Dunya TV

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• Tennis: United States edge Belarus to claim 18th Fed Cup
• Tennis: Federer back in the groove at Tour Finals
• Football: Switzerland edge out N. Ireland to qualify for World Cup
• Football: Croatia qualify for World Cup with Greece draw
• Formula One: Vettel wins Brazilian GP, Hamilton fourth from pits
• Motorcycling: Marquez joins greats with fourth world title
• At least 135 killed as strong quake rocks Iran-Iraq border
• Lebanon PM says free in Saudi and will return home 'soon'
• Tillerson to deliver warning in Myanmar over Rohingya crisis
• Trump to meet Philippines' controversial Duterte
• At least 16 dead as boat capsizes in India: police
• Up to 33 killed as DR Congo train carrying fuel derails
• SC to hear NAB's appeal for reopening Hudaibiyah case today
• Karachi: 12-year-old boy, two women killed in firing incident
• Parts of Balochistan receive first winter rain

Tennis: United States edge Belarus to claim 18th Fed Cup Posted: MINSK (AFP) - The United States claimed their first Fed Cup title for 17 years as Shelby Rogers and CoCo Vandeweghe beat Belarus pair Aryna Sabalenka and Aliaksandra Sasnovich in a deciding doubles rubber in the final on Sunday.Vandeweghe and Rogers won 6-3, 7-6 (7/3) to give the Americans a 3-2 final victory and an 18th Fed Cup crown.Im just really thrilled for all four players, said US captain Kathy Rinaldi.CoCo (Vandeweghe) came out and just played unbelievable. Shelby (Rogers) stepped up and Sloane (Stephens) -- my heart was broken for her, but she battled this whole weekend, she battled all the way to the end. Im so proud of all four of them.Earlier on Sunday, Vandeweghe put the USA 2-1 up by beating Sabalenka 7-6 (7/5), 6-1, while Sasnovich battled back from a set down to beat Sloane Stephens 4-6, 6-1, 8-6 to draw Belarus level at 2-2.The 19-year-old Sabalenka and Sasnovich, 23, dropped a serve apiece in the first set and the Americans surged in front after just 26 minutes.The Belarus duo replied positively and broke both Vandeweghe and Rogers in the second to move 5-2 ahead but the visitors then broke back twice to level at 5-5.In a tense conclusion, the hosts broke Rogers again but the American pair would not buckle despite the intense atmosphere of a Minsk crowd desperate to see a first home Fed Cup triumph.Sabalenka dropped serve again to send the set to the tiebreak where the experienced US duo triumphed.In Sundays early match Sabalenka and Vandeweghe both played with confidence under the watchful gaze of Belarus president Alexander Lukashenko on the hard-court at the packed Minsk Chizhovka 8,000-seat arena.The 25-year-old American took the opening set after 50 minutes winning it in a tiebreak.In the second Sabalenka, who is 78th in the world, suddenly lost her nerve allowing Vandeweghe to break twice before she took the set and the match sealing her victory with an accurate backhand.I knew if I just kept giving myself opportunities and getting my nose in front in her service games, Id keep getting opportunities and shed eventually break down, Vandeweghe said.She did what shes supposed to do and did what I expected her to do - just swing and pray for it to go in and she did. So you just got to recover and keep fighting.And then it showed in the second set, she withered when I kept the pressure on her, and then I just closed it out.Later Sunday, US Open champion Stephens, 24, broke her rivals serve early in the opening set to lead 1-0 after 42 minutes.But in the second Sasnovich broke twice to level at one set all after one hour 10 minutes on court.In the deciding set, Stephens led 5-2 before Sasnovich, 23, roared back with four straight games before eventually closing it out 8-6 as Stephens suffered her sixth straight defeat since winning her maiden Grand Slam title in New York in September.It was one of the most tense matches in my life, Sasnovich said.I gave everything I have for the win, the god of tennis was on my side today. The support of the crowd helped me to stay concentrated throughout the game. It was a fantastic match.On the opening day Vandeweghe put USA into the lead with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Sasnovich, while Sabalenka beat Stephens 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 to pull the scores level at 1-1.Belarus were without former world number one Victoria Azarenka who was forced to remain in the United States to fight a custody battle over her baby son.

