Thursday 3 November 2016

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Karachi Express engine derails near Khanewal

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KHANEWAL (Dunya News) - Karachi Express escaped a major disaster when its engine derailed near Khanewal Railway Station on Thurday, Dunya News reported.The Karachi Express was going to Karachi from Lahore. Sources said that all passengers of the train remained safe as the train was approaching the station at very slow speed.Railway authorities arranged another engine and Karachi Express left for Karachi from Khanewal.Meanwhile, Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique has taken notice of the incident and ordered an enquiry.

Karachi: Poisonous sweet sends 10 to hospital

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – According to detains, condition on ten people deteriorated after consuming poisonous sweet in Shadman Town area of Malir in Karachi on Thursday, Dunya News reported.The affected persons were rushed to a private clinic near Kala Board area of Malir for medical treatment from where they were referred to Jinnah Hospital.The Jinnah Hospital sources said that condition of seven persons, including two women, is stated to be critical while three were released from the hospital after first aid. Police have started the investigation of the incident.

Coroner says no one to blame for Hughes' death

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SYDNEY (AFP) - A minuscule misjudgement by Australian batsman Phillip Hughes when facing a bouncer led to his death, a coroner ruled Friday, saying neither the bowler nor anyone else was to blame for the tragedy.Hughes, who played 26 Tests, died from bleeding on the brain in November 2014 after being hit on the neck by a rising ball while batting in a domestic match at the Sydney Cricket Ground.The death of the popular 25-year-old, who had risen through the ranks to play for his country, stunned Australia and the world cricket community, sparking an outpouring of grief.A minuscule misjudgement or a slight error of execution caused him to miss the ball which crashed into his neck with fatal consequences, said New South Wales coroner Michael Barnes in long-awaited findings.There was no suggestion the ball was bowled with malicious intent. Neither the bowler nor anyone else was to blame for the tragic outcome.Barnes added that his death would not have been prevented even if he was wearing more modern head protection, and that a quicker medical response would have made no difference to the unsurvivable injuries.Phillip wasnt wearing the most up to date safety helmet when he was struck and the rules that then applied didnt require him to do so, he said.However, had he even been wearing that most modern equipment then available, it would not have protected the area of his body where the fatal blow landed.Concerns had been raised during the inquest by Hughes family about on-field sledging, including threats against him, and the amount of short, fast deliveries he faced which they felt the umpires could have stopped.But Barnes said neither affected Hughes composure and he was comfortably dealing with the short-pitched balls because of his very high level of skill and competence.I conclude no failure to enforce the laws of the game contributed to his death, he said.After Hughes was hit, fellow cricketers and medical staff raced to help him but the first person to call for an ambulance was unaware of the severity of the injury and it took about an hour to get him to hospital.Despite this, Barnes commended the response as to the best of their abilities.

US stocks fall again as election fears mount

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NEW YORK (AFP) - The S&P 500 fell for the eighth straight session Thursday as stocks continued to price in a potential win by Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump.Trump, who is seen by many investors as an unpredictable wildcard, continues to trail Democrat Hillary Clinton in most polls, but has significantly narrowed the gap in the last 10 days.This election is causing jitters for investors, said Jack Ablin, chief investment officer at BMO Private Bank.An increasing number of investors would prefer to watch this election from the sidelines and not have the full exposure that theyve got.The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.2 percent 17,930.67, its sixth straight decline.The broad-based S&P 500 fell 0.4 percent to 2,088.66, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index tumbled 0.9 percent to 5,058.41, its eighth straight fall.Signs of nervousness showed in the Vix volatility index, which measures market fear. The index vaulted about 14 percent to 22.08, the highest level since it hit 25.76 after Britains shock vote in June to exit the European Union. Th Vix was up more than 40 percent since October 27.Facebook sank 5.6 percent despite reporting a 166 percent jump in third-quarter profits to $2.4 billon. Analysts said investors were unnerved by a warning of weaker revenue growth in 2017 and a plan to beef up investment in engineers and data-centers.Shares of generic drug makers plunged after Bloomberg reported that US antitrust investigators could unveil criminal charges of price-fixing by the industry before year-end. These included Mylan, down 6.9 percent, and Teva, down 9.6 percent.Other pharmaceutical stocks were also under pressure, with Dow members Pfizer falling 2.4 percent and Merck 0.7 percent.Insurer AIG fell 4.0 percent after reporting third quarter operating earnings of $1.00 per share, below the $1.21 expected by analysts. The results included $622 million in expenses because of increased costs in payments for customers who are living longer, particularly those on disability.Media-entertainment group 21st Century Fox surged 7.3 percent as it reported a 22 percent rise in net profit to $821 million for the quarter ending September 30, bolstered by its Fox News Channel amid a busy US election campaign.Some other media stocks were also strong, with CBS rising 0.6 percent and Dow member Disney 1.6 percent.Other companies with major moves after earnings included Fitbit, down 33.6 percent, Marathon Oil, up 10.7 percent and US Steel, up 7.7 percent.

