Dunya TV

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• Vietnam marks 40 years since fall of Saigon
• Thousands protest in US over police 'injustices'
• Golf: McIlroy, Spieth off mark at WGC-Match Play
• Chad tightens security against Boko Haram at cost of disruption
• Karachi: Police search operation, 35 alleged suspects arrested
• Police releases sketch of suspect involved in murder of Waheed-ur-Rehman
• Blast at explosives factory in Syria kills 25 IS fighters: monitor
• Thousands protest in US over police 'injustices'
• Dollar dives vs. euro after US growth disappoints
• Iran calls for UN-sponsored talks on Yemen
• Regime bombing kills 23 in north Syria: monitor
• Tennis: Federer blasts past Nieminen in Istanbul
• Tennis: Haase claims top seed Lopez' scalp, Gasquet eases through
• Football: Rodriguez cracker helps Real keep pressure on Barcelona
• Microsoft courts app makers with dive into Windows 10

Vietnam marks 40 years since fall of Saigon Posted: HO CHI MINH CITY (AFP) - Vietnam marked the 40th anniversary of Saigons fall Thursday with a huge military parade celebrating the moment communist forces ended a decades-long conflict and delivered a painful blow to American moral and military prestige.The centre of Vietnams usually bustling southern business hub was sealed off so that regiments of goose-stepping soldiers in dress uniform could march past all the countrys flag-waving top leadership as a marching band played.Elaborate floats, including one bearing a giant portrait of founding president Ho Chi Minh, made their way slowly through the city streets, celebrating the moment 40 years ago when tanks smashed through the gates of the Presidential Palace in the then southern capital of Saigon -- now named Ho Chi Minh City.The April 30 victory was a golden turning point for the Vietnamese people, Army Lieutenant-General Nguyen Quoc Khanh told the crowds at the event, which is being broadcast live nationwide.The victory is a symbol of the countrys hard-won independence, he said, adding that the army is ready to sacrifice anything to defend this.The Northern victors reunited the country under a communist government after a war which eviscerated much of Vietnam, killing millions of its people as well as 58,000 American servicemen.The conflict was also bitterly divisive in the US and still haunts the country.As the first Cold War conflict to be extensively covered by the Western press -- and the first to be lost by a modern superpower that thought itself unbeatable -- it remains seared into the public imagination, most often as a tragic waste.No American official will attend the anniversary parade, but the US Ambassador will attend a small ceremony at the consulate in HCMC with The Fall of Saigon Marines Association, embassy spokesman Terry White told AFP.Victory means legitimacyThe winning side has also struggled with the meaning of the war as the nominally communist government deepens its embrace of market capitalism.For decades, Hanoi has celebrated its military victory as a means to legitimise its ongoing authoritarian rule.The communists 1975 victory was a moment of global historic importance, said Vietnam expert Jonathan London, at City University of Hong Kong.With the parade the party is trying to both commemorate victory and erase any possibility that its achievements over the last 40 years have fallen short of the mark, he said.Vietnam has come a long way since the end of the war, and especially over the last 20 years since the adoption of market reforms, London added, but wartime anniversaries still play a key role for the older generation.Yet increasingly, the public is indifferent or even hostile to such shows of official patriotism.I dont care about this parade -- its bad for business, said Nguyen Thi Dieu, 25, a vendor who sells cold water and snacks in the city centre told AFP.The parade is just for the TV cameras and for the top leaders, not for people like me.Tuong Vu, an associate professor of political science at the University of Oregon, said perceptions of the war had evolved in Vietnam.Once, people saw the war as one for national liberation and unification... these days most Vietnamese perhaps believe that the war was a tragic event during which Vietnamese killed other Vietnamese -- a civil war, he told AFP.The communist party is no longer seen as patriotic or invincible, he said, adding that many people saw the anniversary celebrations as a waste of money.Vietnam remains a one-party state where dissent is not tolerated and all media is state-controlled.Local press has run fawning stories ahead of the anniversary, heavy on wartime heroism.But online, where many citizens now prefer to read their news, criticism of the anniversary is more widespread.Let the past go, its been 40 years, wrote businessman Tran Minh Chien on his Facebook page in a typical comment, urging the government not to waste time and money on a major military parade.