Tennis: Federer back in the groove at Tour Finals Posted: LONDON (AFP) - Roger Federer made a strong start to his bid to cap his golden year with a seventh ATP Tour Finals title as the Swiss star defeated Jack Sock 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) on Sunday.Four months after winning Wimbledon for a record eighth time just a few miles across London, Federer is back in the English capital aiming to cap a remarkably successful spell by lifting the silverware at the O2 Arena.In the other match in Federers group, promising German youngster Alexander Zverev showed his potential with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 win against Croatias Marin Cilic.When Federer missed last years Tour Finals through injury, it seemed possible he would never recapture his former glories.He came into 2017 having missed half of last season due to fitness problems and was without a Grand Slam title since 2012.But the 36-year-old has enjoyed a stunning renaissance, winning the Australian Open and Wimbledon among seven titles -- more than other male player over the last 11 months.Federer hasnt triumphed at the season-ending Tour Finals since 2011.But after seeing off Sock in his group opener, the world number two has now won his last 11 matches.That dominant streak has already earned him titles in Shanghai and Basel, and he hopes to maintain that hot streak all the way to the Tour Finals crown next weekend.Its wonderful to be back, especially after missing last year with injury, Federer said.I got off to a great start, but the second set was tight.The breaker could have gone either way and in the end he helped me with some mistakes. Im really happy I got through somehow.With defending champion Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka all absent from the Tour Finals due to injury, Federer and Rafael Nadal are the unquestioned headline acts.Having won the French and US Opens this year, Nadal has matched Federers unexpectedly dominant run as the old rivals hoovered up all four of this years Grand Slam crowns.Nadal is already guaranteed to finish as the year-end world number one for the first time since 2013, making the 31-year-old the oldest man to earn that honour.But Nadals hopes of finally winning the Tour Finals for the first time could be hampered by injury.Nadal, twice a Tour Finals runner-up, is due to open his campaign against David Goffin on Monday, however the Spaniard admits he is still struggling with the knee problem that forced him to pull out of the recent Paris Masters.Speaking after receiving his year-end number one trophy following the Federer match, Nadal said he is ready to give it a go against Goffin.It has been a fantastic season, a very emotional one after all of the things I have been going through in the last couple of years with injury. See you tomorrow on court, he said.While Nadal frets over his fitness, Federer was back in the groove against Sock.Even Sock, yet to make it past the last 16 at any Grand Slam, was caught off guard by his climb to a career-high ninth in the rankings.He was forced to cancel a scheduled round of golf at Augusta as he instead prepared to face Federer.A relaxing stroll around that famous course might have seem preferable to facing Federer, who maintained his record of never dropping a set to the American.Fans hoping for some young blood to challenge Federer and Nadal got a glimpse of a possible future star as world number three Zverev made his tournament debut.Zverev is the youngest Tour Finals qualifier since Juan Martin del Potro in 2008, the towering 6ft 6in 20-year-old having underlined his emergence with five titles this year.He gave an impressive show against Cilic, coming from 3-1 down in the final set to beat the former US Open champion.

Football: Switzerland edge out N. Ireland to qualify for World Cup Posted: BASEL (AFP) - Switzerland held off Northern Ireland to seal a place at the 2018 World Cup in Russia with a 0-0 second-leg draw on Sunday that secured a 1-0 aggregate play-off victory.Vladimir Petkovics side wasted numerous first-half chances as the Northern Irish stayed in the tie, but Ricardo Rodriguezs controversial first-leg penalty in Belfast proved enough for the Swiss to reach their fourth consecutive World Cup.It was very hard, there was a lot of pressure, Switzerland goalkeeper Yann Sommer told television channel RTS.Everyone said it was almost done, but against teams like that its a fight. Im very excited weve achieved our goal.Its unfortunate that we were not more efficient because it would have been easier.Northern Ireland fell short in their bid to reach a first finals since 1986.Ultimately weve gone out to a poor decision in the first leg, Northern Ireland manager Michael ONeill told Sky Sports, after a harsh handball decision against Corry Evans saw Rodriguez score the only goal of the tie.Our performance and reaction tonight was fabulous. We were the better team.We had to ride our luck at times but we were pushing until the 94th minute. The players are devastated but I couldnt be any prouder.ONeill replaced Kyle Lafferty up front with Queens Park Rangers striker Conor Washington, while the hosts named an unchanged starting XI.With heavy rain leaving the St Jakob-Park pitch in bad condition, Northern Ireland started strongly.Chris Brunt brought a good save from Sommer with a swerving long-range strike in only the third minute, before Stuart Dallas fired over from the resulting corner.In a high-tempo opening to the game, Haris Seferovic should have doubled the hosts aggregate lead but headed Xherdan Shaqiris vicious cross past the far post.Switzerland continued to push for a crucial opening goal, but Gareth McAuley did well to help Blerim Dzemailis shot over the crossbar, and Benfica striker Seferovic again headed a Shaqiri delivery off target.ONeills visitors still looked much brighter than they had done in Thursdays loss in Belfast, but the 25-year-old Seferovic was proving a real handful as he volleyed wide from a tight angle.Petkovics side were struggling to make the most of their early chances, though, as goalkeeper Michael McGovern got down quickly to deny Stoke City winger Shaqiri at the near post.The Norwich City keeper was called into action once more before the half-hour mark, keeping out Steven Zubers low drive with his legs.The Swiss, who finished second to Portugal in qualifying Group B despite winning nine of 10 matches, came out of the blocks quickly after half-time with Zuber seeing an effort blocked and left-back Rodriguez drilling narrowly wide.Northern Ireland sent out a reminder that they were still in with a chance of forcing extra-time, as Washington sent a header looping away from keeper Sommer, but also the top corner.Switzerland had become frustrated by their inability to kill the tie off, and Washington created a good chance for George Saville to break the deadlock, only for the Millwall midfielder to curl tamely at Sommer.ONeill sent on Kilmarnock winger Jordan Jones for his international debut with 15 minutes remaining.The home side should have sealed a ticket to Russia in the 85th minute, but Seferovics poor day in front of goal went from bad to worse when he blazed over with the goal at his mercy.Northern Ireland almost made him pay with a late rally, but Rodriguez cleared a Jonny Evans injury-time header off the line as Switzerland clung on.