Chelsea defender happy with Antonio Conte's tactics

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LONDON (AFP) - Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta believes Antonio Contes decision to rebuild the teams back line has laid the foundations for their push towards the top of the Premier League table.Contes side face Everton at Stamford Bridge on Saturday hoping to extend a run of four successive league wins since the head coach abandoned his original back four and installed a three-man central defensive unit.That run of success -- achieved without a goal conceded -- has moved the side to within a point of Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool who are tied on 23 points at the top of the table.Diego Costas return of eight goals in 10 league games, together with Eden Hazards re-emergence after a disappointing last season, has given the side an effective cutting edge, but it is the teams solid defensive displays that have caught the eye.Azpilicueta, who has been operating on the right side of the three-man defence, hailed Chelseas recent fortitude at the back.As a defender, obviously we are all pleased when we dont concede goals, the same way the strikers are when they score, but I think the teamwork is really important, he said.We are defending as a team, which as a defender makes it easier for us and we are trying to concede even fewer chances. This is really important to be a solid team.Since we changed the system it has worked well for us in the league and obviously I try to adapt to it in the best way possible.Azpilicueta has moved inside from his usual full-back role to fit in alongside David Luiz and Gary Cahill, with club captain John Terry forced to take up a role on the bench.And the Spain international added: I have always felt the confidence of the manager since I arrived.Obviously Im happy when the team wins and that is what I fight for. The last results were good -- four wins and we didnt concede a goal -- so that shows a lot of teamwork and we want to keep going in that way.Last weekends win at Southampton confirmed Chelseas progress and Conte is expected to retain the same team for the visit of the Toffees.Everton manager Ronald Koeman has praised his players for the speed with which they have been able to improve defending at set-pieces.The Merseysiders conceded 14 goals in the Premier League from dead-balls under Koemans predecessor Roberto Martinez last season.But ahead of their visit to Stamford Bridge, they have let in just one goal from a set-play in the Premier League this term.Of course, it was a big issue to change this, to have better defending and better offensive set-plays, said Koeman.They conceded 14 goals from set-plays last season and thats crazy, the Dutchman added.We start to show clips from last season and put a different organisation in.We are giving more attention to set-plays at least twice a week. We even had a meeting about Chelsea, but only about set-plays.You can tell the players, but the best way is to show them the clips and ask them why they didnt defend well and why they dont continue defending their opponent.You need to make the players more involved. Of course, its finally my responsibility but the players need to be involved in set-plays. They also feel more responsible.Goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg is fit again after a foot problem although Koeman may stick with Joel Robles.Everton are without the suspended Idrissa Gana Gueye while James McCarthy and Leighton Baines (both hamstring) are absent.

