Monday 5 September 2016

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Veiled Muslim mothers prevented from entering French school

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MARSEILLE (AFP) - Two Muslim mothers wearing headscarves were accosted and prevented from entering a nursery school on the French island of Corsica on Monday by two other parents, officials said.The incident happened as parents were dropping off their children at the start of the school day in Bonifacio, on the islands southern tip.The two women, wearing Muslim headscarves, were stopped by two men, two brothers, who thought it wasnt right that their children are not allowed to wear emblems of their religion at school and yet these women could enter with their veils, said local prosecutor Eric Bouillard, confirming a report in the Corse-Matin newspaper.Bonifacio mayor Jean-Charles Orsucci said his education official had intervened to allow normal entry to the school.Police and a schools inspector were also sent to the scene and the situation calmed down. There was no violence, no threats, and therefore no laws broken, said Bouillard.While religious symbols are banned for pupils and teachers in French schools, there is no such constraint on parents.The incident is the latest example of intercommunal tensions in France.A burkini ban by local authorities in a string of resorts in southern France divided opinion and ended up in the courts.A Nice court finally suspended its ban on the Islamic swimsuit on Thursday after authorities there had defied a ruling by the countrys highest administrative court.The string of bans came after the full-body swimsuit allegedly sparked violent clashes in Corsica -- in the latest in a series of incidents that have raised tensions between local Muslims and their neighbours.In December, protesters vandalised a Muslim prayer hall and trashed copies of the Koran after an assault on firefighters that was blamed on youths of Arab origin.

Tennis: Serena into US Open last eight with record 308th Slam win

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NEW YORK (AFP) - Serena Williams broke through another barrier on Monday, her 308th Grand Slam match win taking her past Roger Federer for the most in major tournaments and into the quarter-finals of the US Open.Wow, its really exciting, Williams said of moving out of a tie with Swiss great Federer for most Grand Slam match wins.This is where it all started so its always so magical out here for me -- 308 sounds pretty good.Williams was never seriously challenged in a 6-2, 6-3 victory over 52nd-ranked Yaroslava Shvedova as she extended her career record over the Kazakh to 5-0.In fact, despite the injury fears sparked by the sore shoulder that hampered her at the Rio Olympics she has barely been challenged since arriving at Flushing Meadows, where she claimed the first of her six US Open titles in 1999.She has reached the business end of the tournament without dropping a set or indeed even dropping her serve. She has faced just one break point in four matches.A seventh US Open title would take her past the record she shares with Chris Evert, and would also break the Open Era record she shares with Steffi Graf of 22 Grand Slam crowns.Shell face Simona Halep for a semi-final berth after the fifth-seeded Romanian dispatched Spains Carla Suarez Navarro 6-2, 7-5.Halep, beaten in seven of eight prior encounters with Williams, was already bracing for the challenge.Shes like the best player in the world. I dont have to be afraid or to have emotions because I have nothing to lose, Halep said. Its just a huge challenge for me.Halep will go into the contest against Williams buoyed by a victory over Suarez Navarro, with whom shed split 10 prior meetings 5-5.Serving for the match at 5-4 Halep was broken, but she broke back immediately and made no mistake with her second chance.The tantalizing prospect of a semi-final clash between Williams and her sister Venus evaporated as the elder Williams fell to hard-hitting Czech Karolina Pliskova 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3).Venus was unable to convert her lone match point as Pliskova, serving at 5-4 in the third, saved herself with a forehand volley then held to extend the match.With another break under her belt Pliskova had a chance to close it out at 6-5, but after surging to a 40-0 lead she lost five straight points as Venus forced the decider.In the breaker, I went for a little bit more, but I didnt put the ball in enough, said the 36-year-old American, whose seven Grand Slam titles include two US Opens. I went for some aggressive shots, didnt necessarily put them in.For Pliskova it was a breakthrough win, putting her into a first Grand Slam quarter-final. Despite her entrenched position in the top 20 she had never made it past the third round of a major in 17 prior tries.Happy to have the discussion of her under-performance on the games major stages behind her, she remained wary of a possible quarter-final meeting with fourth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska.Radwanska closed out fourth-round action against Ana Konjuh, the 18-year-old Croatian who held three match points against the Pole before succumbing in the second round at Wimbledon.Not only is Radwanska trying to reach the US Open last eight for the first time, she has an outside chance of overtaking Serena Williams atop the world rankings if she can go all the way.Second-seeded German Angelique Kerber is even better placed to nudge Serena off the summit. Her run to the quarters means the American must at least reach the final to stay top for a 187th consecutive which would, of course, be a record.If both Kerber and Serena make the championship match, the American will have to win to extend her reign.Kerber will try to keep the pressure on when the quarter-finals get underway on Tuesday. She takes on seventh-seeded Italian Roberta Vinci -- who shocked Serena en route to a runner-up finish last year.Former world number one Caroline Wozniacki takes on Latvian Anastasija Sevastova in a quarter-final between two players on the comeback trail.

