Friday 11 November 2016

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Australia all out for 85 in 2nd Test

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HOBART (AFP) - Australia were routed for 85 off 32.5 overs in their first innings after being sent into bat on the opening day of the second Test against South Africa in Hobart on Saturday.Skipper Steve Smith remained unbeaten on 48 with Vernon Philander taking five for 21 for his 10th five-wicket haul or more in an innings.It was Australias lowest total against South Africa in Australia, although they were skittled for 47 in Cape Town in 2011.There were some memorable catches taken by South Africa to back up the efforts of their bowlers.JP Duminy took a one-handed diving screamer in the gully to dismiss Mitchell Starc, while wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock leaped across slips to take a one-handed gloved effort to remove Nathan Lyon to end the Australian innings.At lunch Australia were fighting to avoid one of their lowest first innings in a home Test after a disastrous opening morning facing the South African bowlers.The Australians reached lunch at 43 for six after being sent in to bat on a juicy strip with skipper Steve Smith fighting a lone hand on 20 and Test newcomer Joe Mennie on 10.Australia just managed to scrape past their lowest-ever first innings total of 42 in a home Test made against England in 1888.Vernon Philander was South Africas destroyer with the figures of three for three before he was forced from the field with a shoulder injury after a mid-pitch collision with Smith while making a leg before wicket appeal.Australia began disastrously with David Warner guilty of needlessly chasing a wide ball and edging to a jubilant Quinton de Kock in Philanders opening over.It was an irresponsible shot from the Australian vice-captain and things only got worse in Kyle Abbotts following over when recalled Joe Burns was trapped leg before wicket.The home side had lost both openers for just two runs as Usman Khawaja and skipper Steve Smith came together on a perilous pitch.Khawaja lasted until the ninth over until he edged Philander to Hashim Amla at slip for four and Adam Voges was out next ball, caught behind by de Kock, with Callum Ferguson facing a hat-trick ball in his first Test at eight for four.Smith survived a Decision Review System (DRS) appeal for lbw after he collided with a back-pedalling Philander as he scurried off for a single.Philander was forced to leave the field for shoulder treatment but in the next over Ferguson was brilliantly run out for three by a direct throw by fielding substitute Dane Vilas while going for a second run.Wicketkeeper Peter Nevill was the sixth wicket to fall after a DRS review of a lbw appeal off Kagiso Rabada with nothing going Australias way.The Australians are looking to fight back from a comprehensive 177-run loss to the Proteas in the series opener in Perth with the team coming under heavy criticism over their capitulation.The Proteas are on the verge of emulating the intimidating West Indies teams of the 1980s-1990s with three straight series wins in Australia after their convincing victory in Perth.The South Africans earlier named Kyle Abbott in their only change in the absence of injured strike bowler Dale Steyn.Australia dropped all-rounder Mitchell Marsh and gave Test debuts to batsman Ferguson at No.6 and paceman Mennie, while Burns replaced injured opener Shaun Marsh.

