Monday 21 December 2015

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Apple criticises UK's proposed new spying laws: reports

Posted:

LONDON (AFP) - Technology company Apple criticised draft British legislation designed to stiffen surveillance powers on Monday, saying the proposed bill could spark serious international conflicts, British media reported.Home Secretary Theresa May said Novembers Investigatory Powers Bill would make existing surveillance laws more transparent and update them to take into account the growth of online communications.Rights groups have condemned the draft legislation as an attack on civil liberties, while technology firms have said the plans are ambiguous, compromise customer security and would create a legal minefield.It would also likely be the catalyst for other countries to enact similar laws, Apple said in a document sent to a parliamentary committee scrutinising the new legislation, British media reported.The legislation could paralyse multinational corporations under the weight of what could be dozens or hundreds of contradictory country-specific laws Apples submission continued.The parliamentary committee, which fields opinions from experts on proposed legislation, said it had received a submission from Apple, but it had not yet passed through formal protocols for publication on its website.Apples British and US media offices were not immediately available for comment.Technology companies fear they may be forced to hand over data held in other countries, which Apple said could immobilise substantial portions of the tech sector and spark serious international conflicts.The proposed legislation would give British intelligence agencies partial access to Internet browsing records and outlines powers for the bulk collection of data.Worryingly for technology firms, the bill spells out how agencies can interfere with electronic equipment such as computers and smartphones to obtain data, which may require the assistance of communications service providers.The bill as it stands seems to threaten to extend responsibility for hacking from government to the private sector, Apple said.Also of concern for technology companies is an obligation in the bill for communications service providers to be able to retain and intercept certain types of communications and remove any encryption, the draft law says.Apple said that would require technology companies to adopt weaker encryption standards that would make the personal data of millions of law-abiding citizens... less secure.A key left under the doormat would not just be there for the good guys. The bad guys would find it too, the company said.At the time of unveiling the bill, officials said separate existing laws on data interception, encryption and electronic interference would only be consolidated in one piece of legislation, and would not be strengthened.May said the new legislation would not force foreign-based companies to meet domestic retention obligations for communications data.She also said the bills most intrusive powers would be under a double lock requiring her authorisation and that of a judge.However, technology firms and many members of the public are concerned that governments already have too much access to communications data after revelations of widespread surveillance by former intelligence analyst Edward Snowden.

Indian sought for murder, bomb attacks held in Portugal

Posted:

EVORA (AFP) - An appeal court in southern Portugal decided Monday to continue the detention of an Indian national, Paramjeet Singh, wanted by New Delhi for a homicide and bomb attacks.The judge decided to wait for a formal extradition request from the Indian authorities, Singhs Portuguese lawyer Manuel Luis Ferreira told AFP.He was arrested on an international warrant Friday at a hotel in southern Portugals Algarve region, where he was staying with his wife and four children aged between seven and 11.According to Indian media, Singh is a hardline Sikh activist who is wanted for conspiracy in two 2010 bomb attacks in northwest India, and the 2009 killing of Rulda Singh, the head of the Hindu nationalist movement Rashtriya Sikh Sangat.Paramjeet Singh lived in Britain, where he obtained political asylum in 2004, the lawyer said.He will be held in preventative detention in the Beja prison until at least January 4, Ferreira said.

China reform hopes lift emerging currencies, commodities

Posted:

HONG KONG (AFP) - Hopes that China will implement fresh economic reforms lifted emerging market currencies Tuesday while oil and metals prices saw a rare uptick, but stock markets struggled to extend the previous days gains.After a secretive policy meeting that ended Monday, Chinas economic planners said they would combat local government debt and push on with changes in the housing sector in a bid to shore up growth.They also said they would allow the market to play a bigger role and strengthen structural reforms, state news service Xinhua reported.The announcement is the latest out of Beijing after it promised last year to allow the market to play a bigger role in the worlds number two economy and implement reforms of its bloated state-owned enterprises.It also follows other moves to kickstart slowing growth, including six interest rate cuts since November last year.Weve had easing on multiple fronts in China and we are starting to see the green shoots of recovery there, Nader Naeimi, Sydney-based head of dynamic markets at AMP Capital Investors Ltd., told Bloomberg News.We should see Chinas economy turn the corner in 2016 and the US dollar peaking, which will have a powerful positive impact on commodities and related sectors.Currencies of countries that rely on trade with China climbed against the dollar. The Australian dollar rose 0.1 percent, Indonesias rupiah surged 1.1 percent, the Thai baht was 0.2 percent higher and Malaysian ringgit 0.05 percent up. The South Korean won, Canadian dollar and Singapore dollar also advanced.The US dollar also held most losses against its major rivals, buying 121.28 yen compared with 123 yen last week. And the euro continues to hold its own despite uncertainty in Spain after a general election left no party with a clear majority.The possibility of stimulus measures for the Chinese economy also lifted commodities, with copper rising 1.1 percent and iron ore surging more than three percent.Oil, which has slumped more than 60 percent since summer 2014, edged up slightly after Brent hit an 11-year low Monday.However, most analysts expect prices to remain subdued by an ongoing global supply glut, tepid demand, the OPEC exporters clubs refusal to cut production and a strong dollar.Regional stock markets fluctuated through the morning, with Tokyo down 0.1 percent by lunch, Hong Kong up 0.1 percent, Sydney 0.2 percent higher and Shanghai flat.

Fake medicine worth $7million seized across Asia: Interpol

Posted:

LYON (AFP) - Interpol seized counterfeit drugs worth $7 million in September in an operation encompassing 13 Asian countries, the international police organisation said Monday.Medication including antibiotics, anti-hypertension pills and even rabies vaccines were taken from hundreds of pharmacies and markets, including dozens of online pharmacies, as Interpol attempts to curb the widespread sale of fake drugs being produced in the region.Interpol said in a statement they had arrested 87 individuals in the course of the crackdown, which brought together law enforcement and drug regulatory agencies to target the organised criminal networks behind pharmaceutical crime in Asia.Operation Storm VI demonstrated the sophistication and determination of criminal groups engaged in pharmaceutical crime, creating dangers to public health and the safety of the population, said Aline Plancon, Head of Interpols Global Health and Safety unit.Participating countries included Afghanistan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.The World Health Organization has said the traffic of fake medication mostly affects Asia, Latin America and especially Africa, where systems of pharmaceutical regulation and of checks on their application are the weakest.

Charsadda: Four of a family gunned down over family dispute

Posted:

CHARSADDA (Dunya News) – According to details, a family dispute claimed lives for four persons of the same family in Plato Koroona area of Charsadda on Monday, Dunya News reported.The deceased included Kamal, his father and two sons. The widow of the deceased lodged an FIR in the City Police Station. She informed police that her late husband, Kamal, had married five women. One of his wives lives in Afghanistan and her son Kamran and daughter Kausar entered their house and opened indiscriminate firing as a result her husband, two sons and her father-in-law were killed.Police have shifted the dead bodies District Headquarters Hospital, Charsadda and launched investigation.

SpaceX succeeds in historic rocket launch, landing

Posted:

MIAMI (AFP) - SpaceX successfully landed its powerful Falcon 9 rocket in an upright position on Monday, a historic first in the companys bid to make rockets as reusable as airplanes.The Falcon has landed, a commentator said above the screams and cheers of people gathered at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California.Video images on SpaceXs webcast showed the first stage of the rocket touching down at Cape Canaveral, Florida.The tall, white portion of the rocket glided back to Earth, its engines burning bright orange against a black night sky.The first stage of the rocket appeared to settle down firmly and stick the landing.Video images were soon cut off and the SpaceX live webcast returned to its commentators, who described the successful deployment of the rockets payload of 11 satellites for ORBCOMM, a global communications company.The Falcon first stage landing is confirmed, SpaceX wrote on Twitter.All 11 ORBCOMM satellites have been deployed in nominal orbits.The US space agency NASA also applauded the feat.Congratulations @SpaceX on your successful vertical landing of the first stage back on Earth NASA said in a tweet.The company, headed by Internet tycoon Elon Musk, is striving to revolutionize the rocket industry, which currently loses many millions of dollars in jettisoned machinery and sophisticated rocket components after each launch.Several attempts to land the Falcon 9s first stage on a floating ocean platform have failed -- with the rocket either colliding with the autonomous drone ship or tipping over.But SpaceX has insisted that each attempt has helped engineers come closer to perfecting the technique.