Tennis: Andy Murray breezes into US Open quarter-finals

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NEW YORK (AFP) - Second seed and 2012 champion Andy Murray crushed Bulgarias Grigor Dimitrov 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 to reach a sixth US Open quarter-final Monday, clocking up a personal fast serve record in the process.The 29-year-old reigning Wimbledon and Olympic champion stormed to an impressive seventh win in 10 meetings against the 22nd-seeded Dimitrov.From the moment Murray broke for a 3-1 lead in the first set, on the back of a lung-busting 32-shot rally, the outcome of the Arthur Ashe Stadium clash was never in doubt.For good measure, Murray sent down his fastest ever serve of 141mph (226.9 km/h) at the end of a set where he allowed Dimitrov just five points on his service.I once hit a 145mph serve in San Jose but they recalibrated the machine the next day so it didnt count. Tonight was the first time I have gone above 140, said the 29-year-old.It was lucky and I doubt Ill ever do it again.Dimitrov broke only once in the match in the fourth game of the second set but it was a brief respite as Murray quickly reclaimed it before taking 10 of the next 12 games to seal the rout.Dimitrov committed 43 unforced errors as Murray set up a last-eight clash with Japanese sixth seed Kei Nishikori, the 2014 runner-up who downed 37-year-old Ivo Karlovic 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4).Karlovic fired 21 aces in the contest but Nishikoris 44 winners and a miserly seven unforced errors proved the key.Its never easy facing someone serving like Ivo, never easy to return those kind of serves, said Nishikori.But I tried to stay down. I have been returning well, so that also helped today. I think I played one of the best matches -- serve, return, groundstrokes.Juan Martin del Potro, the 2009 champion, became the lowest ranked player in 25 years to reach the quarter-finals.The 142nd-ranked del Potro was leading eighth-seeded Dominic Thiem 6-3, 3-2 when the Austrian retired with a right knee injury.Del Potro will face fellow Grand Slam title winner Stan Wawrinka for a semi-final spot.Wawrinka, a former Australian and French Open champion, reached a fourth successive quarter-final in New York with a hard-fought 6-4, 6-1, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3 win over Illya Marchenko, the world number 63 from Ukraine.Del Potro is playing just his second Grand Slam event since the 2014 Australian Open.Earlier this year, he was on the brink of retirement after undergoing three wrist surgeries.You never want to win a match like this. I wish Dominic a quick recovery as he has a great future, said 27-year-old del Potro, the lowest-ranked man in the last-eight since Jimmy Connors, at 174, went all the way to semi-finals in 1991.The 23-year-old Thiem had needed five sets to beat Australias John Millman in the first round and four to get past Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain in the last 32.I couldnt bend my knee too much in the last three days so I was handicapped a little bit, said Thiem playing his 70th match of the year.Should del Potro make the semi-finals he would be the lowest-ranked man to do so at a Grand Slam since 237th-ranked Vladimir Voltchkov at Wimbledon in 2000.No man ranked as low as del Potro has ever made the final of a major.Having saved a match point in an epic triumph over Dan Evans in the last round, Wawrinka, a semi-finalist in 2013 and 2015, cruised through the first two sets against Marchenko.The Ukrainian, who arrived in New York on a seven-match losing streak, battled back from 2-4 and 3-5 down in the third set to force a tiebreaker.He was a break to the good at 2-1 in the fourth before Wawrinka, reinvigorated by a violent racquet smash courtside, recovered to win five of the next six games.It was tough to lose that third set but I am looking at the big picture, said 31-year-old Wawrinka, whose 49 winners helped offset his 41 unforced errors.The first two quarter-finals take place on Tuesday when defending champion Novak Djokovic faces Frances Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Lucas Pouille, the conqueror of Rafael Nadal, tackles French compatriot Gael Monfils.