Tennis: Murray, Djokovic target year-end top spot

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LONDON (AFP) - Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic will stage a dramatic battle to finish 2016 on top of the world as the two old rivals aim for the title at the ATP Tour Finals.A friendly rivalry that began 15 years ago when they first faced off in European junior tournaments will reach a new level over the week as they fight to end the year as the world number one.Murray shattered Djokovics 122-week reign at the top last weekend when the Wimbledon champion became the first British man to reach pole position in the ATP rankings. But Murray has only a 405-point lead over Djokovic in the rankings and the Scot can be passed by the Serb if he doesnt match or better his rivals performance at the prestigious season-ending event at Londons O2 Arena.As the top two seeds, Murray and Djokovic have been drawn in different groups in the eight-player tournament, meaning they cant meet before the semi-finals.If their 35th Tour-level meeting comes in the final, it would be a fitting occasion to decide the top ranking, which last changed hands at the Tour Finals in 2001 when Lleyton Hewitt supplanted Gustavo Kuerten.Murray has enjoyed an incredible 11 months on and off the court in which he has won Wimbledon for the second time, claimed a second Olympic singles gold medal and become a father to baby daughter Sophia.This year is the best Ive had on court, the last few months have been the best in terms of my consistency, Murray said.Away from the court its been by far the best in my life, a big change and a great change. Ive really enjoyed being a parent. When I step on the court I will have a little more confidence and feel better about myself.I dont want to spend time discussing whats happened in the last few months. I want to keep getting better.Thats what Ive always tried to do. I dont feel any different.Although Murray has lost 24 of his clashes with Djokovic, few of his peers on the Tour question his right to be number one after such a strong year.Djokovic agrees, saying: I have only words of praise for what he has achieved in the last year or so.Definitely he is a well deserved number one at this point. He has been the best player for the last six months without a doubt. Whether he can sustain that is not a question for me but looking at his qualities and commitment there is a good chance he can play at this level for a long time.Djokovic has been in a slump since winning the French Open in June to complete his career Grand Slam, raising questions about his appetite for continued success.But the 12-time major winner might find the O2 Arena is the ideal venue to restore his confidence.He has won the Tour Finals for the last four years and another success this year would equal Roger Federers record of six titles.With Federer and Rafael Nadal both absent due to injury, Djokovic and Murray will be the centre of attention.They could have very different paths to the trophy as Djokovic holds a remarkable 23-0 combined record against Milos Raonic, Gael Monfils and Dominic Thiem, who comprise his group stage opponents.In contrast, Murray, who has never been past the semi-finals of the event, has to survive a tricky group featuring US Open champion Stan Wawrinka, as well as Japans Kei Nishikori and Croatian Marin Cilic, who have both beaten the Scot this year.

Aussie innings in tatters in Philander-led rampage

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HOBART (AFP) - Australia were fighting to avoid one of their lowest first innings in a home Test after a disastrous opening morning facing the South African bowlers in the second Test in Hobart on Saturday.The Australians reached lunch at 43 for six after being sent in to bat on a juicy strip with skipper Steve Smith fighting a lone hand on 20 and Test newcomer Joe Mennie on 10.Australia just managed to scrape past their lowest-ever first innings total of 42 in a home Test made against England in 1888.Vernon Philander was South Africas destroyer with the figures of three for three before he was forced from the field with a shoulder injury after a mid-pitch collision with Smith while making a leg before wicket appeal.Australia began disastrously with David Warner guilty of needlessly chasing a wide ball and edging to a jubilant Quinton de Kock in Philanders opening over.It was an irresponsible shot from the Australian vice-captain and things only got worse in Kyle Abbotts following over when recalled Joe Burns was trapped leg before wicket.The home side had lost both openers for just two runs as Usman Khawaja and skipper Steve Smith came together on a perilous pitch.Khawaja lasted until the ninth over until he edged Philander to Hashim Amla at slip for four and Adam Voges was out next ball, caught behind by de Kock, with Callum Ferguson facing a hat-trick ball in his first Test at eight for four.Smith survived a Decision Review System (DRS) appeal for lbw after he collided with a back-pedalling Philander as he scurried off for a single.Philander was forced to leave the field for shoulder treatment but in the next over Ferguson was brilliantly run out for three by a direct throw by fielding substitute Dane Vilas while going for a second run.Wicketkeeper Peter Nevill was the sixth wicket to fall after a DRS review of a lbw appeal off Kagiso Rabada with nothing going Australias way.The Australians are looking to fight back from a comprehensive 177-run loss to the Proteas in the series opener in Perth with the team coming under heavy criticism over their capitulation.The Proteas are on the verge of emulating the intimidating West Indies teams of the 1980s-1990s with three straight series wins in Australia after their convincing victory in Perth.The South Africans earlier named Kyle Abbott in their only change in the absence of injured strike bowler Dale Steyn.Australia dropped all-rounder Mitchell Marsh and gave Test debuts to batsman Ferguson at No.6 and paceman Mennie, while Burns replaced injured opener Shaun Marsh.