Football: Croatia qualify for World Cup with Greece draw Posted: PIRAEUS (AFP) - Croatia qualified for the 2018 World Cup on Sunday by holding Greece to a 0-0 draw in the second leg of their play-off in Piraeus for a 4-1 win on aggregate.Zlatko Dalics men will be playing in their fifth World Cup in Russia next year, having only once failed to qualify in 2010.We had a good match in Zagreb but it was difficult here. If we had won 1-0 (in the first leg) it would have been very difficult tonight, said Croatia coach Dalic, who only took over from the sacked Ante Cacic last month.We are a very good team and it would not be just for us not to go to Russia.A strong defensive performance, especially in the second half, was enough for Croatia to leave the Karaisiakis Stadium with a comfortable victory over the two legs after winning 4-1 on Thursday.It was a tough match for us. We did not play at our level, but more important is the result, said Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric.Greece played a good game tonight, it pushed us, but there was no serious opportunity (of a comeback).Greece coach Michael Skibbe dropped half of his players from the disastrous first-leg showing in Zagreb, and the return of Roma defender Kostas Manolas kept Croatia striker Nikola Kalinic in check.Unfortunately we had a very bad performance in Zagreb three days ago and we paid for it, said German Skibbe.We then made too many mistakes. Tonight we were excellent and Croatia were not good. The previous match happened the other way around.For the first 30 minutes Greece were in control, but despite two good shots from Borussia Dortmund defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos and AEK Athens forward Anastasios Bakasetas, the home team failed to get the much-needed early goal.Greece came close to scoring four minutes before half-time when a cross from Kostas Mitroglou found midfielder Zeca, who headed the ball in front of the Croatian goalmouth, only for goalkeeper Danijel Subasic to tip the ball away with Panagiotis Retsos ready to head in.But the visitors nearly put the tie to bed when a left-footed blast by Inter Milan winger Ivan Perisic hit the post in the 43rd minute, after Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic had earlier curled a free-kick over the crossbar.Greece continued to enjoy more of the ball in the second period but when it came to finishing off an attack, either a pass would go astray or a defender would step in.A shot on the turn by Mitroglou from just outside the penalty area just missed the post with an outstretched Subasic unable to reach it.Greece did put the ball in the net in the 79th minute, but substitute Dimitris Pelkas was correctly called offside.Bologna defender Vasilis Torosidis shot was blocked by Subasic with just three minutes left, denying Greece even a consolation strike.