Tennis: Del Potro faces Wawrinka for US Open semi-final spot

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NEW YORK (AFP) - Juan Martin del Potro became the lowest ranked player in 25 years to reach the US Open quarter-finals Monday, setting up a showdown with fellow Grand Slam title winner, Stan Wawrinka.The 142nd-ranked del Potro was leading eighth-seeded Dominic Thiem 6-3, 3-2 when the Austrian retired with a right knee injury.Del Potro, the 2009 US Open nchampion who was pushed to the brink of retirement earlier this year after undergoing three surgeries on his left wrist, will next face third seed Wawrinka for a semi-final place.Wawrinka, a former Australian and French Open champion, reached a fourth successive quarter-final in New York with a hard-fought 6-4, 6-1, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3 win over Illya Marchenko, the world number 63 from Ukraine.You never want to win a match like this. I wish Dominic a quick recovery as he has a great future, said 27-year-old del Potro, the lowest-ranked man in the last-eight since Jimmy Connors, at 174, went all the way to semi-finals in 1991.The giant Argentine had required treatment himself on a right shoulder injury after dropping serve to go 2-1 down in the first set.But he recovered to break back for 3-3 before edging ahead at 5-3 and taking the opener on an ace.Del Potro was a break to the good again at 2-1 in the second set before Thiem began to flag.The 23-year-old Austrian had needed five sets to beat Australias John Millman in the first round and four to get past Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain in the last 32.I couldnt bend my knee too much in the last three days so I was handicapped a little bit, said Thiem.He was also playing in a season-leading 70th match of the season and 21st tournament, a gruelling schedule which finally caught up with him on Arthur Ashe Stadium.Should del Potro make the semi-finals he would be the lowest-ranked man to do so at a Grand Slam since 237th-ranked Vladimir Voltchkov at Wimbledon in 2000.No man ranked as low as del Potro has ever made the final of a major.Having saved a match point in an epic triumph over Dan Evans in the last round, Wawrinka, a semi-finalist in 2013 and 2015, cruised through the first two sets against Marchenko.The Ukrainian, who arrived in New York on a seven-match losing streak, battled back from 2-4 and 3-5 down in the third set to force a tiebreaker.He was a break to the good at 2-1 in the fourth before Wawrinka, reinvigorated by a violent racquet smash courtside, recovered to win five of the next six games.It was tough to lose that third set but I am looking at the big picture, said 31-year-old Wawrinka, whose 49 winners helped offset his 41 unforced errors.Itll be great to play Juan Martin again. It will be a great challenge.Japanese sixth seed Kei Nishikori spiked the big guns of 37-year-old Ivo Karlovic to book his last-eight spot. The 2014 runner-up swept to a 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) win and will face either second seed and 2012 champion Andy Murray or Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria for a place in the semi-finals.Karlovic fired 21 aces in the contest but Nishikoris 44 winners and a miserly seven unforced errors proved the key.Murray closes the night session on Monday protecting a 6-3 head-to-head lead over Dimitrov although the 25-year-old Bulgarian won their last match in Miami in March.The first two quarter-finals take place on Tuesday when defending champion Novak Djokovic faces Frances Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Lucas Pouille, the conqueror of Rafael Nadal, tackles French compatriot Gael Monfils.