Facebook mistakenly declares live users dead

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SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - Facebook accidently declared live users dead, acknowledging after fixing the problem Friday that it had committed a terrible error.For a brief period today, a message meant for memorialized profiles was mistakenly posted to other accounts, a Facebook spokesperson told AFP.This was a terrible error that we have now fixed.Media reports indicated that some two million errant memorials were posted on profile pages. The social network apologized and said it work as quickly as possible to correct the problem.Damn. I should have used Facebook Live to show how I was Facebook Dead, Search Engine Land editor Danny Sullivan said in a message fired off at Twitter.Facebook Live feature lets people broadcast video in real-time at the leading social network. Even very-much-alive Facebook co-founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg was memorialized in a message at his profile page expressing hope people who loved him would take comfort in posts people shared in tribute to his life.The mistaken memorial notices contained links to forms that can be submitted to have peoples accounts at the leading social network modified into online memorials after they die.Part of the process is showing proof of death.

Lahore: 6 injured in separate road accidents

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LAHORE (Dunya News) – At least six people were injured, one of them critically, in three separate road accident in Lahore on Friday night, Dunya News reported.According to details, a speeding car hit pedestrians near Cavalry Ground area, wounding at least four people. Police sources said that the accident near Ghora Chowk was caused by over-speeding. The injured persons were shifted to a nearby hospital.On Jail road, a man was wounded when a car he was driving hit a poll due to over-speeding. He was shifted to Civil Hospital for medical treatment.In yet another accident, a truck hit a motorcycle rickshaw on the Ring Road near Shad Bagha area, critically injuring its driver Irshad. The wounded driver was shifted to Ghurki Hospital in critical condition.

Journalist Ahmad Noorani asks Nawaz Sharif keys questions

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LAHORE (Web Desk) - Senior journalist Ahmad Noorani asked 13 questions from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and family regarding Panama Gate scandal in Dunya Kamran Khan Kay Saath , reported Dunya News.Ahmad Noorani discussed those questions with Kamran Khan as he said that these were basic questions and problem would be solved if these were answered.Following questions were asked by Ahmad Noorani and they were discussed in the following manner:Question: Mariam Nawaz Sharif claimed that she was not the beneficial owner of theBritish Virgin Island (BVI) offshore companies Nielson and Nescoll, so she was just a trustee. Ahmad Noorani asked her to prove with the documents that she was just a trustee. But Kamran Khan asked him that what documents were needed to prove that she was not the real owner of the companies.Ahmad Noorani said that there would be papers and documents, which would show the ownership of those companies and history of that, which cannot be produced by anyone, but Sharif family. He said that Sharif family promised that they would submit that document, which would be a proof.Question: The second question was, Hussain, Hassan and Maryam Nawaz admitted that they were trustees, directors of two companiestwo offshore companies Nielson & Nescoll, but after 2006. But who was the owner of these companies in 2006 and who did they buy them from?Ahmad Noorani said that Sharif family were accused of having these companies in 90s as the news was published in newspapers but later on, they bought the same companies. So they must tell who were owners of these flats before them.Question: Many politicians and many others visited Nawaz Sharif in those flats in 90s and many political meetings were also held there. Even Chaudhry Nisar admitted that Nawaz Sharif used to live in those flats, when he visited London.Ahmad Noorani asked Nawaz Sharif to disclose that how was in living there in 90s if the flats were bought by his family in 2006?Question: The fourth was that from where were the funds transferred to buy the companies in 2006, as Sharif family says that the money was not transferred from Pakistan.Question: Ahmad Noorani asked Sharif family to disclose that in which order was money sent and properties bought and sold by them. He asked Sharif family to disclose the dates when the money was transferred, how much money was transferred exactly, what was the method to transfer money, how was the money earned, were the taxes paid on them?He said that there must be documents to prove these things and case would be easily solved if documents were shown.Question: It was asked that Sharif family says, in fact Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif admitted it on the assembly floor that Gulf Steel Mill was sold for $9 million in 1980, but is there any documentary evidence to prove that?Question: PM said that UAE steel mill was sold in 1980 and Jeddah steel mill was set up in 2003. But where was that money for 23 years? Noorani said that PM must disclose where that money was kept and if it was kept outside Pakistan, then how would PM ask others to invest in Pakistan if he kept his money outside Pakistan despite being in power.Question: PM claimed that he had declared that $9 million amount, which was earned by selling Dubai steel mill, in papers and statements. But Ahmad Noorani believes that he could not find that where PM declared that. Noorani asked PM to give proof that he had declared the assets in statements.Question: In 1995 respondents, Hudabia Paper Mills, Mian Muhammad Sharif, Mian Shehbaz Sharif and Mian Abbas Sharif took loan from Al-Toufeeq Investment Bank in United Kingdom (UK) and there was a case against defaulting of that.PM and his children claim that they had nothing to do with that and their properties or flats had nothing to do in proceedings of this case. But Noorani wants Sharif family to reveal the proceedings of this case, so that it can be known that ifLondon flats were used as collateral for availing financial facility for the Hudabia Papers Mills or not?Question: Imran Khan, in his petition said that 92% of the Rs 9.8 billion tax paid by PM Nawaz was sales tax, which was taken from customers. Noorani asked PM Nawaz to clarify that how much was income tax and how much was sales tax, as it could solve the case and the problem.Kamran Khan and Ahmad Noorani concluded the discussion by saying that PM could not be directly involved in all the matter and only his children are involved in all this. But it was the duty of people and court to decide what to do. They said that it was the responsibility of journalists to give people the informations and knowledge about whole issue so that they can decide.