Formula One: Vettel wins Brazilian GP, Hamilton fourth from pits Posted: SAO PAULO (AFP) - Sebastian Vettel bounced back from his world championship disappointment in fine style on Sunday when he won a sunlit Brazilian Grand Prix for Ferrari.The four-time champion took the lead at the start and, apart from a period after his pit-stop, controlled an incident-packed race to finish 2.8 seconds ahead of pole-sitter Valtteri Bottas of Mercedes.Kimi Raikkonen, the 2007 champion, resisted late challenges from newly-crowned four-time champion Lewis Hamilton to hang on to third ahead of the second Mercedes driver, who had started the race from the pit lane.Dutchman Max Verstappen came home fifth ahead of his Red Bull team-mate Australian Daniel Ricciardo and retirement-bound local hero Felipe Massa, a rousing seventh for Williams in his final home city race.The Brazilian emerged triumphant in his own private scrap to the line with two-time champion Fernando Alonso of McLaren Honda, who finished eighth.Sergio Perez finished ninth for Force India and Nico Hulkenberg 10th for Renault.It was Vettels first win in eight outings since the Hungarian Grand Prix in July and his fifth of the season. It was also Ferraris first win in Brazil since 2008.Its been a tough couple of weeks for us, but its nice to get both cars on the podium here, said Vettel.I had a good getaway and then I had wheelspin, so I thought I missed my chance but I think Valtteri had the same so I surprised him.I wanted to pull out a gap and then to control the race from there and it worked out.Bottas admitted: My goal was to win so it was very disappointing. We lost it in the start. After that it was very close. I tried to put some pressure on Sebastian, but it didnt happen. Lewis did a great comeback to score points.Raikkonen admitted: Lewis got close to me at the end, but its impossible to overtake here if you have close speed between the cars.Massa gave the home crowd something to cheer about as the Williams driver heads to retirement.He won the race at Interlagos in 2008 when he was pipped to the title by Hamilton.I feel so emotional today, admitted Massa. All you guys, thank you very much for everything that we passed together and for all the support and energy.On a hot blue-skied day, with a track temperature of 60 degrees Celsius, the key action took place on the first lap when, following a multiple collision at the first corner, the Safety Car was deployed.This incident saw Ricciardo spin on a kerb, hit luckless Belgian Stoffel Vandoornes McLaren and, in turn, Dane Kevin Kevin Magnussens Haas.The latter two were forced to retire as, in a separate incident, Frenchman Romain Grosjean lost control of his Haas and slid into compatriot Esteban Ocons Force India, taking the pair of them off into a gravel trap.It was the first retirement of Ocons career after 27 races and Grosjean was handed a 10-seconds penalty.In the chaos that ensued, Hamilton took advantage and rose to 14th before the Safety Car pulled off and racing resumed.The world champion, who had clinched his fourth title two weeks earlier in Mexico, made the most of his rebuilt car, powered by a new engine, following his crash in qualifying on Saturday.While Vettel pulled clear by 1.9 seconds ahead of Bottas, it was Hamilton setting the fastest laps as he sliced through the field. By lap 21, of the 71, following an immaculate demonstration of speed and passing moves, he was up to fifth before settling for fourth place.It was fun, said Hamilton. Just like my karting days when I started from the back. But I messed up yesterday and I know I was quick enough to win from pole to flag, but I made the job a lot harder.When I woke up this morning my goal was to do the team proud and score points. I tried, but ran out of tyres at the end.

Motorcycling: Marquez joins greats with fourth world title Posted: CHESTE (AFP) - Spanish ace Marc Marquez clinched a fourth MotoGP world title on Sunday to join an elite club of riders after finishing third at a tense season-ending Valencia Grand Prix.Hondas Marquez held a commanding 21-point lead in the championship from Ducati rival Andrea Dovizioso, and was guaranteed the title with a top-11 finish or if Dovizioso failed to win the race.Doviziosos fate was sealed when the early season pace-setter crashed out five laps from the end as Marquez ultimately won the championship by 37 points.Marquezs Honda teammate Dani Pedrosa won the race from Frances Johann Zarco in second.At just 24, a highly mature Marquez is the youngest ever rider to win four premier class world titles after just five seasons in MotoGP -- adding to two other world championships at lower levels.He drew level with British trio Mike Hailwood, Geoff Duke and John Surtees, and American Eddie Lawson as one of just five riders to triumph four times at the top level.Only three men -- Giacomo Agostini (eight), Valentino Rossi (seven) and Mick Doohan (five) -- have won the premier category championship more often than Marquez.Starting from pole, Marquez waved Zarco through on the fourth lap to rule out any chance of an untimely early crash.However, he couldnt resist an attack on the Frenchman to try and win the championship in style with eight laps to go and ran wide as his team held their breath, surviving but dropping down to fifth.During the race I was trying to be calm and control the situation, but then I thought now it is time to push because I felt really good, said a buoyant Marquez, who defied 27 crashes during the course of the season to win the title.In turn one I lost concentration on the break point, I broke too late and you know (it was) Marquez-style until the end.Yet, Ducatis hopes of usurping Marquez were quickly undone as Jorge Lorenzo and then Dovizioso both crashed out as they paid the price for pushing at the limit for the whole race.We were over the limit the whole race so we both made mistakes, said Dovizioso.I want to say thank you to the whole team, all the sponsors because we had a great season.However, he admitted seeing Marquez fly off the track precipitated his own mistake as he pushed even harder.Its a standard thing for Marc. I didnt have the speed to attack the rider in front of me so when I saw that I thought ok, this is good but I tried even harder and I was already pushing 100 percent until that time.Up front Pedrosa and Zarco were left to battle it out for the race win in a pulsating final few laps.Ultimately, though, the Spaniard came out on top on home soil to deny Zarco his first MotoGP win and round off a perfect day for the Honda pair.At the end I could see the race was there and I had to go (for it), said Pedrosa.Johann was very strong all the race and it was very difficult because he was going into the corner very fast.At the end I tried a few different times, but I made mistakes and finally into turn one I could make it stick.