Football: Bale fires Euro stars Wales in Moldova stroll

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CARDIFF (AFP) - Gareth Bale scored two goals and created another as Euro 2016 sensations Wales crushed Moldova 4-0 in their opening 2018 World Cup qualifier in Cardiff on Monday.The Real Madrid forward teed up Sam Vokes for a 38th-minute opener and then scored his 23rd and 24th international goals after Joe Allen had registered his first.Chris Colemans Wales reached the semi-finals at Euro 2016 before losing to eventual champions Portugal and are seeking to qualify for their first World Cup since 1958.We had to get off to a good start in the first game, said Wales manager Coleman.It was going to be tough and we had to be patient and disciplined, and we were.We had a good level of professionalism and the supporters were great. The players got the ball and could have scored more.Victory at the Cardiff City Stadium made Wales the early pace-setters in UEFA qualifying Group D, which also features Austria, Serbia, the Republic of Ireland and Georgia.Wales tackle Austria in Vienna in their next game on October 6.Bale, 27, is now the second-highest scorer in Wales history, four goals behind former Liverpool striker Ian Rush.We know these games are very difficult, Bale told Sky Sports.The teams can be difficult to break down, but were learning to cope with that sort of play.We enjoyed the past, but its history now and its time to make some more.Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey missed Waless Euro semi-final defeat by Portugal through suspension and he was absent again against Moldova, this time due to a hamstring injury.Coleman made only two changes to the team that had lined up in Lyon, with Ben Davies -- suspended that evening -- and Vokes replacing James Collins and Hal Robson-Kanu.Ranked 165th in the world and having never reached a major tournament, Igor Dobrovolskis Moldova accepted the role of would-be party poopers with relish.The visitors packed men behind the ball in a 5-4-1 formation and exploited Israeli referee Liran Lianys leniency by breaking up Waless rhythm with cynical fouls.But a flash of Bales left boot yielded the breakthrough, the Real Madrid star whipping a glorious cross into the box from the right that Vokes steered past goalkeeper Ilie Cebanu with his head.It was 2-0 before half-time as Stoke City new boy Allen broke his international duck in the 44th minute.After shovelling a shot from Bale around his right-hand post, Cebanu flapped at Joe Ledleys corner and Allen clipped the loose ball through a thicket of players and into the net.Bale added a third early in the second half, seizing upon a calamitous back-pass by Ion Jardan and racing through to loft a shot over Cebanu.Robson-Kanu, scorer of the goal that inspired Waless Euro quarter-final victory over Belgium, came on as a late substitute for Vokes to make his first appearance of the season.After Cebanu had thwarted Robson-Kanu, Bale made it 4-0 from the penalty spot in stoppage time after he had been bundled over inside the box.If Wales had been so much better, Id congratulate them, said Moldova coach Dobrovolski.But they scored four times because of our mistakes. In games like this, you cant make such childish mistakes.

Football: 10-man Italy get Ventura-era off to winning start

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HAIFA (AFP) - Italy, reduced to 10-men, got their 2018 World Cup qualifying off to an impressive start by defeating Israel 3-1 in-front of a sold-out Sammy Offer stadium in Haifa Monday.The victory marked new Italian manager Giampiero Venturas first win as Azzurri boss.He said: I wont say our performance was perfect, as we conceded that goal similar to the one we let in against France (in last weeks friendly).The 68-year-old manager added: We worked as a team, suffered as a team and won as a team.Italy stunned the home crowd when Shandong Luneng forward Graziano Pelle tapped in a goal past helpless Israeli keeper Dudu Goresh in the 14th minute.In the 31st minute, Italy won a controversial penalty when Israeli defender Ben Bitton knocked Giacomo Bonaventura to the ground.Antonio Candreva converted the penalty.After Italy dominated possession in the first 35 minutes, Israeli winger Tal Ben Haim scored a beautiful chip to give Israel a fighting chance.Israel started the second half full of confidence and threatened Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon several times.Israel were given renewed hope when Italy were reduced to 10 men in the 55th minute, veteran defender Girgio Chiellini picking up his second yellow card of the evening.It was the Italian defenders first red card in 90 appearances for the Azzurri. The sending off revitalised the Israeli crowd and brought hope that they could cause a huge upset.Israel continued to attack before an Italian fast break in the 83rd minute sealed the deal when Ciro Immobile scored to give the visitors a decisive lead.Immobile, 26, looked ahead to next months clash with Spain, said: Were in a complicated group and unfortunately only the top team goes through. These trips can be complicated, but we got there and have the full three points.The fans need to keep cheering us on the way they did during the Euros and well give our all to reach the World Cup. Its an honour to play with the Italy jersey.Despite the disappointing result, Israel captain Eran Zahavi said he was proud of the performance.I think maybe we deserved a little more in this game .We had a brave National Team that took risks and didnt give up.Former Southampton forward Pelle, who also scored against France last Thursday, congratulated his teammates on a fantastic result despite being down 10-man.As usual, Italy are always ready when the game actually counts for something. We had an extra few days to work with the coach and his wonderful staff.We knew that we had to remain fully concentrated, as the fans fired up the hosts and it is a tough arena to play in, but we proved we fight to the end even a man down.In the next batch of qualifiers in October Italy tackle Spain in Turin while Israel travel to Skopje to face Macedonia.