South Africa win toss and bowl in 2nd Hobart Test

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HOBART (AFP) - South Africa won the toss and chose to bowl under cloudy skies in the second Test against Australia in Hobart on Saturday.The South Africans named Kyle Abbott in their only change in the absence of injured strike bowler Dale Steyn and look to put Australia under early pressure on a conducive greenish pitch.Australia dropped all-rounder Mitchell Marsh and gave Test debuts to batsman Callum Ferguson at No.6 and paceman Joe Mennie, while Joe Burns replaced injured opener Shaun Marsh.The Australians are looking to fight back from a comprehensive 177-run loss to the Proteas in the series opener in Perth with the team coming under heavy criticism over their capitulation.It was Australias first loss in an opening Test of their home season in 28 years and they have now slumped to four straight defeats after crashing in all three Tests on their July-August tour of Sri Lanka.The last time Australia lost four Tests in a row in India three years ago, then coach Mickey Arthur was sacked. The Proteas are on the verge of emulating the intimidating West Indies teams of the 1980-1990s with three straight series wins in Australia after their convincing victory in Perth.The match began under threatening skies with the forecast of increasing rain during the day with more rain likely on Sunday.TeamsAustralia: David Warner, Joe Burns, Usman Khawaja, Steven Smith (capt), Adam Voges, Callum Ferguson, Peter Nevill, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Joe Mennie, Nathan Lyon.South Africa: Stephen Cook, Dean Elgar, Hashim Amla, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis (capt), Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, Vernon Philander, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Kyle Abbott.Umpires: Richard Kettleborough (ENG) Aleem Dar (PAK).TV umpire: Nigel Llong (ENG).

Soldier martyred in avalanche on Siachen laid to rest

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FAISALABAD (Dunya News) - Pakistan Army soldier Zahid Aslam, who was martyred in the avalanche on Siachen, was laid to rest in his native village Lathiyanwal near Faisalabad on Friday, Dunya News reported.Hundreds of people from nearby areas reached Zahid Aslam’s house to pay homage to the martyr when his body arrived in his native village. A large number of people from all walks of life attended the funeral of the martyred soldier after which he was laid to rest in his native graveyard with complete military honours.