At least 135 killed as strong quake rocks Iran-Iraq border Posted: SULAIMANIYAH (AFP) - At least 135 people were killed and hundreds more injured when a 7.3-magnitude earthquake shook the mountainous Iran-Iraq border triggering landslides that were hindering rescue efforts, officials said Monday.Footage posted on Twitter showed panicked people fleeing a building in Sulaimaniyah, northern Iraq, as windows shattered at the moment the quake struck late Sunday, while images from the nearby town of Darbandikhan showed major walls and concrete structures had collapsed.Iranian state broadcaster IRIB said 129 were dead in an updated toll posted on its website, while the official IRNA news agency said some 300 people had been injured, adding that the toll was expected to rise.Six others were reported dead on the Iraq side of the border.We are in the process of setting up three emergency relief camps, said Mojtaba Nikkerdar, the deputy governor of Irans Kermanshah province.The quake hit 30 kilometres (19 miles) southwest of Halabja in Iraqi Kurdistan at around 9.20 pm, when many people would have been at home, the US Geological Survey said.Irans emergency services chief Pir Hossein Koolivand said it was difficult to send rescue teams to the villages because the roads have been cut off... there have been landslides.The worst-hit towns in Iran were Qasr-e Shirin in Kermanshah and Azgaleh, about 40 kilometres northwest, IRNA said.It added that 30 Red Cross teams had been sent to the quake zone, parts of which had experienced power cuts.In Iraq, officials said the quake had killed six people in Sulaimaniyah province and injured around 150.In Sulaimaniyah, residents ran out onto the streets and some damage to property was reported, an AFP reporter there said.Four people were killed by the earthquake in Darbandikhan, the towns mayor Nasseh Moulla Hassan told AFP.A child and an elderly person were killed in Kalar, according to the director of the hospital in the town about 70 kilometres south of Darbandikhan, and 105 people injured.The quake, which struck at a relatively shallow depth of 25 kilometres, was felt for about 20 seconds in Baghdad, and for longer in other provinces of Iraq, AFP journalists said.On the Iranian side of the border, the tremor shook several cities in the west of the country including Tabriz.It was also felt in southeastern Turkey, from Malatya to Van, an AFP correspondent said. In the town of Diyarbakir, residents were reported to have fled their homes.The quake struck along a 1,500 kilometre fault line between the Arabian and Eurasian tectonic plates, a belt extending through western Iran and into northeastern Iraq.The area sees frequent seismic activity.In 1990, a 7.4-magnitude quake near the Caspian sea in northern Iran killed 40,000 people and left 300,000 more injured and half a million homeless. Within seconds the quake reduced dozens of towns and nearly 2,000 villages to rubble.Thirteen years later, a catastrophic quake struck the ancient southeast Iranian city of Bam, famed for its mud brick buildings, killing at least 31,000 people and flattening swathes of the city.Since then, Iran has experienced at least two major quake disasters, one in 2005 that killed more than 600 and another in 2012 that left some 300 dead.More recently, a 5.7-magnitude earthquake near Irans border with Turkmenistan in May killed two people, injured hundreds and caused widespread damage.