Golf: Brilliant McIlroy ends drought with Deutsche Bank crown

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BOSTON (AFP) - Rory McIlroy shot a superb six-under-par 65 to end his 16-month PGA Tour title drought with victory in the Deutsche Bank Championship on Monday.The Northern Ireland star laid the foundations for a two-stroke victory over Englands Paul Casey with a bewitching front nine performance, sinking five birdies to be five under at the turn.Two more birdies and a bogey on the back nine at TPC Boston sealed a deserved win for the 27-year-old, whose last win on the PGA Tour came at the Wells Fargo Championship in May 2015.The win earned McIlroy another $1.53 million and will see him move up to third in the next set of world rankings.It also catapulted him from 38th to fourth place in the standings for the lucrative FedExCup post-season series.Third round leader Casey had begun the day three shots clear, but saw his challenge unravel after posting four bogeys in a two-over-par 73 to finish second.PGA champion Jimmy Walker finished three adrift of McIlroy after shooting a 70. Australias world number six Adam Scott was alone in fourth place after a six-under-par 65, but had left himself too much work to do to challenge for the lead.Patrick Reed, James Hahn and Argentinas Fabian Gomez all tied for fifth place, 10 under for the tournament, five behind McIlroy.US Open champion and world number two Dustin Johnson recovered from his disastrous third round 75 with a 66 to claim a share of eighth place with six others players at nine under.World number one Jason Day finished with a closing 67 in a six-way tie for 15th at eight under.

Football: Messi in doubt for Celtic clash with groin injury

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BARCELONA (AFP) - Lionel Messis availability for Barcelonas Champions League opener with Celtic next week remains in doubt after tests confirmed the five-time World Player of the Year is suffering from a groin injury.Messi returned to Spain after aggravating the injury as he scored the winner against Uruguay last Thursday in his first match with Argentina since reversing his decision to retire from international football.In a statement on Monday Barcelona said tests had confirmed an injury to his left groin and that Messi will lower the demands of his training sessions in the next few days.The Spanish champions refused to state how long Messi will be sidelined for, but Barca are unlikely to take any risks for Alaves trip to the Camp Nou on Saturday with seven matches to come in 22 days.Everything is fine, I have to slow things down as I recover with physio, but its nothing to worry about, Messi posted on his official Facebook page.Messi had started the season in fine form, scoring three times as Barca won the Spanish Super Cup against Sevilla and opened their La Liga title defence with back-to-back victories over Real Betis and Athletic Bilbao.Argentina boss Edgardo Bauza said Messi had gone against the wishes of Barcelonas doctors to make a triumphant return to the national team having dramatically reversed his shock decision to retire from international duty after missing a penalty in Argentinas Copa America final defeat to Chile in June.Messi will miss Argentinas latest World Cup qualifier away to Venezuela on Tuesday.

Karachi: Ex-cop among two arrested in police operation

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – Crackdown against criminal elements continues in Karachi as police arrested two accused during a raid in Mahmoodabad area on Monday, Dunya News reported.According to details, police carried out an operation in Mahmoodabad No-1 area and arrested two accused, including a former police constable. The arrested accused were named as Arif and Mehfooz.Police sources said that Arif and Mehfooz were involved in more than 50 cases of street crimes and used to carry out their criminal activities in a rickshaw. Police have also recovered arms from the arrested accused.