Thousands protest in US over police 'injustices' Posted: BALTIMORE (AFP) - Thousands of people demonstrated in major cities along the US East Coast on Wednesday demanding an end to what they say is police brutality, after a young African-American man died of injuries sustained in custody in Baltimore.The biggest show of people power was in Baltimore itself, where several thousand mostly young demonstrators paralyzed several city blocks in a major rally through downtown to City Hall.Thousands more protested in New York, the capital Washington and Boston in solidarity, as decades-old simmering anger over police tactics -- particularly in their dealings with black Americans -- again bubbled to the surface in the United States.The protests were overwhelmingly peaceful and good-natured, although New York police detained several demonstrators and emotions were running high.What appears to be a growing movement for change was centered on Baltimore, where a rally that started at the main train station included black and white demonstrators, some of them linking arms and chanting: No justice, no peace No racists, no peaceMany in the march were high school or college students.Were protesting the ongoing injustices that police have perpetrated on black men particularly. Police are trigger-happy and we need to stop that, Jonathan Brown, 19, a student at Johns Hopkins University, told AFP.Some in the huge crowd held placards, one reading, Killer cops deserve cell blocks. A few wore shirts with the words, Amnesty International observer.The 2,000 National Guard personnel who have flooded Baltimore this week kept a low profile, although authorities have said they are primed to enforce a curfew that will sweep into effect for a second night from 10:00 pm (0200 GMT Thursday) to 5:00 am.Police used loudspeakers to urge the crowds to go home and initial signs were that most of the demonstrators would be off the streets for the curfew.Very encouragedThe Baltimore rally was a far cry from the violence and looting which flared there following the funeral of Freddie Gray, 25, on Monday.Grays death was the latest instance in the United States of a black man succumbing at the hands of police -- a situation that has stirred resentment among African Americans who believe they are targeted by police.That anger also sparked coast-to-coast demonstrations in major US cities last year after a white policeman shot dead an unarmed black teenager in the St Louis suburb of Ferguson in August.Maryland State Governor Larry Hogan said he had been very encouraged by the last 24 hours and said a semblance of normality was returning to Baltimore, a gritty city of 620,000 about an hours drive from Washington.But he cautioned: We are not out of the woods yet.And he warned demonstrators to respect the curfew: There are peaceful protests happening tonight. We want to make sure individuals can exercise their First Amendment rights and express their concerns.New York arrestsIn New York, protesters gathered at Union Square, in Lower Manhattan, for a rally dubbed on a Facebook page, NYC Rise up and Shut it down with Baltimore.The large march initially met no resistance from police, but that swiftly changed as officers -- who deployed in significant numbers -- moved in and made arrests.The New York Police Department would not say how many were detained, though CNN put the number at a couple dozen.In Washington, there was a festive atmosphere as a well-organized march that peaked at about 1,000 ended at the White House, where protesters chanted and held signs reading, Stop racist police terror.Miyeah Cook, 17, told AFP: Im just trying to stand up for black people everywhere. Just anywhere and everywhere.Honestly, I dont know why Im out here at this point because were literally being escorted by the police. I dont find it helpful at all.It honestly made me mad once I found out that the police were everywhere we went.Just lost itBaltimore police made 18 arrests during the day on Wednesday, said Police Commissioner Anthony Batts, and they were keeping a keen eye on social media -- used by protesters to coordinate their action.Among the many startling images to emerge from the riots in the city was that of an infuriated mother hitting her teenage son repeatedly for joining the demonstrations on Monday and dragging him away.I just lost it, said Toya Graham, a single mother of six, whose actions have been widely praised.I was shocked, I was angry, because you never want to see your child out there doing that, she added, speaking to CBS News.

Golf: McIlroy, Spieth off mark at WGC-Match Play Posted: SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - World number one Rory McIlroy and Masters champion Jordan Spieth opened their WGC-Match Play Championship campaigns with easy wins Wednesday on a day of upsets at the new-look $9.25 million event.Northern Irish star McIlroy carded just one birdie and 13 pars but was too good for Jason Dufner, winning 5&4 at San Franciscos picturesque Harding Park course.I think from tee to green I played really solid. Didnt really hole anything, said McIlroy.I made birdie on the first hole and then made 13 pars after that. Jason didnt have his best day but this is Match Play -- you just need to beat the guy in front of you and I was able to do that today.In-form Spieth, fresh from a scintillating start-to-finish victory at Augusta, had little difficulty in putting away Finlands Mikko Ilonen 4&2.Spieth said he had benefited after spending time working on his swing last week.It was a solid round, one bogey and I think seven birdies. I would certainly take it the rest of the week, Spieth said.Its good to get off to a good start. I played solid golf today.It was a sobering reality check for Ilonen, the lowest ranked player in the field who had only traveled to California as a reserve before entering the tournament when Phil Mickelson withdrew from the 64-man field on Sunday.The new round-robin format of this years competition means however that Ilonen will stay in San Francisco for at least two more days to play his remaining games in Group Two, which also includes Englands Lee Westwood and Matt Every of the United States.Organizers of the tournament, hoping for a dream finale between Spieth and McIlroy on Sunday, revamped the competition this year to eliminate the possibility of a first-round bloodbath.Previously, defeat in the opening round meant an early flight home. But now the field has been split into 16 groups of four players, with the group winners advancing to the knockout rounds over the weekend.Swedens Henrik Stenson, Englands Justin Rose and Australias Jason Day all suffered upset defeats elsewhere Wednesday.World number three Stenson, the 2007 winner, lost on the 19th hole against Australias John Senden, ranked 65 in the world.Rose, in good form after winning the Zurich Classic on Sunday following a second place finish in the Masters, went down 3&2 to Australias Marc Leishman.Day meanwhile crashed to a 4&3 loss in Group Seven to Charley Hoffman, ranked 50th in the world.There was disappointment too for Englands Ryder Cup star Ian Poulter.Poulter, who often thrives in the Match Play format, went down 3&2 to Webb Simpson of the United States.

