir Camp No 3 area of Baldia Ittehad Town on Sunday and arrested Lyari gang-warlord Baba Ladla’s younger brother Zakir Ladla along with his four accomplices. Sources said that Zakir Ladla had returned to Karachi from abroad three days ago. Sources also informed that large quantity of arms and hand grenades were also recovered from the arrested persons.On the other hand, an encounter between police and gang war accused belonging to Sheraz Comrade group took place in Lyari during which a gang war suspect named Ahmad Dada was arrested.

Waqar wants Pakistan to push England hard

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SHARJAH (AFP) - Head coach Waqar Younis warned his team needed to play out of their skins to take a lead over England when the two teams meet in the third one-day international in Sharjah on Tuesday.Pakistan went down by 95 runs in the second game in Abu Dhabi to give England a chance to level the four-match series at 1-1.Pakistan won the first match by six wickets, also in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. Waqar said he was not expecting England to play the way they did in the second game on Friday.We need to play well to make it 2-1, said Waqar on Sunday. England bounced back and bounced back well, we probably were not thinking that they are going to play that well so we have to play out of our skins to make it 2-1.Waqar said Pakistan were poor on Friday, sliding to 188 all out in chase of a 284-run target.Obviously we were expecting a fightback from England but we also played poor cricket in that game. We were not up to the mark in batting and at no time we were in the game and we must make sure it doesnt happen next time.England opener Alex Hales notched a maiden century to lift England to an impressive 283-5 in their 50 overs, batting which Waqar believed set up the win. The way Hales made that hundred was great and when someone scores a hundred at the top of the order your chance of putting a 300 total gets more, said Waqar of the England opener.We know our strengths so we will fightback.Waqar admitted he was surprised over the manner in which senior batsman Younis Khan retired from one-day after the first match following debate over his selection for the series. Reality demanded that he should have completed the series, said Waqar of Younis who ended his career on 265 one-day games. But that is the way he thinks and he is, I am very proud of the way he played the game.He will continue to play Test cricket and I am hopeful that he will complete 10,000 Test runs but it was unfortunate way (to retire) and the decision was sudden and that was a big shock for us.The fourth and final one-day match will be played in Dubai on Friday.Both teams will also play Twenty20 internationals in Dubai (November 26 and 27) and Sharjah (November 30).

Zimbabwe stun Bangladesh to draw T20 series

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DHAKA (AFP) - Neville Madziva hit 18 runs in the last over as Zimbabwe pulled off a nail-biting three-wicket victory against Bangladesh in the second Twenty20 international to level the two-match series in Dhaka on Sunday.Madziva first starred with his pace bowling and then made the most of a reprieve to score an unbeaten 28 runs to steer Zimbabwe to 136-7 in 19.5 overs, after the visitors restricted Bangladesh to 135-9 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.Bangladesh, who won the preceding one-day series 3-0, almost sealed off another clean-sweep when Nasir Hossain dismissed Malcolm Waller in the first ball of the last over, but Madziva hit the off-spinner for 6, 2, 4, and 6 off the next four balls to stun the home crowd.Madziva was caught behind for 10 in the previous over off medium pacer Mustafizur Rahman, but the right-hander was called back after television replays showed Rahman had overstepped.Waller made 40 off 27 balls with two fours and three sixes and shared 55 runs in the sixth wicket stand with Luke Jongwe (34) as Zimbabwe recovered from a wobbly 39-5 to win the game.The victory ended Zimbabwes 13-match losing streak against Bangladesh in all formats of the game.When I saw Nasir bowling, I told myself to get on strike, Madziva said after the match. I had that self-belief that we will win this game.I enjoy facing spinners more. I said to myself, this is it. I will go back to my country with a win, he said.Anamul Haque earlier made 47 off 51 balls to hold the Bangladesh innings together amid a free-fall of wickets at the other end.Pacer Tinashe Panyangara claimed 3-30 for Zimbabwe while leg-spinner Graeme Cremer and Madziva claimed two wickets each giving away 21 and 25 runs respectively.The hosts started confidently as Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes put on 34 runs in the opening stand after skipper Mashrafe Mortaza elected to bat first.Tamim miscued a pull shot off Madziva to give a catch to Sean Williams at long on for 21 and Kayes fell in the next over to Tendai Chisoro for 10.Zimbabwe then made regular breakthroughs to keep the home side in check.Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusinghe said his side was still developing in the Twenty20 format.I think we still need to find our best game-plan, approach and combination, he said.We are still developing in T20s. So in that sense I think we have probably a long way to go to be consistent.Anamul was run out in the final over as Bangladesh settled for their lowest total against Zimbabwe in five Twenty20 internationals.
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