Yemen truce fragile as rebels threaten Saudi Arabia

Posted:

ADEN (AFP) - A ceasefire in Yemen that has been frequently violated was due to be extended Monday night, as fighting persisted in the north and rebels vowed more missile attacks on Saudi targets.The truce was set to be renewed for one week, a day after the Saudi-backed government and Iran-backed rebels wrapped up peace talks in Switzerland without any breakthrough.The six days of closed-door meetings were strained by repeated violations of a coinciding ceasefire aimed at calming tensions between loyalists and the rebels who control Sanaa.On Monday, clashes continued in the north of Yemen, while there was a lull in fighting in the south, even outside third city Taez which is under rebel siege, pro-government forces said.Ten rebels were killed as loyalists pressed their offensive in Nihm, 40 kilometres (25 miles) outside the capital, they said.Loyalists also advanced towards the Saudi border post of Baqa in northern Jawf province. The Saudi-led coalition that has backed the loyalists since March bombed rebel positions in Khawlan, east of Sanaa, witnesses said.A halt to the violence is sorely needed in the Arabian Peninsulas poorest nation, where the UN says fighting since March has killed thousands of people and left about 80 percent of the population needing humanitarian aid.UN special envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed announced in Bern on Sunday that a new round of talks would be held on January 14 at a location yet to be disclosed.The conflict has escalated dramatically since Saudi-led air strikes began in March, with more than 5,800 people killed and 27,000 wounded since then, according to UN figures.The Huthis, a Shiite minority from Yemens north, seized Sanaa last year and then advanced south to the second city of Aden, forcing President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi to flee to Saudi Arabia in March.Following territorial gains by loyalist troops backed by the coalition, Hadi returned to Aden in November after six months in exile in the neighbouring oil-rich kingdom.Before dawn on Monday, Saudi Arabia intercepted a missile fired from Yemen into the kingdoms southern Jazan district, the coalition said, after a missile killed three civilians two days earlier.Air forces immediately destroyed the launch pad inside Yemen, the coalition said.The Saudis have also deployed Patriot missile batteries designed to counter tactical ballistic missiles.Clashes have been common along the border with Saudi Arabia, where rebel strikes have killed more than 80 people since March.Mondays attack came a day after a spokesman for forces allied to the Huthis vowed to intensify missile attacks on Saudi targets.Brigadier General Sharaf Luqman said 300 Saudi military and vital targets had been chosen.The rebels and their allies still have about 60 to 70 missiles, including Tochka missiles, Yemeni army sources say, despite coalition claims to have neutralised their ballistic capabilities.The Huthis political bureau hailed the missile strikes that inflicted unprecedented losses on the enemy, and criticised the United Nations for not being serious in its efforts to end the aggression.Arab diplomats noted international pressure to end the fighting in Yemen.Permanent members of the UN Security Council, including the United States, are pressing all warring parties in Yemen to end hostilities, one said.Washington has led intense contact with countries of the Arab coalition, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, to support a permanent ceasefire in Yemen, another diplomat said.An Iranian spokesman said Monday that diplomatic efforts were under way to open direct dialogue between rivals Tehran and Riyadh to resolve regional issues, including the Yemen conflict.

Clashes as Taliban advance in embattled Afghan province

Posted:

KANDAHAR (AFP) - Clashes intensified Monday as the Taliban pressed an offensive to capture a key district in Helmands opium-growing heartland, a day after an official warned the entire southern Afghan province was on the brink of collapse.Local residents reported crippling food shortages in Sangin district, long seen as a hornets nest of insurgent activity, after the Taliban began storming government buildings on Sunday.The Taliban have captured the police headquarters, the governors office as well as the intelligence agency building in Sangin, deputy Helmand governor Mohammad Jan Rasoolyar told AFP.Fighting is escalating in the district.Rasoolyars comments come a day after he posted a desperate plea on Facebook to President Ashraf Ghani, warning the entire province was at risk of falling to the Taliban.The grim assessment bore striking similarities to the security situation that led to the brief fall of the northern city of Kunduz in September -- the biggest Taliban victory in 14 years of war.The fall of Helmand would deal another stinging blow to Afghan forces who have struggled to rein in the ascendant insurgency after the US-led NATO combat mission ended a year ago.The government in Kabul said reinforcements had been dispatched to Sangin, while strongly denying that the district was at risk of being captured.But trapped residents told AFP that roads to Sangin had been heavily mined by insurgents and exhausted soldiers besieged in government buildings were begging for food rations. All but two of Helmands 14 districts are effectively controlled or heavily contested by Taliban insurgents, officials said.Insurgents also recently overran Babaji, a suburb of the provincial capital Lashkar Gah, fuelling concern that the city could fall to the insurgents.Highlighting the gravity of the situation, US special forces have been sent to Helmand in recent weeks to assist Afghan forces, a senior Western official told AFP without offering details.Sangin, a strategically important district at the centre of Afghanistans lucrative opium trade, has been the scene of fierce fighting for years between the Taliban and NATO forces.British troops fought deadly battles in Sangin for four years to little effect, before US marines replaced them in late 2010 and finally pulled out themselves last year.The Taliban onslaught in Sangin is not just a military gain but also a huge propaganda score for the insurgents, Kabul-based political analyst Haroon Mir told AFP.The British and Americans bled to defend Sangin district and now Afghan forces are suffering the same fate.This month marks a year since the US-led NATO mission in Afghanistan transitioned into an Afghan-led operation, with allied nations assisting in training local forces.President Barack Obama in October announced that thousands of US troops would remain in Afghanistan past 2016, backpedalling on previous plans to shrink the force and acknowledging that Afghan forces are not ready to stand alone.Ghani has been pushing to jump-start peace talks with the Taliban, which stalled after the insurgents belatedly confirmed longtime leader Mullah Omars death earlier this year.Afghanistans spy agency chief resigned earlier this month after a scathing Facebook post that vented frustration over Ghanis diplomatic outreach to Pakistan -- the Talibans historic backers -- aimed at restarting the talks.Rahmatullah Nabils resignation raised uncomfortable questions about a brewing leadership crisis in Afghanistan as the insurgency gains new momentum.

24 Libyan muncipalities sign up to unity government deal

Posted:

GAMMARTH (AFP) - The leaders of 24 Libyan municipalities on Monday signed the UN-sponsored agreement on the formation of a national unity government, in a move welcomed by UN envoy Martin Kobler.Im very happy there are 24 signatures of the Libyan political agreement by mayors. This is a good sign, Kobler told reporters after a meeting at Gammarth in Tunisia.Lawmakers from Libyas two rival parliaments, as well as other political figures, last Thursday in Morocco signed a deal on a unity government despite opposition on both sides.The signing went ahead despite a warning from the heads of the parliaments that the deal has no legitimacy and the politicians signing the agreement represented only themselves.The heads of the two bodies instead back an alternative inter-Libyan accord signed early this month in Tunis.On Thursday, Kobler acknowledged that much remained to be done to end the turmoil in Libya that has allowed jihadists and people-smugglers to flourish since the fall of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.He called the signing ceremony just the beginning of a long journey for Libya.Its very important that municipalities become part of the Libyan political agreement which was signed in Skhirat three days ago, Kobler said on Monday, emphasising the provision of basic services.Municipal signatories included the cities of Sabratha near Tripoli, Zintan to the west, Al-Baida in the northeast but also Misrata, an AFP journalist said.The core of Fajr Libya, a coalition of Islamist militias that backs the non-recognised parliament in Tripoli, is in Misrata some 200 kilometres (120 miles) east of the capital.People need clean water and need electricity and a strong government can deliver this, Kobler said.Thats why I asked the mayors to go back to their municipalities and to tell their people to support the agreement in order to have electricity, to have water, to have functional hospitals and schools.He also stressed that the door remained open for others to sign the agreement.In an interview with AFP on Sunday, Kobler said his team is in contact with security officials in Tripoli to ensure that the new unity government can operate safely from the capital.We hope to have an agreement with everybody -- the regular army, the regular police but also militias, he said.Kobler told AFP that the UN Security Council would vote on a resolution to recognise the new government as the sole legitimate authority in Libya.