Chad tightens security against Boko Haram at cost of disruption Posted: NDJAMENA (AFP) - Long tailbacks form at a bridge on the border between Chad and Cameroon while Chadian security forces, wary of deadly Boko Haram terrorists, screen all road users and their property.Were looking for weapons, a police officer explains at the Ngueuli bridge on the main road for imports to landlocked Chad, linking the capital NDjamena to the far north of Cameroon.Customs officials and security forces search men, women and children alike for arms being smuggled to the Nigeria-based extremists who have spread terror throughout the region. They also watch out for incoming explosives.There are no exceptions, a policeman says as he fleeces the pockets of a 13-year-old boy. Have you seen how Boko Haram sends little kamikaze girls to blow themselves up in the middle of crowds? We dont want that happening here.Every day thousands of traders and travellers cross the bridge, which opens at 7:00 am (0600 GMT) and closes at nightfall. They include children from the Cameroonian border town of Kousseri who go to school in NDjamena.Chad, whose battle-hardened troops are leading a four-nation regional offensive against the Nigerian insurgents, is seeking to prevent Boko Haram attacks on its soil, like in Cameroon and Niger.Chadian soldiers have played a decisive part in weakening the sect since they deployed in Nigeria in February, as part of the operation conducted alongside the armies of Cameroon, Niger and Nigeria itself.NDjamena lies only about 50 kilometres (30 miles) from Nigerias northeastern Borno state, the stronghold of the radical Islamist movement.Weve launched open warfare against these people, we cant deny that theres a threat: bombs in the mosques and in the markets, thats their specialty, says Abakar Walar Modou, general secretary of the King Faisal University in NDjamena, who knows the Islamist sect well.Patrols by police and paramilitary gendarmes have been increased considerably on NDjamena streets of late. Hundreds of people have been arrested after identity checks, which have become systematic in districts with a sizeable Nigerian community.Security sources in NDjamena say that Boko Haram fighters regularly enter Chad to seek refuge or to buy weapons.A few weeks ago, 19 suspected members of the sect were detained as they crossed the border from Cameroon in the Bongor region, some 200 miles south of NDjamena, according to a police captain who asked not to be named.Hot peppers cost too muchIn a bid to stem such infiltration, Chadian authorities have halted all navigation on the Chari river and its tributary, the Logone, which both flow along the border between Chad and Cameroon.Beneath the Ngueli bridge, the river once crossed daily by countless dugout boats in either direction now flows still and empty.However, the stringent regulations are hurting the Chadian economy, which relies for maritime trade on the Cameroonian port of Douala on the Atlantic coast.NDjamena residents are paying the price.Crossing the bridge is a huge bother, says Ahmad, a trader. Now when you return with only a small bag, they carry out a 100 percent search. You need ID and everything.Many manufactured items, from farming tools and spare parts for motor vehicles to portable phones, are imported to Chad, a deeply poor and partly arid country that began to exploit its oil reserves a dozen years ago.The bulk of the imported produce is transported by heavy goods vehicles to Kousseri, along a road that follows the border between Cameroon and Nigeria. On many occasions, the trucks have been attacked.Supplies by road are increasingly scarce as a result, leading to a sharp rise in prices. Many things have become too expensive, says Awa, a shop worker of about 40. Even hot peppers cost too much.Awa makes do by buying beer in Kousseri and bringing it home for sale. They say that Boko Haram has made this trip difficult. We are living like this, but it is tough.

Karachi: Police search operation, 35 alleged suspects arrested Posted: KARACHI (Dunya News) – Police on Thursday conducted a search operation in Jamshed Quarters and its surrounding areas. 35 alleged suspects including gangwar operatives were arrested during the search operation. Ammunition including Kalashnikov, TT pistols and drugs were also confiscated from the suspects.A blockade was set up at the entrance and exit points of the area and search was conducted. Exchange of fire also occurred between the suspects and the police during the operation.