PTI to show political strength in Karachi today

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – All arrangements have been finalized for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Pakistan Zindabad rally in Karachi’s Nishtar Park today (Tuesday), Dunya News reported. PTI chief Imran Khan visited the venue of the Pakistan Zindabad rally at Nishtar Park on Monday night and expressed his satisfaction over the arrangements.Speaking to the workers gathered at the Nishtar Park, the PTI chief criticized Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Safiq for rejecting references against the Prime Minister. Earlier, speaking to the particiants of a demonstration protest by Pakistan Steel Mills employees, Imran Khan said that Pakistan was supposed to become a welfare state. He said that in 2008 Pakistan Steel Mills was operating in surplus but it had been looted after that.Imran Khan further said that country’s educational and judiciary system has been failed. Corruption, the reason behind unemployement in the country, PTI chief said. We would protest together with Pakistan Steel Mills employees if their salaries would not be given, the politician said.

Sialkot: Arms supplier to banned outfit arrested

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SIALKOT (Dunya News) - Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) carried out an operation at the Pasroor Road in Sialkot on Monday and arrested a terrorist involved in supplying arms to banned outfits, Dunya News reported.The CTD personnel recovered two hand grenades from the arrested terrorist who was identified as Riaz alias Baba. The CTD sources said that Riaz used to supply arms to the banned organizations. The CTD handed over the hand grenades to bomb disposal squad to defuse them. A case has also been registered against Riaz under terrorist act at the City police Station.

G20 warns against slide into protectionism

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HANGZHOU (AFP) - The worlds leading economies spoke out against a return to protectionism and defended the unfashionable concepts of free trade and globalisation Monday, warning the listless global economy needs an urgent reboot.The G20 summit took place in China with rising populist sentiment discouraging leaders from making difficult commitments, and a stumbling push for a Syria ceasefire and Asias territorial disputes intruding on the agenda.We have agreed... to support the multilateral trade system and oppose protectionism, said Chinas President Xi Jinping after hosting the gathering in the scenic eastern city of Hangzhou.At the end of the tightly choreographed talks, held in a cavernous complex in a largely deserted city, Xi produced resolutions on combatting industrial overcapacity -- particularly in the sclerotic steel sector -- and boosting international cooperation on corporate taxation.But in a communique the leaders pointed to a litany of economic ills including financial market volatility, sluggish trade and investment, and gyrating commodity prices. They also turned to the refugee and migrant crisis, calling for the burden to be shared more fairly and for nations to step up their humanitarian assistance.Worldwide massive forced displacement of people, unprecedented since the Second World War, especially those generated from violent conflicts, is a global concern, they said.EU President Donald Tusk said in Hangzhou at the weekend that Europe was close to limits on its ability to accept more refugees and urged the broader international community not to shirk its responsibilities.Syria, the source of many of those migrants, was one of the geopolitical issues that swirled around the gathering.The US and Russia tried and failed to strike a deal on stemming the violence in the disastrous five-year conflict, even as a string of bomb attacks hit across the country, underlining the urgency of the task.We have had some productive conversations about what a real cessation of hostilities would look like, US President Barack Obama said after meeting his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.But Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei could not bridge the divide despite two rounds of diplomacy, and left with only an agreement to meet again in coming days.I believe that we are on the right track and could, at least for some period of time, agree to carry out mutual energetic attempts to make the situation in Syria more healthy, Putin said.China saw the summit as a showcase for its global leadership credentials, but the Asian giants geopolitical troublespots flared during the gathering.North Korea fired three ballistic missiles into the sea on Monday, South Korea said, in a show of force that collided with the summit.Beijing is Pyongyangs main patron and protector but has been either unwilling or unable to rein in its nuclear and missile ambitions that have sent tensions soaring across East Asia and beyond.There was better news though on another perennial faultline, with Xi and Japans Shinzo Abe seeking to reset their countries vexed relationship at their first meeting in over a year.Abe called China an important friend and Xi suggested they put their troubles behind them, in a sharp departure in tone for the pair which have been at loggerheads over territorial disputes and historical animosity.The Group of 20 leading developed and emerging economies represents 85 percent of the worlds GDP and two-thirds of its population, and Beijing invested heavily in the high-profile event.It micromanaged every detail, virtually emptying the host city and imposing tight controls on visiting delegations and the press in the hopes of avoiding missteps -- measures that backfired at times including a shouting match with White House officials on the airport tarmac which captured headlines.Despite the staunch defence of free trade, the talks took place amid a perception that the global economic order exemplified by the G20 is not working for ordinary people.The International Monetary Funds Christine Lagarde conceded that globalisation has to benefit all, not a few, but said that the fruits of a connected world were severely undersold.That story of benefits of trade, the improvement of productivity, the improvement of choices, the way in which trade has lifted so many people out of poverty, she said.There was a determination around the room to better identify the benefits of trade in order to respond to the easy populist backlash against globalisation.In their communique the group resolved to make growth more inclusive, generating more quality jobs, addressing inequalities and eradicating poverty so that no one is left behind.And many leaders, alive to the public mood, sounded a note of regret that so many had been left behind in the rush for development.The world must do more to ensure that working people really benefit from the opportunities created by free trade, Britains new Prime Minister Theresa May said as she worked overtime to start shaping her countrys post-EU access to world markets.