Nigerian troops kill 12 Boko Haram fighters: military

Posted:

LAGOS (AFP) - Nigerian troops have killed 12 Boko Haram fighters and recovered a cache of arms and ammunition from the hardline Islamist group whose six-year insurgency has claimed thousands of lives, a military spokesman said. As part of their determined efforts to rid the society of all known Boko Haram terrorists enclaves and hideouts, troops... conducted a fighting patrol along Damboa-Njaba-Bale road in Borno state in the northeast of the country, Colonel Sani Usman said in a statement late Sunday. He said the soldiers killed three suspected Boko Haram terrorists (who) had been terrorising the communities around Sabon Gari and Damboa, on Sunday. Among those killed was the Boko Haram terrorist Ameer (leader) in Bulayaga, he said. Usman said a cache of arms and ammunition was recovered from the jihadists. He said a second encounter with the insurgents in Mainari village also on Sunday led to the killing of nine terrorists and recovery of weapons which include four AK-47s and one pump action gun. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has given the military until the end of the month to crush the Boko Haram rebellion that has killed some 17,000 and forced 2.6 million to flee their homes since 2009. The jihadist group, which seeks a hardline Islamic state in northern Nigeria, has also carried out deadly cross-border attacks in neighbouring Chad, Cameroon and Niger.

One dead, 26 hurt as car rams people on Las Vegas Strip

Posted:

LAS VEGAS (AFP) - A woman with a toddler in her car deliberately and repeatedly rammed into pedestrians on the packed Las Vegas Strip Sunday, killing one person and injuring at least 26 others, police said.This was not an act of terrorism... weve ruled that out, Deputy Police Chief Brett Zimmerman told reporters.But he added: We have determined that this is an intentional act.The Las Vegas Strip, lined with casinos and fancy hotels, attracts throngs of tourists from around the world and is usually abuzz with activity.The incident occurred on the same night that Las Vegas hosted the popular Miss Universe pageant, which saw the crowning of Miss Philippines at a venue not far from where the chaotic scene unfolded. Witness Rabia Qureshi, a tourist from Wisconsin, told the local NBC station KSNV that the vehicle in question looked like a bowling ball and the human bodies were like pins.You think its a show, because youre in Vegas, Qureshi was quoted as saying by NBC News. But then I saw some people fly in the air.The suspect was in custody, speaking with detectives and undergoing several tests, including for alcohol.Police -- urging more witnesses to come forward -- described her as an African American woman in her 20s who was driving a 1996 Oldsmobile with Oregon license plates.The three-year-old toddler in the car was unharmed, they said.She went up off the street, onto the sidewalk, two or possibly three times, Las Vegas police Lieutenant Dan McGrath told reporters, describing the suspects actions.He said the woman was expected to be charged within hours. Zimmerman told reporters that one person had been killed and another 26 people were taken to area hospitals after the incident.He said six of those injured and listed in critical condition were now stable.Police had earlier put the number of people hurt at over 37.Local media outlet 8 News NOW said the incident occurred shortly after 6:30 pm between Planet Hollywood, where the Miss Universe pageant took place, and the Paris Las Vegas Hotel.There were men running after her trying to stop the vehicle. They couldnt get to her. They were yelling stop, and she wasnt trying, one witness told CNN.The suspect initially left the scene, police confirmed.Another local media outlet, KTNV, reported that the University Medical Center, one of three hospitals where the injured were taken, said most of its patients were from Montreal in Canada. Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval called the incident a tragic and shocking event.Cars were diverted near the Paris Las Vegas hotel, where the Strip was shut down as first responders rushed to the scene, according to CNN.Images from the scene showed a slew of police cars and ambulances against the backdrop of the citys glitzy world famous hotels.Authorities said it was likely that the Las Vegas Boulevard would remain closed for most of the night as the probe into what happened continued. Hours after the incident, live footage showed the usually bustling Strip taped off and eerily still.

New Zealand captain McCullum to quit internationals

Posted:

WELLINGTON (AFP) - Blockbusting batsman and New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum said Tuesday he will retire from all international cricket after the Test series against Australia in February.His 101st and last Test will be the second Test against Australia which starts in his home town, Christchurch, on February 20.McCullum, 34, said his retirement meant he would not be in the New Zealand team to be named soon for the World Twenty20 in India from March 8 to April 3. Ideally, I would have preferred to wait until after the Test in Christchurch to make this news public, he said.However, the schedule for naming the ICC World T20 squads means I couldnt have managed this without causing a lot of confusion and speculation, something I was keen to avoid.However the big-hitter, with a Test best innings of 302 and co-holder of the world record of 100 Test sixes with Australian Adam Gilchrist, said now was not the time for him to dwell on his achievements. Theres a time and place for reflection and thats at the end of your career, he said. Kane Williamson, whose unbeaten century steered New Zealand to victory over Sri Lanka in the second Test in Hamilton on Monday, was immediately confirmed by New Zealand officials as the new captain for the World Twenty20.