6.2 quake hits eastern Japan: USGS

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TOKYO (AFP) - A strong 6.2-magnitude earthquake hit eastern Japan Saturday, the US Geological Survey said, but there were no immediate reports of damage. The quake, at a depth of 44 kilometres (27 miles), struck shortly after 6:42 am (2142 GMT) near the northeast coast of the main Honshu island, some 350 kilometres from Tokyo.No tsunami warning was issued. Japan sits at the junction of four tectonic plates and experiences a number of relatively violent quakes every year, but rigid building codes and their strict enforcement mean even strong tremors often do little damage.A massive undersea quake however that hit in March 2011 sent a tsunami barrelling into Japans northeast coast, leaving more than 18,000 people dead or missing, and sending three reactors into meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant.In April, two strong earthquakes hit southern Japans Kumamoto prefecture followed by more than 1,700 aftershocks, leaving at least 50 dead and causing widespread damage.

Football: Lewandowski hit by firework in World Cup qualifier

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BUCHAREST (AFP) - Poland striker Robert Lewandowski was felled by a firework thrown from the crowd in a stormy World Cup clash on Friday but he had the last laugh, scoring twice in a 3-0 win over Romania.Romanian fans threw the firework at the Bayern Munich star in the 53rd minute.He needed medical treatment while referee Damir Skomina gathered the players from both sides inside the penalty area.After play was briefly delayed, Lewandowski recovered to hit two late goals after 84 minutes and a last-gasp penalty.On the terraces, fans from both countries launched flares at one another. Some thrown by home fans landed on the pitch, causing a delay just before the half-time mark.Twelve Polish fans had already been arrested before the game after fighting in a city centre bar and clashes with police outside the stadium.Around 4,000 police were mobilised for the high-risk game.

Karachi: 4 accused arrested after police encounter

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – Crackdown against criminal elements in Karachi under National Action Plan (NAP) continues as four accused were taken into custody after police encounters in different parts of the city on Friday, Dunya News reported.According to details, police arrested two accused in injured condition after an encounter at the link Road in Awami Colony area. The accised were identified as Adnan and Jahanzaib. Police sources said that two pistols, looted cash and a stolen motorcycle were recovered fron the arrested persons.On the other hand, police arrested two accused who were on the run after a resident opened fire during a robbery attempt in Orangi Town area in which one dacoit was killed and two other managed to escape.

UN's Ban confident Trump will not undo Paris climate deal

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UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday voiced confidence that Donald Trump will not seek to undo the Paris climate deal despite his campaign pledge to cancel the landmark agreement on combating global warming.The US president-elect, who said during his campaign that global warming was a hoax invented by the Chinese, has vowed to renege on US commitments to cut down greenhouse gas emissions and help finance the transition to a green economy worldwide.He has made a lot of worrying statements, but I am sure that he will understand the whole importance and seriousness and urgency, said Ban in an interview to AFP.The presidency may be important, but humanity and all our lives and our planet Earth are eternal, he said.Ban argued that there was a strong consensus in the United States and across the world on the need to address global warming, suggesting Trump would be recklessly out-of-sync if he scrapped the deal.Now business communities are fully on board. Civil society members are fully on board. How can one change all this course? Its a huge trend, he said.It will create serious problems if anybody wants to undo it, or unravel all this process.Ban, 72, has singled out the climate accord reached in Paris in December last year as his proudest moment in 10 years as the worlds diplomat-in-chief.The former South Korean foreign minister said he plans to speak by phone with Trump soon and hopes for a meeting before his tenure ends on December 31 to explain how the United Nations expects the United States to continue to work for humanity.The billionaire real estate tycoon won the US presidency on a platform that calls for closer ties with Russia, shaking up security alliances and questioning US funding to the United Nations.The UN chief brushed aside suggestion that the United States, by far the biggest contributor to the United Nations, could cut funding or sidestep the world body in addressing global issues.This is what he said during the campaign period, on the campaign trail, Ban said.Now, post-election, when he creates his transition team with experts and people with vision and expertise, I am sure that the United States will continue to play a leading role, said Ban in the interview at UN headquarters.The interview was Bans first full assessment of the impact of the Trump electoral victory on global diplomacy.