Oil bounces on Saudi-Russian pledge to steady prices

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LONDON (AFP) - Oil prices rallied on Monday by up to five percent after key crude producers Russia and Saudi Arabia vowed to stabilise the market.Saudi Energy Minister Khaled Al-Falih and his Russian counterpart Alexander Novak -- representing the worlds two biggest oil producers -- declared they had agreed to act together to steady the market, on the sidelines of a G20 meeting in China.In reaction, Brent North Sea crude leapt as high as $49.40 a barrel.US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) soared to $46.53.Prices later pulled back as Saudi Arabia ruled out the need to trim back production.The two nations noted the particular importance of constructive dialogue and close cooperation between the largest oil-producing countries with the goal of supporting the stability of the oil market, the ministers said in a joint statement.To this end the ministers agreed to act together or in cooperation with other oil producers, the statement said, adding they had agreed to set up a joint monitoring group to offer recommendations aimed at preventing price fluctuations. Novak described the announcement as marking a new era in cooperation between Russia and Saudi Arabia and insisted that it would have a critical significance for oil markets, news agency Interfax reported. However, there were no details on any deal to freeze oil output around current levels, just weeks before Moscow and the 13-nation Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) crude cartel meet in Algeria to discuss a global supply glut.The globes major oil producers have been unable to strike an accord on freezing output, owing mainly to a dispute between Saudi Arabia and Iran over Tehrans desire to raise production levels after the lifting of sanctions. After meeting Novak, Falih told Al-Arabiya television channel there was currently no need to freeze production.A freeze is one of the preferred options but it is not needed for the moment, he said. OPEC and Russia together account for about half of the worlds oil output.Around 1200 GMT, prices had tempered their gains somewhat.Brent for delivery in November stood at $47.55 a barrel, up 72 cents or 1.54 percent from Fridays closing level. WTI for October was 66 cents at $45.10.The news was not all too significant after all, noted Forex.com analyst Fawad Razaqzada.Saudis energy minister has said that oil prices are improving and that freezing production is not the only solution.So overall the news could have been a lot more bullish for oil -- although that is not to say prices will not bounce back again.Oil prices have been plagued by a stubborn supply glut that saw the market plunge to near 13-year lows below $30 at the start of 2016.Although it has since recovered somewhat, the market is still far off the peaks above $100 that were scaled in mid-2014.