Football: Blatter, Platini vow to fight eight year bans

Posted:

ZURICH (AFP) - FIFAs ethics tribunal banned Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini for eight years Monday, saying they had abused their positions over a suspect $2 million payment.In a verdict that heightened the crisis in footballs scandal-plagued world body, the court strongly criticised the FIFA president and vice president, saying there was no legal basis for the payment that Blatter authorised for Platini in 2011.While full-blown corruption charges were dropped, both men angrily vowed to fight the bans.Blatter said he felt he was being used as a punching ball and declared: I will fight to the end.The ban, which starts immediately, promises to end 79-year-old Blatters four decades with FIFA in disgrace. It is also a devastating blow to Platinis hopes of taking over as head of FIFA in an election on February 26.European football leaders said the case was a worry however. Dutch football federation president Michael van Praag, a former challenger to Blatter for the FIFA leadership, called the sentence extremely scandalous for world football.The German federations acting leader Reinhard Rauball said changing faces would not be enough for FIFA. They must regain trust and credibility. It is going to take years.I think this is punishment enough, because it means they can never come back, former UEFA president Lennart Johansson told the Swedish daily Expressen.Blatter, FIFAs president since 1998, was fined 50,000 Swiss francs ($50,000/46,300 euros) while Platini, the head of UEFA, Europes governing body, was fined 80,000 Swiss francs.FIFA suspended the pair and launched an inquiry in October after Swiss prosecutors accused Blatter of criminal mismanagement over the two million Swiss franc ($2 million/1.8 million euro) payment that was caught with special software.A statement by the FIFA tribunal said Blatter and Platini were guilty of abusive execution of their powers over the payment.The judges said there was a conflict of interest and no legal basis for the transfer in their written agreement on advisory work by Platini between 1999 and 2002.Blatters assertion of an oral agreement was determined as not convincing and was rejected by the chamber.The court said: Mr Blatters actions did not show commitment to an ethical attitude.The judgement was even more damning of French football legend Platini.Mr Platini failed to act with complete credibility and integrity, showing unawareness of the importance of his duties and concomitant obligations and responsibilities.Under the ban, neither Blatter nor Platini can go near the FIFA headquarters in Zurich. Blatter cannot speak on behalf of the world body and Platini cannot even act as a television commentator for the European Championships he has helped to organise in France next year, a source close to FIFA said.Both strongly deny any wrongdoing. Blatter spent eight hours before a FIFA court last Thursday while Platini boycotted his hearing on Friday saying he had been convicted in advance.Blatter told a press conference he felt he had been betrayed and used as a punching ball.He said he would go to FIFAs appeal committee, the Court of Arbitration for Sports and the Swiss courts if necessary.He insisted the FIFA ethics committee had no right to depose him as president.Blatter was campaigning for reelection in 2011 but insisted he had not offered a bribe to Platini. Never in my life I would offer money to get something. This hurts me really in my heart, he said.Platini said in a statement that the FIFA decision was a masquerade intended to sully his name.He said he would go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and civil courts.This verdict is just a pathetic coverup for a desire to eliminate me from the world of football.FIFA said they had 10 days to appeal to its judiciary.Blatter would be fighting for his reputation. For Platini, the ban rules him out of the FIFA election to be held on February 26.The deadline for candidates to be registered and pass an integrity check is January 26.With FIFAs reputation in tatters after the arrest of several top officials, Blatter announced four days after winning re-election to a fifth term in May that he would stand down and call a new election.Seven FIFA officials were arrested in a luxury Zurich hotel two days before the election congress.Now US authorities have charged 39 football officials and sports business executives over more than $200 million in bribes for football television and marketing deals.Swiss prosecutors are in parallel investigating FIFAs management and the award of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar.Facing pressure from governments and the International Olympic Committee for major reforms, there are currently five candidates to take over FIFA: Asian football head Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa of Bahrain, South African politician and tycoon Tokyo Sexwale, former FIFA vice president Prince Ali bin al Hussein of Jordan, UEFA general-secretary Gianni Infantino and Jerome Champagne, a former FIFA assistant general secretary from France.