Trump doesn't rule out 'amended' Obamacare: WSJ

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NEW YORK (AFP) - US President-elect Donald Trump said he will consider an amended version of President Barack Obamas signature health care law -- a shift in position after repeatedly vowing on the campaign trail that he would repeal the measure.Trump explained in an interview with The Wall Street Journal published Friday that his shift came after White House talks Thursday with Obama, who asked him to consider preserving parts of the Affordable Care Act.Either Obamacare will be amended, or repealed and replaced, Trump told the newspaper. I told him I will look at his suggestions, and out of respect, I will do that.Trumps repeated attacks on the law were a central focus of his campaign, during which he used it to needle rival Hillary Clinton as insurance premiums rose for some enrollees, especially in battleground states.But, while the ACA has faced unanimous Republican opposition since its enactment in 2010, the question of they could replace it has remained unanswered. About 20 million Americans have gained health insurance under the law, reducing the share of the public without coverage to below 10 percent, the lowest level recorded.According to The Journal, Trump said he favored maintaining a prohibition on insurance companies denying consumers coverage based due to so-called pre-existing conditions. Before the law took effect, insurers had been able to refuse to cover people who had previously suffered almost any illness.Trump also said he was not opposed to requiring insurers to allow children to remain on their parents insurance policies until the age of 26, a key Obamacare tenet.Republican lawmakers have previously said they favor such policies.The law is a flagship achievement of Obamas presidency and he vetoed Republican legislation last year which would have gutted central provisions of it, such as eliminating programs and subsidies that ensure coverage for poor and lower income Americans.The Congressional Budget Office found in 2015 that the Republican measure would have increased the number of people without insurance by 22 million, a large share of whom would be children. The measure would have reduced government spending in the short term but resulted in a budgetary drain beginning in 2026.

Germany thrash San Marino 8-0 as Gnabry scores hat-trick

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SERRAVALLE, San Marino (AFP) - Ex-Arsenal winger Serge Gnabry scored a hat-trick on his senior Germany debut in Fridays 8-0 World Cup victory at San Marino as coach Joachim Loew set a new winning record.Gnabry, 21, who left the Gunners before the start of the season, is the first German to score a hat-trick on his debut since Dieter Mueller achieved the feat for West Germany in 1976.Cologne left-back Jonas Hector also netted twice after Germanys stand-in captain Sami Khedira opened the scoring.Mattia Stefanelli scored a late own goal before substitute Kevin Volland netted Germanys eighth.Germany maintain their perfect record of four wins to stay top of their 2018 World Cup qualifying group and five points clear of nearest rivals Northern Ireland.After a decade in charge, this was Loews 95th victory, in his 142nd international as coach, to better the 94 wins of legendary Sepp Herberger, who steered West Germany to the 1954 World Cup title.With Toni Kroos and Jerome Boateng injured, Loew gave debuts to Werder Bremens Gnabry and 19-year-old Bayer Leverkusen right-back Benjamin Henrichs.Germany romped to a 13-0 win on their last visit to Serravalle in 2006 and took just seven minutes to take the lead against the part-timers of San Marino.With goalkeeper and captain Manuel Neuer missing with a virus, Khedira skippered Germany and put his side ahead.In pouring rain, Manchester Citys Ilkay Gundogan spotted Khediras run into the box and the defensive midfielder buried his shot.Gnabry doubled the lead when a clearance from defender Davide Simoncini went straight to the Werder winger.His shot beat Simoncinis twin brother Aido in the San Marino goal on nine minutes.Hector found himself in the strikers position when Mario Goeztes pass picked him out and he tucked away Germanys third on 32 minutes.Mario Gomez stroked Thomas Muellers pass into the net, but he was incorrectly flagged for offside and it stayed 3-0 at the break.The San Marino FAs Twitter account gleefully pointed out their half-time score was better than Brazils 5-0 during the 2014 World Cup semi-final.Gnabry grabbed the fourth on 58 minutes after converting Joshua Kimmichs floated pass over the defence.Then Hector added his second after good work from Goetze opened up the defence on 65 minutes.Schalkes Max Meyer replaced Goetze for the final 20 minutes and hit the post with his first touch of the ball.Gnabry wrapped up his hat-trick 14 minutes from time before Stefanelli, who became a national hero by scoring their goal in last months 4-1 defeat to Norway, turned the ball into his own net.Volland then came off the bench to score the world champions eighth four minutes from time.