Lebanon PM says free in Saudi and will return home 'soon' Posted: BEIRUT (AFP) - Saad Hariri, whose resignation as Lebanons prime minister a week ago sent shockwaves across the region, said Sunday he is free in Saudi Arabia and will return to Lebanon very soon.In an interview from Riyadh with his partys Future TV, Hariri brushed aside rumours that he was under de facto house arrest in the kingdom, from which he announced his surprise departure.I am free here. If I want to travel tomorrow, I will, Hariri said.I will return to Lebanon very soon, Hariri said, adding later that he would land in Beirut in two or three days.Hariri, 47, announced he was stepping down from his post in a televised address on November 4 from Riyadh, and has yet to return to his native Lebanon.However, Lebanese President Michel Aoun has yet to formally accept his resignation and said the premier has been restricted in his movements.Hariris surprise resignation came as tensions rise between Riyadh and Tehran, which back opposing sides in power struggles from Lebanon and Syria to Yemen.At the time, Hariri accused Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah of taking over his country and destabilising the broader region.We cannot continue in Lebanon in a situation where Iran interferes in all Arab countries, and that theres a political faction that interferes alongside it, he repeated on Sunday in apparent reference to rival movement Hezbollah.Maybe theres a regional conflict between Arab countries and Iran. Were a small country. Why put ourselves in the middle?Wearing a suit and tie and with a Lebanese flag in the background, the former premier looked tired on Sunday and spoke softly but firmly throughout the interview.Hariri, who also holds Saudi citizenship, told journalist Paula Yaacoubian that he wrote his resignation himself and wanted to submit it in Lebanon, but there was danger.He also appeared to lay down an exit strategy, saying he would be willing to rescind the resignation if intervention in regional conflicts stopped.We need to respect the disassociation policy, Hariri said, referring to an agreement among Lebanese political factions that they would not interfere in Syrias six-year war.He appeared to be alluding to Hezbollahs military intervention on behalf of the Syrian government, to which Hariri is opposed.Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said Friday that Hariri was detained in Saudi Arabia, he is banned from returning to Lebanon.Hariri has spent the past week in a string of meetings with diplomats and Saudi officials in Riyadh, including an encounter with Saudi King Salman.He left the kingdom once for a trip to Abu Dhabi.In his interview on Sunday, Hariri said he has excellent ties with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in an apparent effort to put to rest rumours that the Saudi crown prince had pressured him to step down.Really, I consider him a brother and he considers me a brother. Its an excellent and special relationship, he said.But he refused to comment on the internal political turmoil in Saudi Arabia, where dozens of high-profile politicians and businessmen have been arrested in what authorities say is an anti-graft drive.The two-time premiers father Rafik made his fortune in Saudi Arabia and also served as premier for years before he was assassinated in 2005.Saad cited fears for his life when he resigned from his post last week, less than a year after his unity government was formed with Hezbollah.Lebanese have expressed concern that the move could thrust the country into a political and economic tailspin, as it remains unclear who could replace Hariri.Western countries moved quickly to express their support for the premier, with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson calling him a strong partner.Tillerson warned against any party, within or outside Lebanon, using Lebanon as a venue for proxy conflicts or in any manner contributing to instability in that country.