Manchester City looking to increase their lead in EPL

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LONDON (AFP) - Manchester City will have the chance to put daylight between themselves and their title rivals when the Premier League leaders try to cap a memorable week by beating Middlesbrough at Eastlands on Saturday.City lead on goal difference from Arsenal and Liverpool, with Chelsea just a point further back.Arsenal are not in action until Sunday when they face Tottenham Hotspur in the North London derby, with Liverpool also at home to Watford that day.Tuesday finally saw City get the better of Barcelona as they beat the Spanish giants 3-1 in the Champions League.It was a particularly sweet victory for City manager Pep Guardiola, who made his name as both a player and coach at BarcelonaThe match also saw City fans favourite Sergio Aguero lead the attack after he was controversially left out of the starting side for the 4-0 loss in Barcelona a fortnight ago -- a move that sparked concerns regarding his Eastlands future under Guardiola.But the City boss has insisted he wants Aguero to stay and the 28-year-old Argentina forward said: Im never angry. I respect every managers decision.He said it was a tactical thing and I obviously respect that.Middlesbrough are managed by Guardiolas fellow Spaniard Aitor Karanka and he for one was not surprised by Citys midweek win.They have amazing players and they have all the alternatives so (for them) it was just another game, said Karanka, whose Boro side beat Bournemouth 2-0 last weekend.Chelsea, fresh from a 2-0 win over Southampton and without the distraction of European football, will bid to keep pace with City at home to Everton.Since reverting to a back three, manager Antonio Conte has seen his side keep four clean sheets but the Italian has no time for title talk at this stage of the season.In this moment its not important to look at the table. If you ask me a prediction of our championship now, its very difficult to talk about, he said.Arsenal have not lost in any competition since the opening day of the season and their midweek 3-2 win away to Bulgarias Ludogorets, with Mesut Ozils superb solo goal completing a comeback from 2-0 down, has left the Gunners well-placed to qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League.Having played 75 minutes against Ludogorets, Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey -- who has spent several weeks out with a hamstring injury -- is eager to start against Spurs at the Emirates, saying: Of course Im ready.By contrast, Spurs were lacklustre in a 1-0 loss to Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League at Wembley.They may boast the Premier Leagues lone remaining unbeaten record and are just three points off top spot, but Spurs have not won any of their last six games in all competitions.Mauricio Pochettino, the Tottenham manager, believes his side may be paying he price for fighting on two fronts.To play the Champions League and Premier League, two of the toughest competitions in the world, its good to analyse how we deal with that, he said.Jose Mourinho will hope his Manchester United side, already eight points adrift of top spot, can provide him with some respite at second-bottom Swansea on Sunday following a mediocre display in a 2-1 Europa League loss away to Fenerbahce.Mourinho, set to serve a touchline ban at the Liberty Stadium, accused his team of treating the match like a summer friendly.Basement club Sunderland travel to Bournemouth on Saturday in search of their first win of the season, with champions Leicester at home to West Brom.West Ham will hope there is no repeat of the crowd trouble that has marred their recent home games when Stoke visit the London Stadium.Fixtures (1500 GMT unless stated)Saturday: Bournemouth v Sunderland, Burnley v Crystal Palace, Chelsea v Everton (1730 GMT), Manchester City v Middlesbrough, West Ham v StokeSunday: Arsenal v Tottenham (1200 GMT), Hull v Southampton (1415 GMT), Leicester v West Brom (1630 GMT), Liverpool v Watford (1415 GMT), Swansea v Manchester United

Tennis: Grumbling Wawrinka takes aim at French minister

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PARIS (AFP) - US Open champion Stan Wawrinka traded verbal volleys with a French government minister after taking exception to crowd noise during his second-round match at the Paris Masters.Wawrinka singled out a spectator in the front row at the Paris Bercy arena, said to be former senator Jean-Vincent Place, to reprimand him for being too loud during Wednesdays defeat to Germanys Jan-Lennard Struff.Oh, do you mind if we play a match? No, but seriously...its midnight, if you dont want to watch us go home, snapped Wawrinka, according to footage aired by Canal.However, Place told AFP on Thursday that he wasnt sure the Swiss stars anger was directed squarely at him.There was a hubbub in the stands and as I was in the first row...its true that at midnight everyone is a bit distracted.We were talking with (French Tennis Federation president) Jean Gachassin, but honestly we werent shouting. Frankly, Im not sure it was addressed to me in particular.Place later commented that he had been whispering with Gachassin and put Wawrinkas unhappiness down to the fact he was losing.That drew the ire of the three-time Grand Slam winner, who fired back on Twitter: hahaha whispering I was still ahead...so bad loser is nice. Jean (Gachassin) wasnt next to him.