Iraq troops battle IS in Mosul, UN says dozens executed

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MOSUL, Iraq (AFP) - Elite Iraqi troops battled the Islamic State group in the streets of Mosul Friday, as the UN reported jihadists had executed dozens of people inside the city for alleged treason.With IS also on the defensive in neighbouring Syria, US-backed forces pressed an advance on jihadist bastion Raqa after a sandstorm eased.High winds in the desert separating the Syrian Kurdish-Arab militia alliance from the jihadists Euphrates Valley stronghold had slowed their advance Thursday as visibility plummeted.Iraqi forces had also regrouped after meeting stronger than expected resistance from IS on the east bank of the Tigris River running through Mosul after thrusting into the built-up area last week.Commanders of Iraqs elite Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) said troops were advancing on two eastern neighbourhoods of the city.In a house near the front line, Staff Lieutenant Colonel Muntadhar Salem clutched a radio in one hand and a tablet computer in the other with a map showing recaptured buildings.As the troops waited for orders to push forward, incoming mortar rounds shook curtains on the windows.Later Friday, the fighting eased off, although CTS forces still occasionally fired mortar rounds towards IS positions in eastern Mosuls Arbajiyah area.IS fighters reportedly shot dead more than 60 people this week and hung some of the bodies from poles inside Mosul after claiming they had collaborated with Iraqi troops, the UN human rights office said Friday.On Tuesday, ISIL (IS) reportedly shot and killed 40 civilians in Mosul city after accusing them of treason and collaboration, it said.On Wednesday, IS slaughtered another 20 people at the Ghabat Military Base in northern Mosul after accusing them of leaking information, it added.The battle for Mosul is now in its fourth week, and while troops have entered the built-up area, there are weeks, if not months, of fighting ahead.Our forces have begun the attack on Arbajiyah. The clashes are ongoing, Salem said.Another CTS officer, Staff Lieutenant Colonel Ali Hussein Fadhel, said the first row of buildings in Arbajiyah had been seized.We are within firing range of Karkukli but the full attack has not yet started, he said of another eastern district.Iraq began the operation to retake Mosul on October 17, with federal and Kurdish regional forces closing in on the city from three sides.Pro-government Shiite paramilitaries later began advancing on the town of Tal Afar, which commands the citys western approaches, with the goal of cutting the jihadists off from territory they control in Syria.The advance up the Tigris Valley from the south has been slowest. Troops on that front had the farthest to cover and a string of jihadist-held towns in their path.On Thursday, the battle neared the remains of ancient Nimrud, some 30 kilometres (20 miles) south of Mosul, raising fears for the famed heritage site already ravaged by jihadist explosives and sledgehammers.The International Organization of Migration said Friday more than 47,000 people have been displaced since the Mosul operation began.In Syria, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said their advance on Raqa was back on track after a sandstorm swept through the area on Thursday.We seized control of two new villages yesterday but we didnt advance as far as planned because of the sandstorm, SDF commander Merkhas Kamishlo said.Fighting had focused on IS-held Al-Heisha, some 40 kilometres north of Raqa, and the SDF reported late Friday its forces took control of that village and three others on the Suluk front.Early Friday, an AFP correspondent reported heavy air strikes by the US-led coalition supporting the advance.Al-Heisha is totally besieged and overnight the US-led coalition hit four Daesh positions inside the village, and destroyed a vehicle being prepared for use as a bomb, Kamishlo said, using an Arabic acronym for IS.The SDF offensive, launched last weekend, has been pushing south from areas near the Turkish border.The alliance said late Friday its forces advancing south from the towns of Ain Issa and Suluk had now converged.The military in Russia, which has sided with the Damascus regime, said Friday it had evidence rebels in Aleppo city used chemical weapons, a charge the opposition denied.The global chemical arms watchdog, meanwhile, condemned both Syria and IS for using toxic weapons and called for stepped up inspections.A joint panel of the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons found regime forces carried out three chlorine gas attacks in 2014 and 2015, while IS used mustard gas in Syria in 2015.
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