Police releases sketch of suspect involved in murder of Waheed-ur-Rehman Posted: KARACHI (Dunya News) – The police on Thursday released a sketch of the suspect involved in the murder of Karachi University’s (KU) Assistant Professor Waheed-ur-Rehman. The new development in the murder case that occurred in the vicinity of Yousaf Plaza Federal B area was made with the help of eyewitness reports. According to these reports, the assailant’s age is said to be around 30 to 35 years.The suspect is stated as having a dark complexion and height of more than 5 ft 2 inches. Police stated that the hunt for suspects involved in the killing has begun.

Blast at explosives factory in Syria kills 25 IS fighters: monitor Posted: BEIRUT (AFP) - Twenty-five fighters from the Islamic State group were killed when a powerful blast rocked an explosives manufacturing plant in Syrias eastern Deir Ezzor province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said Wednesday.It was not immediately clear whether the explosion was accidental or the result of a missile strike, the Britain-based Observatory said.A strong explosion took place this evening in an IS explosives factory in the town of Al-Mayadeen in the province of Deir Ezzor, the monitoring group said.Several other explosions followed, shaking the whole town. Twenty-five IS fighters were killed, around 20 others were injured, it added.The Islamic State group, which imposes a harsh interpretation of Islamic law, controls most of the oil province of Deir Ezzor, which borders Iraq. But government forces still hold parts of the provincial capital and small pockets of areas of less strategic significance.

Thousands protest in US over police 'injustices' Posted: BALTIMORE (AFP) - Thousands of young protesters marched through downtown Baltimore and demonstrated in New York on Wednesday demanding justice for an African-American man who died of severe spinal injuries sustained in police custody.In contrast to Monday, when violence erupted and stores were looted, the rally that started at Baltimores main train station was good-natured and included black and white demonstrators, some of them linking arms and chanting: No justice, no peace No racists, no peaceMany in the rally, which was headed for City Hall and appeared to be gathering numbers on the way, were school or college students, an AFP reporter at the march said, as a few thousand also massed in Union Square, in New Yorks Lower Manhattan. A small-scale demonstration also took hold in Boston, US media said.Some in the Baltimore crowd held placards, one reading, Killer cops deserve cell blocks; a few wore shirts reading, Amnesty International observer.The 2,000 National Guard personnel who have flooded the city this week kept a low profile, although authorities have said they are primed to swoop should the march spark unrest like that which flared following the funeral of Freddie Gray, 25, on Monday.His death was the latest instance in the United States of a black man succumbing at the hands of police -- a situation that has stirred resentment among African Americans who believe they are the victims of police brutality.That anger sparked coast-to-coast demonstrations in major US cities after a white policeman shot dead an unarmed black teenager in the St Louis suburb of Ferguson in August.Baltimore authorities urged calm and warned that they would again enforce a citywide curfew beginning at 10:00 pm (0200 GMT Thursday) and lasting until 5:00 am.Tuesday nights curfew was largely respected, although police made 35 arrests and warned that they were assessing the volatile situation minute-by-minute.Maryland State Governor Larry Hogan said he had been very encouraged by the last 24 hours and said a semblance of normality was returning to Baltimore, a gritty city of 620,000 about an hours drive from Washington.But he cautioned: We are not out of the woods yet.And he warned demonstrators to respect the curfew: There are peaceful protests happening tonight. We want to make sure individuals can exercise their First Amendment rights and express their concerns.We also want to stress and remind everyone that there is a 10:00 pm curfew in place in the city and I urge everyone in Baltimore to get off the streets at 10:00 pm.Reflecting on Tuesday night, which was tense but largely trouble-free, Baltimore Police Captain Eric Kowalczyk said: Last night the curfew went into effect at 10:00 pm. We have had 35 arrests. Of those 35 arrests, 34 were adults and one was a juvenile.He added: It is reflective of what we saw yesterday with very peaceful activity and what we are used to seeing in the city of Baltimore.Police said they were keeping a keen eye on social media -- used by protesters to coordinate their action.Amid the violence on Monday, the Baltimore Orioles postponed two Major League Baseball games against the Chicago White Sox and opted to bar fans from Wednesdays contest at Camden Yards.The 8-2 victory for the home team was played before empty stands.Among the many startling images to emerge from the riots in the city was that of an infuriated mother hitting her teenage son repeatedly for joining the demonstrations on Monday and dragging him away.I just lost it, said Toya Graham, a single mother of six. I was shocked, I was angry, because you never want to see your child out there doing that, she added, speaking to CBS News.