Golf: Willett roller-coaster as Coetzee grabs Turkey lead

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BELEK (AFP) - Masters champion Danny Willett produced a roller-coaster round as George Coetzee made the most of his lucky opportunity to lead after day one of the $7 million Turkish Airlines Open on Thursday.The 30-year-old South African Coetzee recorded a blistering seven-under-par 64 for a one-stroke lead in superb scoring conditions in Belek on the Turkish coast, his lowest European Tour round since a 64 on the opening round of the 2014 Qatar Masters.Coetzee, 160 in the world, was eight under through 16 holes but he dropped a shot at the par-four 17th for his only blemish of the round.The three-time European Tour winner initially had not qualified for the showpiece because he is ranked 85th on the Race to Dubai money list.But he grabbed a spot following a number of high-profile withdrawals, including the Ryder Cup trio of Henrik Stenson, Rory McIlroy and Hazeltine winning hero Patrick Reed.McIlroy opted out because of security fears, but Willett made it and had six birdies, two bogeys and a 10th hole double bogey to share 21st place on two under par.Willett arrived in Turkey lying second on the Race to Dubai and can regain the leading money list position by finishing fifth or higher in this weeks 78-player field.Coetzee was just happy to be there.I just feel really lucky to get into this event this week and Im just trying to make the most of it, he said.Ive been missing a lot of cuts but actually playing better the past three or four weeks. The swing started to click a couple of weeks ago and I started shooting better scores and hitting better shots, so it was just a question of putting everything together.If Coetzee were to win he would jump to 13th on the Race to Dubai.Denmarks Thorbjorn Olesen didnt drop a shot in a round of 65 to be in second place.I felt like the last few weeks my game has been really good, he said.I felt like I played really, really nicely in Portugal (last month) and couldnt really get it going, but felt like I was playing really well.Spains Jorge Campillo hit a hole-in-one at the 14th to share third with Chinas Li Haotong, Bernd Wiesberger of Austria and Italys Matteo Manassero, two shots off the lead.

Squash: Ashour eyes fourth world title against Gawad

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CAIRO (AFP) - Ramy Ashour will take on Egyptian compatriot Karim Abdel Gawad on Friday looking to secure a fourth world championship title after defending champion Gregory Gaultier handed him a walkover in their semi-final.French star Gaultier was forced to pull out of the tournament with an ankle injury sustained in his quarter-final win over Egypts Tarek Momen. I feel truly sad for Greg, said 29-year-old Ashour, who was world champion in 2008, 2012 and 2014.I have been there many times and I know exactly how it feels so I wish him a speedy recovery. Gawad will be appearing in his first world championship final after seeing off fellow Egyptian and world number one Mohamed ElShorbagy 13-11, 10-12, 11-13, 11-2, 11-5. I was playing really well throughout the whole match, said 25-year-old Gawad. I just need one more push, I have to focus really well and recover well for tomorrow. Everyone knows Ramy and everyone watches squash because of Ramy.

Renault to open plant in Pakistan by 2018: Govt

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ISLAMABAD (AFP) - French carmaker Renault is set to break into the Pakistans rapidly growing car market with a manufacturing plant to open there by 2018, the government announced Thursday.The Pakistan car market has for decades been dominated by Japans Suzuki, Toyota and Honda who have been accused of colluding to fix prices for lower-quality versions of their models.Renault has decided to invest in Pakistan. They will start assembling cars in Pakistan by 2018, the countrys Board of Investment said in a statement.Board Chairman Miftah Ismail had been in talks with Volkswagen, Peugeot, Renault, Fiat and Nissan, the statement said. In September the chairman took Finance Minister Ishaq Dar to France, where he persuaded Renault to invest in Pakistan.Renault confirmed the development on Twitter, describing an exclusive nego(tiation) to develop our brand in Pakistan, incl. a manufacturing plant.Since coming to power in 2013, the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has been wooing new players into the car manufacturing sector due to rising demand. Customers in the South Asian nation of 200 million people have to wait up to four months for a new car after making a full payment because demand outstrips supply -- as economic growth reaches its fastest pace since 2008. The government announced in March that foreign carmakers seeking to enter the market could import machinery for their plants duty-free, in an attempt to boost competition and cut prices for local drivers.Last year a delegation from Volkswagen visited the country but the German auto giant has not yet announced plans to build a local factory.