Football: Walcott wows as Arsenal steal march on Man City

Posted:

LONDON (AFP) - Theo Walcott scored a brilliant opening goal as Arsenal established themselves as the number one challengers to Premier League leaders Leicester City by overcoming Manchester City 2-1 on Monday.Walcott curled home a beauty in the 33rd minute before Mesut Ozil teed up Olivier Giroud to score his 12th goal in 14 games in first-half stoppage time, with Yaya Toures classy reply coming too late for City.Victory took Arsene Wengers side to within two points of Leicester, leaving City four points further back in third place after a third defeat in five league games and fifth of the campaign in total.Though Alexis Sanchez missed out again for Arsenal due to a hamstring injury, there was much to celebrate for the home side, including the impressive Ozil taking his tally of assists for the season to 15.But it was a bleak evening for City manager Manuel Pellegrini, who once again saw centre-backs Eliaquim Mangala and Nicolas Otamendi struggle in the absence of injured captain Vincent Kompany.Mindful of the danger of allowing Ozil room to roam between the lines, City lined up in a 4-4-1-1 formation with Fabian Delph and Kevin De Bruyne on either flank and David Silva supporting the fit-again Sergio Aguero.Reprising their tactics from Januarys 2-0 breakthrough win at the Etihad Stadium, Arsenal sat back, and De Bruyne drew a save from Cech after cutting in from the right flank and letting fly with his left foot.De Bruyne accidentally kicked the corner flag as he went to take the resulting corner and he had egg on his face again moments later when he shot narrowly wide after Agueros pass had put him clean through.It was a huge opportunity and barely a minute later Arsenal were ahead.Ozils pass found Walcott, stationed out on the left, and he moved inside onto his right foot before whipping a glorious, crisp shot inside Joe Harts left-hand post from 20 yards.Arsenals tails were up and right on half-time they twisted the knife, Ozil -- him again -- releasing Giroud to run through and drill a low shot between Harts legs.Pellegrini sent on Raheem Sterling for Delph at the break, but despite an improvement in Citys play, Aguero sending a couple of tame efforts at Cech, they remained alarmingly porous at the back.Joel Campbell spurned two chances to put Arsenal further ahead, first skying over from Nacho Monreals cross and then seeing a toed effort blocked by Hart after running onto Laurent Koscielnys 60-yard pass.Hart came to the rescue again shortly after, racing out and saving with his face after first-time passes from Ozil and Campbell presented Aaron Ramsey with a shooting chance.Aguero, who had looked off the pace on his return from a heel injury, departed in the 63rd minute, with Wilfried Bony coming on.Toure reduced the arrears eight minutes from time with a goal of breathtaking nonchalance, ambling onto Bacary Sagnas pass and placing a left-foot shot into the left-hand corner as easily as if he was picking up a pen.But despite frayed nerves among the home fans there was to be no equaliser, Bony seeing a shot deflected behind and Toure, suddenly energised, toeing the ball wide after a one-two with De Bruyne.

Football: Messi spat at by River Plate fan - reports

Posted:

BARCELONA (AFP) - Barcelona star Lionel Messi was spat at by a River Plate fan during an ugly airport altercation following his sides 3-0 victory in the Club World Cup final in Japan, Spanish media reported on Monday.Messi, who scored the opening goal in Sundays final, reportedly retaliated with a punch after being subjected to a series of insults from fans of the Argentine club as he was preparing to board a flight home from Tokyos Narita airport. An ugly incident occurred at Narita international airport. When Barcelona players were getting ready to go through passport control and security, several River fans insulted Messi and the issue escalated to the point that one of them spat at Messi, Spanish sports daily AS reported.According to several reports, an irate Messi responded by punching the fan who spat at him, before Barca coach Luis Enrique and team-mates Javier Mascherano and Luis Suarez stepped in to defuse the situation.However, Catalan daily Mundo Deportivo explained that shortly after the incident Messi was seen to be smiling and relaxed, playing down the significance of the event.Madrid-based daily Marca added that the group of supporters were also heckling ex-River player Mascherano, criticising him for forgetting his roots, with Mascherano having come through the youth ranks at the Buenos Aires club before making his professional debut with them in 2003.
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)