London stocks drop on strong pound

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LONDON (AFP) - Londons stock market fell Monday on a rallying pound, while eurozone indices lost earlier gains to close flat after a pre-weekend surge triggered by well-received US jobs data.Wall Street was closed for a public holiday.Oil prices bounced after the worlds two biggest oil producers, Saudi Arabia and Russia, pledged to stabilise the market.Londons benchmark FTSE 100 index was 0.2 percent lower, as the pound jumped above $1.33 in the wake of strong UK services sector activity that further eased concerns over Brexits economic fallout.August saw the UK economy score a hat-trick of good news with a record rebound in the services PMI to round things off after solid readings for the manufacturing and construction sectors, said Forex.com analyst Fawad Razaqzada. This is really good news for the pound, perhaps not so good for UK stocks in the short-term as it reduces the odds for further rate cuts from the Bank of England.Activity in Britains crucial services sector showed a record jump in August, rebounding strongly from a slump immediately following the countrys vote to exit the EU, according to a survey.The PMI for the services industry surged to 52.9 points in August, from 47.4 in July. A reading under 50 indicates shrinkage to activity.British Prime Minister Theresa May, meanwhile, tried to start shaping the countrys post-EU access to world markets as she met global leaders at the G20 summit in China, facing a Japanese warning over the fallout from Brexit.The pound has lost 10 to 15 percent of its value against the euro and the dollar since the June 23 referendum.In the long term, we continue to expect sterling depreciation. High uncertainty surrounding the Brexit negotiations and its impact on the UK economy will persist for a long time, UniCredits Vasileios Gkionakis said in a note to investors.In eurozone stocks trading, Frankfurts DAX 30 index and the Paris CAC 40 were flat.Europes main indices closed between 1.4 and 2.3 percent higher on Friday, as a slowdown in US jobs creation doused expectations for an interest rate hike this month from the Federal Reserve, while at the same time showing the worlds top economy was still improving.Playing catch-up Monday, Tokyos benchmark Nikkei 225 index closed at a three-month high, leading a broader rally across Asia.The much-anticipated jobs reading on Friday showed 151,000 new posts in August, below expectations but indicating that hiring remained solid.Before its release, analysts had seen the reading as a guide to the Feds plans after its boss Janet Yellen -- and later her vice chairman Stanley Fischer -- suggested a rate rise could come this year.Oil prices rallied by up to five percent after ministers from key crude producers Russia and Saudi Arabia declared they had agreed to act together to steady the market, on the G20s sidelines.But Capital Economics Tom Pugh said he saw nothing in the announcement to change our view that oil prices will finish the year a little lower than they are now.

One-dayers are lacking context, says Ponting

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NEW DELHI (AFP) - Australias former World Cup-winning skipper Ricky Ponting said Monday loads of one-day cricket may put the 50-over version in danger of losing its relevance.Speaking to the media a day after Australia consolidated their top ODI spot with a 4-1 series win against Sri Lanka, Ponting seemed underwhelmed by his countrys achievement.One-day cricket is the game at the moment that is lacking the most context, Ponting told reporters at a promotional event in New Delhi.You just have a one-off series like the Australia-Sri Lanka series, it doesnt really matter, it doesnt mean anything.Both teams want to win the series but there is nothing else riding on it. Maybe each ODI will have some sort of relevance for the World Cup rankings but nothing more than that, Ponting said.Ponting though appreciated t he Australian team for their bounce-back ability after the visitors overcame a 3-0 Test drubbing last month to outplay the hosts in ODIs.Australia have bounced back from a disappointing Test series...so trust me its not all doom and gloom, Ponting, who led Australia to two World Cup triumphs in 2003 and 2007, said.The batting great also lauded Aussie pace spearhead Mitchell Starc, who stood out with with 24 wickets in three Tests and 12 in five ODIs to make an impression on sluggish sub-continent pitches.Mitchell Starc is arguably the best fast bowler in the world at the moment, Ponting said of the lanky pacer who had returned to Test matches in Sri Lanka after an ankle injury.We have seen and unearthed some very talented players in the last two or three seasons. David Warner, Steve Smith, Nathan Lyon and Usman Khawaja has been good, Ponting said of the current lot of players. Ponting, who scored 13,378 runs in 168 Tests during his 17-year-long glittering career, also had his opinion on the growing clamour for day-night Test cricket.We have seen it once in Adelaide. It was a great success albeit the game went for just three and a half days, so you can argue there, was it a great spectacle for Test cricket or did it have an adverse effect? Ponting said of the first day-night Test between Australia and New Zealand last year.But once again I am all for what administrators and fans believe is right for the game.If the fans are calling out for day-night Test cricket then as players and administrators we will do whatever we can to deliver that to them, he added.
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