Iraqis move on Mosul as IS chief defiant

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GOGJALI (AFP) - Iraqi forces deployed around the eastern entrance to Mosul Thursday, preparing for a push into the city which Islamic State group chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi urged his fighters to defend.In the village of Gogjali, which was recently retaken from IS, trucks carrying artillery and troop reinforcements to the front line drove past a stream of sheep and cows led in the other direction by fleeing civilians.Thank God we are finally escaping from these Daesh (IS) pigs, said a man who gave his name as Mohammed.He was perched on a van crammed with families and their belongings, heading towards a Kurdish-controlled area where aid groups were building camps for the displaced.Iraqi forces led by the elite Counter-Terrorism Service have been clearing neighbouring villages, even moving into areas inside the citys administrative boundaries, but the big push into the streets of Mosul had yet to begin.Do not retreat, Baghdadi said in a purported message released by an IS-affiliated outlet early Thursday. Holding your ground with honour is a thousand times easier than retreating in shame.In June 2014, days after jihadist fighters swept across swathes of Iraq, he made a rare public appearance in Mosul and announced the creation of a caliphate straddling Iraq and Syria.It has been shrinking steadily since last year and Iraqi forces earlier this week reached the outskirts of Mosul, the jihadists last major stronghold in Iraq.If authentic, the recording entitled This is what God and his messenger have promised us, would be the reclusive Baghdadis first since December 2015 and a rare sign of life.Rumours have swirled about the Iraqi jihadist leaders health and movements but his whereabouts are unclear.IS has fallen back when massively outnumbered in recent battles, giving up some of its emblematic bastions -- such as Fallujah in Iraq and Dabiq in Syria -- without following its own apocalyptic ideology of fighting to the bitter end.The recapture of Mosul by Iraqi forces could spell the end of the groups days as a land-holding force in Iraq and deal a death blow to the caliphate.Baghdadis message suggests the groups leadership is increasingly concerned about defections and militants fleeing the battlefield, Ludovico Carlino, an analyst with IHS Janes, wrote in his assessment of the speech.Daily reports from some of the million-plus civilians still trapped in Mosul also suggest some anti-IS groups working from inside the city are carrying out attacks against the jihadists, albeit on a small scale.The US-led coalition supporting the Iraqi offensive estimates the number of IS fighters holed up in Mosul at 3,000 to 5,000 and has warned the battle for the city could be long and difficult.Iraqi forces advancing on Mosul from three main fronts have retaken dozens of villages and towns scattered over hundreds of square miles.An AFP reporter in Gogjali saw larger than usual numbers of civilians walking to safer areas with little or no belongings.Some of the kids that arrive are barefoot, and they dont have sufficient water and food, said Alvhild Stromme, a media adviser for the Norwegian Refugee Council, one of the most active aid groups in Iraq.People who come out, as they have for the last two weeks, are still telling stories of very dangerous escapes, Stromme said.They also recounted tales of jihadist brutality.Were coming from the world of the dead back to the world of the living, said Raed Ali, 40, who fled his home in the nearby village of Bazwaya.It was raining bombs. One landed on our house. Fortunately my children are safe now, he said.I lost two years of my life, said another man, aged 45, who gave his name as Fares.I sent my family to safety in (the Iraqi Kurdish capital) Arbil two years ago but I stayed behind in our house in Bazwaya... Im finally out today. I will see my family again.With an assault on Mosul looking imminent, aid groups said they were bracing for the worst and warned the fate of a million-plus civilians still believed trapped inside the city was in the balance.More than 21,000 people have fled to government-held areas since October 17, while thousands more may have been seized by IS for use as human shields, according to the United Nations.