Dollar dives vs. euro after US growth disappoints Posted: NEW YORK (AFP) - The dollar sank against the euro Wednesday after worse-than-expected data showed the US economy nearly stalled in the first quarter, clouding expectations of a Federal Reserve interest rate hike.The early morning report from the Commerce Department sent the dollar tumbling against the 19-nation currency, at one point hitting a two-month low.But the dollar pared its losses after the Federal Reserve announced, after a two-day policy meeting, that the slowdown in the worlds largest economy was in part due to transitory factors, predicting that growth would return to a moderate pace.The euro traded at $1.1128 around 2100 GMT, up from $1.0981 late Tuesday.As expected, the Federal Open Market Committee left its key federal funds rate near zero, but after previously hinting the rate hike could come in mid-2015, the FOMC statement left open the timing of an increase as it waits for more signs of economic progress.This report is dovish for the greenback and the yield curve, but supportive of US growth, job gains, oil prices, metals prices, and equity prices on trend. Higher rates are coming, but we do not expect the first moves higher until Q4 2015, said Jason Schenker of Prestige Economics.

Iran calls for UN-sponsored talks on Yemen Posted: NEW YORK (AFP) - Irans foreign minister called Wednesday for a Yemen-owned dialogue sponsored by the United Nations to end fighting that has killed hundreds in the country since late March.Everybody in Yemen should engage in a dialogue without preconditions and I do not believe that is taking place in the UAE, because the UAE unfortunately became part of the conflict, said Mohammad Javad Zarif.It has to take place in a place that is not a party to this conflict.A Saudi-led coalition of Sunni Arab states launched air strikes on March 26 against Huthi Shiite rebels whom Riyadh accuses Tehran of arming.The United Nations says more than 1,000 people have been killed in fighting in Yemen since late March, when Riyadh assembled the coalition in support of the countrys exiled president.Zarif said the talks should include everyone in Yemen and lead to a broad based government that has good relations with its neighbors.It should be a Yemeni-owned and a Yemeni-operated process. We can facilitate, he told an audience at New York University.He recalled the Bonn conference, held under UN auspices, that paved the way for an Afghan government after the 2001 US-led invasion brought down the Taliban.I think Yemen should be the same and I think the United Nations has enough experience to lead that, and weve been talking to them and I hope they can do it, he added.Zarif described the situation in Yemen as dire and said the humanitarian situation was catastrophic.

Regime bombing kills 23 in north Syria: monitor Posted: BEIRUT (AFP) - Air strikes by Syrian government forces killed at least 23 people, including six children, and wounded 50 on Wednesday in the northern provinces of Aleppo and Idlib, a monitor said.In the south of Aleppo city, a small girl was among four civilians killed in the rebel-held neighbourhood of Ferdus, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.Another seven civilians died in Deir Hafer and Bab, two areas in the east and north of Aleppo under the control of the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group, said the Observatory.Explosives-filled barrels and missiles were used in the wave of bombing, which also wounded 50 people.In Idlib, air strikes killed 12 people, five of them children, said the Britain-based monitor which relies on a network of sources on the ground for its reports.A newly formed rebel alliance calling itself the Army of Conquest has seized key positions in Idlib province in recent weeks, including the provincial capital of the same name, the town of Jisr al-Shughur and a military headquarters.In fighting between rival factions within the anti-regime camp, the Observatory and opposition sources said, 36 people have been killed since Monday on the edge of the Israeli-occupied sector of the Golan Heights.Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said 31 of the deaths came in fighting in Qahtaniya pitting Jaish al-Jihad, which has pledged allegiance to IS, against Islamists backed by the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Al-Nusra Front and other rebel forces.Al-Nusra and its allies have taken several positions from Jaish al-Jihad, the Observatory said.In nearby Saham Jolan, five Al-Nusra fighters including a commander were killed in clashes with Al-Yarmuk Martyrs Brigade, another group close to IS, opposition sources said.Two Al-Yarmuk members were killed.