Tillerson to deliver warning in Myanmar over Rohingya crisis Posted: WASHINGTON (AFP) - In the face of widespread atrocities against ethnic Rohingya people in Myanmar, the United States has been cautiously stepping up pressure on that countrys army, while taking care to avoid endangering the civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi.As the US takes a more active role in the region -- several American delegations have passed through in recent weeks -- Secretary of State Rex Tillerson plans to travel to Myanmar on Wednesday to meet Suu Kyi, the nations leader, as well as army chief General Min Aung Hlaing.Myanmar is the country formerly known as Burma.Tillerson is expected to adopt a firm tone with military leaders there, whom he has deemed responsible for the crisis facing the Rohingya, an embattled Muslim minority that has seen more than 600,000 of its members flee to neighboring Bangladesh in two and a half months.In the name of putting down a supposed Rohingya rebellion, the army has since late August waged a sweeping military campaign in the western state of Rakhine, burning villages and sending thousands into what has become the largest exodus in todays world.The United Nations has denounced the campaign, including allegations of killings and mass rape, as ethnic cleansing.Recently returned from Myanmar and the overflowing refugee camps in Bangladesh, Simon Henshaw, the State Department official responsible for refugee and migration issues, said the scene in the camps was shocking.The scale of the refugee crisis is immense, he said, adding: The conditions are tough. People are suffering.Many refugees told us, through tears, accounts of seeing their villages burned, their relatives killed in front of them, Henshaw said.The world cant just stand by and be witness to the atrocities that are being reported in that area, Tillerson said last month.But it is unclear what steps the United States might take. Up to now, the State Department has merely strengthened a few punitive measures aimed at Myanmars army.The initial condemnations were important, Sarah Margon of the organization Human Rights Watch told AFP, but they stopped and there has been very little concrete action since then.She called for targeted economic sanctions meant to bring an end to some of the most brutal and horrific atrocities that have been seen in years.In the absence of more determined action from the White House or State Department, several members of the US Congress are calling for sanctions to limit military cooperation with Myanmar and ban its army members from US soil. A draft bill would also ban the importation of rubies or jade from the country.The bill is an important, although belated, first step in pushing the Myanmar military to end the violence in Rakhine state, said Joshua Kurlantzick of the New York-based Council on Foreign Relations. Now, he said, other parts of the government should take action as well.The State Department has not ruled out supporting further sanctions.But the United States has been careful not to place blame on Aung San Suu Kyi, drawing a line between the military and the civilian government led by the Nobel Peace Prize laureate.While Suu Kyi has faced considerable criticism abroad for her apparent lack of empathy for the Rohingya, Washington has reaffirmed its support for her, saluting her commitment to allow the peaceful return of refugees.The US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, did however take a side swipe at Suu Kyi, saying the situation in her country should shame senior Burmese leaders who have sacrificed so much for an open, democratic Burma.The United States wants to support the transition to a civilian government (but) make sure theres no backsliding, said a senior State Department official, speaking on background while emphasizing that Suu Kyi, once a dissident, has to deal with an army that ruled unchallenged for nearly a half-century.And new sanctions could be taken badly in Myanmar, said historian Thant Myint-U. In the past, he told AFP, sanctions made any transition to democracy less likely to succeed, and entrenched the isolation that is at the heart of all of Burmas problems.Margon of Human Rights Watch acknowledged that Myanmar is in really a difficult, delicate balance, and added that the civilian government had been very disappointing in its handling of the refugee crisis.Still, she added, they are not the ones committing the atrocities, they are not the ones responsible for the ethnic cleansing.But Margon and, separately, Kurlantzick said the United States could privately deliver a stern message to Suu Kyi on the urgent need to do more.Kurlantzick said Tillerson should warn the countrys generals that tougher multinational sanctions could ensue unless the violence stops, even while he cautions civilian leaders that they are not necessarily exempt from new sanctions.

Trump to meet Philippines' controversial Duterte Posted: MANILA (AFP) - Donald Trump sits down Monday with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who boasts about personally killing people and is waging a drug war that rights groups say involves mass murder.The US president is in Manila with leaders of 18 other nations for two days of summits, the final leg of a headline-grabbing Asian tour dominated by the North Korean nuclear crisis.Allegations of Russian meddling in last years US presidential elections also hounded the second half of his 12-day trip, which took him from Japan to South Korea, China and Vietnam.Rights groups have called on Trump to end his Asian journey with a strong statement against Dutertes drugs war, which has seen police and suspected vigilantes kill thousands of people.But brief encounters between them in the lead-up, including at another regional summit in Vietnam and a banquet dinner in Manila on Sunday night, appeared to support Dutertes confidence that Trump was not concerned with the killings.Im sure he will not take it up, Duterte said on Sunday when asked whether he expected Trump to raise the issue of alleged extra-judicial killings in the drugs war.Duterte won elections last year after promising to eradicate illegal drugs with an unprecedented campaign that would see up to 100,000 people killed.Since he took office, police have reported killing 3,967 people in the crackdown.Another 2,290 people have been murdered in drug-related crimes, while thousands of other deaths remain unsolved, according to government data.Many Filipinos back Duterte, believing he is taking necessary measures to fight crime, but rights groups warn he may be orchestrating a crime against humanity.Amnesty International accuses police of shooting dead defenceless people and paying assassins to murder addicts.When pressured over allegations of extra-judicial killings carried out by police, Duterte insists he has never told them to break the law.But rights groups say police are following Dutertes incitements to kill, including comments made last year when he said he would be happy to slaughter three million addicts.He has also repeatedly boasted about personally killing people, most recently on Thursday while in Vietnam for the Asia-Pacific economic summit.At the age of 16, I already killed someone. A real person, a rumble, a stabbing. I was just 16 years old. It was just over a look, Duterte said.Duterte also said in December last year that he had personally shot dead criminal suspects when he was mayor of southern Davao city to set an example for the police.Then-US president Barack Obama was one of many prominent critics of Dutertes handling of the drugs war. The Philippine leader responded last year by calling Obama a son of a whore.Trump has so far appeared to be a fan of Duterte, telling him in a telephone call in April that he was doing a great job.Duterte said on Sunday that Trump had offered him further words of encouragement during their brief chat in Vietnam the previous day.And at the pre-summit banquet on Sunday, Duterte sang a Filipino love song in front of his audience, saying in a light-hearted fashion that he did so on the orders of the US president.Duterte is hosting the world leaders because the Philippines holds the rotating chair of the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) bloc.The events on Monday and Tuesday in Manila are two separate ASEAN-hosted summits, which also include China, Japan, Russia, South Korea, India, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.Competing territorial claims in the South China Sea and fears that the Islamic State group is gaining a foothold in Southeast Asia are expected to be on the formal agendas of the talks.