Syria rebels renew Aleppo attack before Russia ceasefire

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ALEPPO (AFP) - Syrian rebels renewed their bid to break a government siege of eastern Aleppo on Thursday, shelling regime-held parts of the city hours before a brief Russian-declared ceasefire was due to begin.State media said at least 12 people had been killed in rebel rocket and gunfire on regime-controlled neighbourhoods, after an assault that began with a double car bomb attack.Rebels have been battling for nearly a week in a desperate bid to break the three-month siege but have so far been unable to push through government lines in western Aleppo.The opposition forces on Thursday announced a new phase in their assault on government forces in the citys western outskirts.We have started the second phase in our fight to break the siege with heavy artillery fire on several neighbourhoods, rebel fighter Abu Hamza told AFP on the edges of Aleppo.Thick black smoke billowed out of the Dahiyet al-Assad district, where rebels had lit tyres to try to shield themselves from warplanes circling above.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said the most intense fighting was on the edges of Halab al-Jadida neighbourhood.The clashes on Aleppos western outskirts could be heard in the citys eastern districts, an AFP correspondent there said.No aid has reached eastern Aleppo citys more than 250,000 residents since early July, and there are reports of shortages and price hikes.The Observatory said government forces were carrying out air strikes in areas where clashes were underway, but that the rebel-held neighbourhoods in the east of the city were largely quiet.State news agency SANA said rebel fire on Thursday killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 200.The Observatory put the toll at 15 dead, saying four children were among them, bringing to 69 the total number of civilians killed in rebel fire since Friday, including 23 children.State media also said eight people were being treated for suffocation after terrorists fired poisonous gases at the village of Minyan west of Aleppo.Once Syrias economic powerhouse, Aleppo has been divided since mid-2012 between government control in the west and rebels in the east.A Russian-backed army offensive in September to recapture the whole city killed hundreds of civilians and hit infrastructure including the easts few remaining health facilities.It provoked international recriminations, particularly against Russia, with the EU accusing it of actions that may amount to war crimes.Moscow has rejected the criticism and in late October declared a unilateral three-day ceasefire, during which it urged civilians and rebels to leave east Aleppo.But only a handful did, with Russia accusing rebels of preventing people from leaving, and a UN plan to evacuate wounded people was shelved over security concerns.Moscow said Wednesday it would implement a new, 10-hour humanitarian pause for Aleppo on Friday, prompting the UN to warn that humanitarian operations cannot be contingent on political or military initiatives.The pause was meant to prevent senseless casualties, the chief of Russias General Staff Valery Gerasimov said.Russia said the ceasefire would start at 9:00 am Moscow time (0600 GMT).But the Syrian army said the pause would start at 9:00 am local time (0700 GMT). More than 300,000 have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in 2011 with anti-government protests that spiralled into a multi-front war involving regime, rebels, Kurds and jihadists like IS.The Kurdish-Arab Syrian Democratic Forces alliance has been fighting to oust IS from areas across northern Syria with air support from the US-led coalition against the jihadist group.The alliance, which includes the Peoples Protection Units (YPG), said Thursday it would fight to recapture IS stronghold of Raqa in a battle that could start in coming weeks.We will see a campaign led by the Syrian Democratic Forces to liberate Raqa city, said SDF spokesman Talal Sello.We are ready. We have the sufficient numbers for this campaign and we will start it soon, he told AFP, without specifying a timetable.But he insisted the fight would not include Turkey, which views the YPG as linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), considered by Ankara as a terrorist group.The topic of Turkeys participation was settled with the (US-led anti-IS) coalition definitively. No Turkish participation, he said. Ankara in August began a military operation inside northern Syria targeting both IS and Kurdish fighters.