Tennis: Federer blasts past Nieminen in Istanbul Posted: ISTANBUL (AFP) - World number two Roger Federer on Wednesday eased past fellow 33-year old, the Finn Jarkko Nieminen, with a dominant display to reach the quarter finals of the Istanbul Open.Federer, showing flashes of brilliance mixed with occasional errors, closed out in just over an hour to win the second round match 6-2 7-5.The 17-time Grand Slam winner was making his first appearance in Turkey at the Istanbul Open, the first ever ATP world tour event in the country.Federer, who is seeded to meet world number 11 Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria in the final, is hoping to use the clay court event to fine tune his bid for a second French Open title next month. He is looking for confidence on the slower clay, after a long hard court season, having lost in the third round on clay to Gael Monfils at the Monte Carlo Masters this month.Federer raced through the first set in just 20 minutes, pulling out his full armoury of drop shots, cross court forehands and backhand winners against a clearly hesitant Nieminen, the world 71.A stunning drop shot from Federer that fell dead inside the service court broke Nieminens serve in the fifth game and left the crowd gasping. The crowd, who had braved heavy evening traffic to catch Federer play at the 8,000 capacity Garanti Koza arena on the outskirts of Istanbul, began to get behind the Finn to prolong the game.Nieminen showed greater confidence in the second set, holding his serve with ease and an over-relaxed Federer spraying the ball wide regularly.The Federer forehand was responsible for a string of unforced errors, allowing Nieminen to hold serve without trouble.But Federer, serving and volleying on occasion and delivering nine aces in the match, found his top gear at the close of the set.Piling pressure on the Nieminen second serve and using his trademark drive volley to great effect, Federer finally broke Nieminen to lead 6-5.He then served out to love, finishing with a stunning backhand cross court that left Nieminen with arms and legs akimbo.In Fridays quarter finals, Federer will face Daniel Gimeno-Traver of Spain who overcame Kazakhstans Mikhail Kukushkin in straight setsDimitrov meanwhile is due to start his campaign against Andrey Golubev of Kazakhstan on Thursday. Fourth seed Santiago Giraldo of Colombia went through to the quarters with a tough 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 win against Andrey Rublev of Russia.

Tennis: Haase claims top seed Lopez' scalp, Gasquet eases through Posted: ESTORIL (AFP) - Dutch underdog Robin Haase produced a superb comeback to knock out top seed Feliciano Lopez in the second round of the Estoril Open on Wednesday 4-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-4.French fifth seed Richard Gasquet, playing his first event in six weeks after returning from a back injury, continued his comeback with a 6-2, 6-3 defeat of compatriot Kenny de Schepper.The 28-year-old Gasquet had been enjoying a successful season prior to his injury, winning his 11th career title in Montpellier and reaching the last eight in both Doha and Dubai.The two-time Estoril finalist (2007, 2012) will next face Spains Nicolas Almagro, who caused an upset as he beat Argentine fourth seed Leonardo Mayer 7-6 (7/4), 6-2, serving seven aces and breaking three times in the 89-minute win.Im very happy with how I played this match, said Gasquet.Its always satisfying to win in straight sets.Im still feeling good about my injury, its not bothering me, I felt I played better and served better than in the first round. Im quite satisfied.Almagro will be a test for me, hes one of the best on clay, very physical and playing well. Well just have to see how I can handle him.Haase will take on Australian seventh seed Nick Kyrgios, who beat Serb Filip Krajinovic 6-3, 6-3 in the first night session ever staged in the history of the tournament.Lopez, an unorthodox Spanish serve-and-volleyer ranked 12 in the world, was motoring to what was looking like a routine straight-sets winning start when the wheels came off his game.Haase saved two match points in the 12th game of the second set as he mounted his fightback.He was broken twice while serving for victory in the second set, with the 101st-ranked Haase taking the set into a tiebreaker and levelling at a set each on the first of four set points.Lopez previous superiority disappeared, and he was unable to regain the initiative and has now lost to the Dutchman in all three of their ATP meetings on clay.Lopez was broken in the first game of the third set and was never able to close the gap on his inspired opponent, who moved into his first quarter-final since last July in Gstaad.Haase needed just over two hours to ensure victory, with Lopez saving six of ten break points he faced.Tennis can be very sad sometimes, said Lopez. There will be days when you do all the right things and you lose anyway.Serving twice for the match, its not normal to lose like this. I should have closed it out, especially since I had a couple of match points.I played great for two sets, I was aggressive and charging the net. Unfortunately, that was not enough today.The match was close and I just couldnt find a way to win in the end.Another Spanish seed joined Lopez on the sidelines, with number three Tommy Robredo withdrawing on the eve of his match on Thursday due to a left foot injury.He was replaced in the draw by David Vega Hernandez, a lucky loser from qualifying rounds.