At least 16 dead as boat capsizes in India: police Posted: NEW DELHI (AFP) - At least 16 people, including women and children, died Sunday after a boat packed with 38 passengers capsized in a river in southern India, police said.Police in the city of Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh state said they recovered at least 16 bodies from Krishna River where the accident took place.Rescue operations are on and they will continue until all have been traced, a local police officer told AFP on condition of anonymity.Local fishermen swung into action and rescued 15 passengers, the Press Trust of India reported.The states tourism minister ordered an inquiry into the incident while Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu expressed his condolences on Twitter.Boat accidents are common in India, mainly because of overcrowding, poor maintenance and lax safety on ferries.Twenty people died in September when a boat packed with labourers capsized on the Yamuna river in northern India.

Up to 33 killed as DR Congo train carrying fuel derails Posted: LUBUMBASHI (AFP) - Up to 33 people were feared dead Sunday in the Democratic Republic of Congo after a freight train carrying fuel plunged into a ravine.The UNs radio Okapi spoke of 33 fatalities with others injured or burned in the accident that occurred in the sprawling mineral-rich province of Katanga, which is the size of Spain.Up until now the toll is eight dead and several injured. The toll could be significantly higher, Jean-Marie Tshizainga, the minister of mines of Lualaba province told AFP.The train, in which the victims were travelling illegally, was running between the countrys second city Lubumbashi to Luena in Katanga.The train was transporting 13 oil tankers and derailed while climbing a slope near the station of Lubudi. It fell into a ravine and the tankers caught fire, radio Okapi said.Its a freight train that derailed and it wasnt supposed to be carrying passengers. If there were people on board, we consider them to be illegal travellers, said Sylvestre Ilunga Ilukamba, a senior official from the national railway company.Katanga has witnessed several deadly train accidents. In 2014, a freight train derailed killing 74 people and injured 163, according to officials but the Red Cross said up to 200 corpses had been buried.The national news agency a month later spoke of 136 deaths.Another train accident in July 1987 near the Zambian border killed 150 people after crashing into a truck.

SC to hear NAB's appeal for reopening Hudaibiyah case today Posted: ISLAMABAD: (Dunya News) – A three-member bench of the Supreme Court’s (SC) will start hearing the appeal for reopening Hudaibiyah Paper Mills case against Sharif family today (Monday). National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had filed this appeal upon the observation of SC’s five-member bench in Panama case, reported Dunya News.According to details, the three-member bench will be headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa. The other two judges are Justice Dost Mohammad and Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel. Registrar Office has issued the notice to NAB Prosecutor General.Earlier, Lahore High Court had dismissed the Hudaibiyah Paper Mills case against Sharif brothers. NAB challenged this decision in Supreme Court to open this reference again.

Karachi: 12-year-old boy, two women killed in firing incident Posted: KARACHI (Dunya News) – A 12-year-old boy named Rehan was killed in alleged firing by police officials in Mominabad area of Orangi Town in Karachi on Sunday, Dunya News reported.The residents of the area staged a protest and surrounded the police station and also chanted slogans against police. They also demanded action against police officials involved in the incident.SP Orangi took immediate action after the protest and apprehended the accused involved in the firing and also ordered to register a case against them. The officials arrested included Majid, Razzaq, Tahir and Farooqi.On the other hand, two women, Saima and Tasleema, were killed and a five-month-old boy Sabir was wounded in firing in a house situated in Machar Colony area of Maripur.Family members of the deceased women have alleged that Saima’s husband husband was involved in the firing incident. Police have reached the spot and started investigation.

Parts of Balochistan receive first winter rain Posted: QUETTA (Dunya News) - Different parts of Balochistan province including Taftan, Chaghai, Nokundi and other areas near Pak-Iran border received first winter rain on Sunday night, providing much needed relief from the dry weather.The rain caused flash floods in the hilly areas of the province. Lightning also struck a house in Taftan, however, no loss of life was reported.On the other hand, Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast rain in Karachi division today (Monday) and also predicted rain in parts of Punjab tomorrow. Dense smog covering the plains of Punjab for the past many days is also expected to be reduced due to rain.

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