Clinton plots final push as race tightens

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - Hillary Clinton saturated the airwaves and deployed star surrogates to battleground states Thursday, looking to snuff-out an eleventh-hour insurgency that has put Donald Trump at the gates of the White House.As a slew of polls showed the race tightening, President Barack Obama shuttled into Florida for multiple rallies aimed at firing up the Democratic base and turning out the vote for Clinton in a must-win state.A CBS/New York Times nationwide survey showed Clintons lead at 45 percent against Trumps 42 percent, a sign the bombastic mogul is winning over once-wary Republican voters.After months of vitriolic and turbulent campaigning, political tribalism appears to be returning to the fore in the deeply divided nation ahead of Election Day on November 8.This will be a close race and you cannot take it for granted, Obama warned supporters in Jacksonville, painting an apocalyptic vision of what Trump would mean for American democracy.The Democrats last stand will come in Philadelphia on the eve of the election -- a joint rally binding the Clintons and Obamas, Americas two most powerful political dynasties.Clinton will be joined by her husband Bill Clinton, President Obama and 2016s most potent campaigner, First Lady Michelle Obama.For sure the state of Pennsylvania is a firewall for the Clinton campaign, a Trump win there would be a giant step toward becoming the 45th president.But a rally in Philadelphia -- the City of Brotherly Love -- sends an unmistakable message: Trump is not just a bad presidential candidate but a threat to the Republic.It was here that the United States constitution came into being in in 1787.Melania Trump, the Slovenian-born former model who could become Americas first foreign-born first lady in two centuries, also travelled to the state Thursday for her first solo campaign appearance.He certainly knows how to shake things up, doesnt he? she said of her husbands incendiary campaign.Trumps third wife insisted her husband, with whom she lives in opulence, was running to improve the lives of suffering workers and struggling parents.Every time my husband learned of a factory closing in Ohio or North Carolina or here in Pennsylvania I saw him get very upset, she said, reeling off three key swing states.Profound Republican skepticism about Trumps controversial candidacy appears to be ebbing. Despite the Manhattan real estate moguls boasts about sexual assault and allegations of groping by about a dozen women, white women are now evenly split between the two candidates, the CBS poll showed.Similarly, Clintons trouble with the FBI appears to have dissuaded few Democrats, with only eight percent saying it would make them less likely to vote for the former secretary of state. With the campaign now in its final stages, each candidate is making final arguments to voters, crisscrossing battleground states and carpet-bombing the airwaves with high-priced ads.But neither wants to make a mistake and the race has taken on a frenetic yet formulaic quality.Even Trump is sticking to the TelePrompTer and avoiding his most explosive rhetoric as the campaign winds down.Nice and cool. Right? Stay on point, Donald, stay on point. No sidetracks, Donald -- nice and easy, the 70-year-old billionaire said out loud during a rally in Florida.Instead he has warned voters that a Clinton presidency would be overshadowed by indictments, and renewed his vow to drain the swamp of corruption in Washington. Trump has ridden the aftershocks of the Great Recession and waves of antipathy toward the political elite to the gates of the White House.Could he yet cause an upset?Democrats are quite right to be nervous about the outcome, said a team of political analysts at the University of Virginia.But, they added, there was no compelling argument that the race favors Trump or is even a toss-up.Financial markets have lurched as the race has tightened -- trying to price-in a Trump victory that they had long thought impossible.Both candidates are already planning for a favorable outcome on Election Night.Trumps campaign said Wednesday its invitation-only victory party will be held at the Hilton Midtown hotel in New York, a short distance from Trump Tower.Clinton has booked the glass-enclosed Jacob K Javits Convention Center, also in New York -- a wink to the glass ceiling she would be breaking as the first woman elected to the White House.As Trump and Clinton try to energize their base and mop up as many votes as possible, attention is increasingly turning to the political landscape after the election.The November 8 polls will not only decide who wins the White House, but the scale of the new presidents mandate and who controls Congress.Clinton will want to run up a massive margin to silence her legions of virulent critics and put Trumps unfounded allegations of vote rigging to bed.Republicans are strongly favored to retain control of the House of Representatives, but a renewed majority in the Senate is less clear.

Kerry calls ties to Manila 'ironclad' despite 'differences'