Football: Rodriguez cracker helps Real keep pressure on Barcelona Posted: MADRID (AFP) - Real Madrid warmed up for a big week by moving back to within two points of Barcelona at the top of La Liga with a comfortable 3-0 win over Almeria on Wednesday.James Rodriguezs stunning dipping volley a minute before the break lit up an otherwise drab first 45 minute.Mauro Dos Santoss own goal doubled Madrids advantage early in the second-half before Alvaro Arbeloa added a late third.Madrid travel to Champions League-chasing Sevilla on Saturday before facing Juventus away in the first-leg of their Champions League semi-final on Tursday.The pressure was on Carlo Ancelottis men after Barcelona had mauled Getafe 6-0 on Tuesday, but they made a slow start against the relegation-threatened Andalusians.Rodriguez headed just wide from Arbeloas cross early on before Ruben Martinez stood up well to turn a fierce drive from Cristiano Ronaldo behind.The World Player of the Year also sent a dipping free-kick onto the roof of the net, but the home fans were becoming frustrated before Rodriguez sparked the game into life just before the break.In a similar style to the Colombians stunning volley against Uruguay at last years World Cup, he slammed the ball over the helpless Martinez from just outside the area.It was 2-0 three minutes into the second-half as Jese fed Toni Kroos down the right and his low cross was turned into his own net by Dos Santos with Ronaldo waiting to pounce.Rodriguez was then withdrawn for Isco in preparation for the week ahead.However, the hosts still dominated the final half hour and should have added to their lead when Raphael Varane headed just wide before Javier Hernandez failed to continue his scoring streak when he turned Ronaldos low cross wide at the near post.Hernandez did have a hand in the third goal though as his cross was slotted home by Arbeloa.Sevilla warmed up for the visit of Madrid with a 3-1 win away at struggling Eibar to move up to fourth.Carlos Bacca struck twice inside the first 15 minutes to give the visitors a commanding advantage and Jose Antonio Reyes rounded off the scoring after Federico Piovaccari had pulled a goal back for the Basques.

Microsoft courts app makers with dive into Windows 10 Posted: SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - Microsoft made a new pitch Wednesday to app makers, promising an audience of more than a billion people if they develop services for the upcoming Windows 10 operating system.The US technology titan opened its annual Build developers conference with a three-hour keynote presentation highlighting how Windows 10 will let software savants serve up creations on the full spectrum of smart devices, including HoloLens augmented reality headgear.And, to make it even simpler, they will be able to re-use code written for apps they have made for Apple or Android devices.Microsoft also revealed that the successor to its Internet Explorer browser has been named Edge.For us the name refers to being on the edge of consuming and creating, operating systems group corporate vice president Joe Belfiore said during the presentation.Its a browser that end users will think about for getting things done.From Apple to WindowsThe bulk of the presentation was aimed at winning over developers whose fun, functional or hip applications can make smartphones, tablets or other devices hits with consumers.Microsoft is making a major play to win back developers, said Forrester analyst Michael Facemire.Theyve opened up the once-impenetrable castle walls, allowing development using a wide range of languages, platforms, and tools.Windows phones and tablets have lagged behind those powered by Apple or Google Android software and part of the reason is a lack of must-have applications for anything from games to exercise routines.Windows 10 is designed to power all kinds of devices from wearable computers to smartphones or desktop machines, and an application needs to be written just once to perform on all of them, according to Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella.Windows 10 represents a new generation of Windows built for an era of more personal computing, Nadella said.Nadella added that the mobility of the experience is what matters, not the mobility of the device.Microsoft announced availability of tools that will let developers power Windows 10 applications by re-using code they have already written to make applications for Android or Apple mobile devices.The move promised to save developers time and money making versions of apps for Windows phones or tablets.With Apple, you choose to invest in Mac OS or iOS; with Google you invest in Android or Chrome OS, said Microsoft executive vice president of operating systems Terry Myerson.Windows is the only ecosystem that let you bring your apps to all these devices, officially.To get Windows 10 adopted quickly, Microsoft plans to give it away as a free upgrade for a year after its release.Our goal is that in two to three years of the release, a billion devices will run on Windows 10, said Myerson.Microsoft has also been bulking up its Azure data handling services run in the cloud to let developers tap into machine learning analytics as well as massive computing power as needed, according to Nadella.This conference is all about celebrating and challenging the creativity and the ingenuity that you all bring to build new and great things on top of platform innovations that we make available to you, he told the gathering of developers.Flex and fit appsMicrosoft has a vision that Windows and apps written for the platform should flex and fit different size screens without needing any new software code to be written, according to Belfiore.Microsoft brought hundreds of its yet-to-be-released HoloLens visors to Build to let developers experience applications designed for no screens at all, but with imagery overlaid on the real world.People, not devices, are mobile, said Microsofts Alex Kipman, who played a part in creating HoloLens.We are ready for technology to move beyond devices.Kipman demonstrated HoloLens applications running on Windows 10.Windows 10 is a Trojan Horse mobile device OS strategy, said Forrester analyst J.P. Gownder.This is a very smart approach.