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - The historic alliance between the United States and the Philippines remains ironclad despite recent differences, Secretary of State John Kerry said Thursday, alluding to the anti-American rhetoric of populist President Rodrigo Duterte.The United States continues to place high value on the close ties that exist between our countries, Kerry said during a swearing-in ceremony for the new US ambassador to Manila, the Korean-born diplomat Sung Kim.We continue to recognize our ironclad commitment to the sovereignty, independence and security of the Philippines.In August, Duterte said in a speech that Kims predecessor in Manila, Philip Goldberg, was a son of a bitch -- a comment that prompted the State Department to demand an official explanation.Duterte, who accused Goldberg of meddling in Philippine elections, then issued a stream of insults toward the former colonial power, going so far as to refer to President Barack Obama as a son of a whore.The fiery Filipino leader later said his comment was nothing personal and that he regretted that it had caused such controversy.But Kerry, who met with Duterte in Manila in late July and said he hopes to return there before the Obama presidency ends in January, struck a diplomatic tone in his remarks Thursday.I am confident about the future of our bilateral relationship, notwithstanding the difference here or there about one thing or another, he said. I am absolutely confident about the ties between our peoples.Facing the extraordinary insults of the Philippine president, American diplomats have been wary of adding fuel to the fire.Democratic elections bring change and we must all have the wisdom to recognize and to adjust to that change, Kerry said.He added that the logic of our alliance -- built around a military partnership forged after World War II and cemented by a mutual defense treaty in 1951 -- remained as compelling today as it had ever been. Until Duterte came to power in June, Manila was one of the closest US allies in Asia, and it was viewed as a vital link in the political pivot or rebalancing of US policy toward the Asia-Pacific region under Obama. But late last month Duterte announced his countrys separation from the United States and called for an end within two years to the presence of foreign military troops -- a clear reference to American forces. Duterte later struck a more conciliatory tone, saying there would be no severance of ties with Washington; Manila, he added, would simply pursue a more independent line in foreign affairs while improving its ties to Beijing. Until the early 1990s, when the Manila government ordered them out, the United States kept thousands of troops at major bases in the Philippines. But months before Duterte took office, Washington and Manila had announced plans for stepped-up security cooperation, with a periodic presence of American troops rotating through the area near the contested South China Sea.

Over 100 dead in new migrant tragedy, second wreck feared

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ROME (AFP) - At least 110 people are feared to have drowned off Libya when a migrant boat capsized, and more may have died in another stricken vessel, the UNs refugee agency said Thursday, citing survivor testimony.A vessel with around 140 people on board overturned Wednesday just a few hours after setting off from Libya, throwing everyone into the water. Only 29 people survived, UNHCR spokesperson Carlotta Sami told AFP.The Norwegian vessel Siem Pilot was first on the scene, some 20 nautical miles off Libya, and rescued the survivors -- all of whom were in poor condition after spending hours in the water -- and recovered 12 bodies.Those pulled to safety were transferred to the island of Lampedusa by the Italian coast guard. In what could be a second incident, which could not be immediately confirmed by the coast guard, two women told the UN agency they believed they were the only survivors in an disaster in which some 125 people drowned.They told us they were on a faulty dinghy which began to sank as soon as they set sail. They were the only survivors, Sami said.The International Organization for Migration (IOM) quoted the same survivors but put the total death toll at around 240 people.Not enough has been done so far to avoid these tragedies, said Flavio di Giacomo, IOM spokesman in Italy.The Italian coast guard said it had no information on the second reported rescue on Wednesday or the saving of two women.Over 4,000 migrants have died or are missing feared drowned after attempting the perilous Mediterranean crossing this year.The rescue situation is often chaotic, with people confused, sick or exhausted after periods in crisis-hit Libya unable to specify how many people were on board their dinghies at the outset or what vessel pulled them from the water.At least two rescue missions were underway off Libya on Thursday, with close to 180 people pulled to safety according to an AFP photographer aboard the Topaz Responder, run by the Malta-based MOAS (Migrant Offshore Aid Station).Before dawn, we saw a migrant dinghy, lit up by the Responders search light, photographer Andreas Solaro said, adding that 31 people, 28 men and three women, one of them elderly, were rescued.In the second rescue, 147 people from Eritrea, Ghana, Sudan, Mali and Sierra Leone were pulled to safety, including 20 women, though only after some had fallen into the sea.The (Responder) crew was shouting at them to sit down and stay calm while the lifejackets were handed out but they were getting agitated, and around 10 of them fell overboard, some without lifejackets on, Solaro said.All were pulled to safety.October marked a record monthly high in the number of migrants arriving in Italy in recent years -- some 27,000 people -- and the departures have showed no sign of slowing, despite worsening weather in the Mediterranean.Amnesty International warned Thursday the pressure placed on Italy by Europe to cope alone with the worst migration crisis since World War II had led to unlawful expulsions and ill-treatment which in some cases may amount to torture.
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