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• Quetta: Key figure of banned outfit arrested
• Football: Messi, Suarez, Neymar hit century mark in Barca rout
• Football: Dawson damages Liverpool's Europe dream
• Football: Dortmund end Bayern's treble hopes
• Tennis: Gasquet, Kyrgios open with Estoril wins
• Boxing: Pacquiao readies 'killer instinct' for Mayweather
• 52 feared dead in Afghanistan landslide: officials
• Saudis arrest 93 jihadists, say attacks foiled
• Dozens dead in Yemen as Iran, Saudi step up war of words
• Iran seizes cargo ship in Strait of Hormuz
• Aid reaches quake-hit Nepal villagers as death toll passes 5,000
• Police flood Baltimore as Obama questions race relations
• French Muslim girl banned from class for wearing long skirt
• Algerian soldiers kill 6 armed Islamists: ministry
• Nigeria claims rescue of nearly 300 women, girls from Boko Haram stronghold

Quetta: Key figure of banned outfit arrested Posted: QUETTA (Dunya News) - Frontier Constabulary (FC) conducted a search operation on a tip-off in Saryab Road area of Quetta on Tuesday and arrested a key figure of a banned Baloch organization along with four of his accomplices.According to FC spokesman, the arrested militant was wanted in several cases of terrorism. Further investigation is underway.

Football: Messi, Suarez, Neymar hit century mark in Barca rout Posted: MADRID (AFP) - Barcelonas star front three of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar brought up a century of goals in all competitions as the Catalans moved five points clear at the top of La Liga with a 6-0 humbling of Getafe on Tuesday.All three were on target inside 28 minutes as Messi opened the scoring from the penalty spot before teeing up Suarez to volley home and Neymar was left with the simple task of registering the 100th goal between the trio from Suarezs pass.Xavi Hernandez then curled home a stunning fourth before Suarez made it 5-0 with a similar finish into the far corner and Messi rounded off the scoring in typical style on his favoured left foot early in the second-half.Real Madrid can close the gap at the top back to two points when they host Almeria on Wednesday.Luckily the first shots on goal we had went in, the team played very well in the first-half and that is the most important thing, said Suarez.I dont know if there is a key to our success. There is total commitment among the team and the fans. We are obliged to win important things and we are entering the most important stage of the season.Barca boss Luis Enrique had resisted the temptation to rest any of his front three despite making four changes from the side that won 2-0 at Espanyol on Saturday with one eye on next weeks Champions League semi-final, first-leg against Bayern Munich.That decision was richly rewarded in a stunning first-half display that tore the helpless visitors to shreds.Messi put his recent yips from the penalty spot behind him as he opened the scoring by chipping the ball straight down the middle of the goal in the style made famous by Czech legend Antonin Panenka in the 1976 European Championships after Suarez had been felled by Alvaro Arroyo.Getafe nearly drew level moments later when Claudio Bravo made a brilliant recovery save to claw Fredy Hinestrozas lob to safety to make up for his original poor positioning.Suarez put the result beyond doubt with a sumptuous volley from Messis inviting cross and the Uruguayan then turned provider for Neymar to bring up the century.Moments later Xavi scored what could well be his final goal at the Camp Nou with the veteran expected to move to Qatar at the end of the season by curling the ball high into the far corner.Xavis flick then set up Suarez to finish in similar style to register his 21st goal of the season before the break.Despite the upcoming date with former coach Pep Guardiola and Bayern in eight days time there was little let up from the hosts after the break.However, the goals did dry up after Messi had curled home his 38th league goal of the campaign to move within one of Cristiano Ronaldo in the race to be La Ligas top goalscorer two minutes into the second period.The four-time World Player of the Year came close to a seventh hat-trick of the season six minutes from time, but Vicente Guaita made a fine save to turn his free-kick to safety.Elsewhere, David Moyess Real Sociedad salvaged a point in the Basque derby away to Athletic Bilbao despite playing most of the second-half with 10 men.Aritz Aduriz put the hosts ahead from the penalty spot after he had been brought down inside the area by Mike Gonzalez, who saw red for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity.But a wonderful finish from left-back Alberto de la Bella on his weaker right foot seven minutes later earned Sociedad a point.At the bottom, Levante moved six points clear of the relegation zone with a 1-0 win over the doomed Cordoba thanks to David Barrals first-half winner.

Football: Dawson damages Liverpool's Europe dream Posted: KINGSTON UPON HULL (AFP) - Michael Dawson, the Hull City captain, scored a goal that secured a 1-0 home win over Liverpool and had a significant impact on both ends of the Premier League table on Tuesday.This was Liverpools game in hand over Manchester United and their failure to win it leaves Brendan Rodgerss team seven points adrift of the Old Trafford club with an inferior goal difference.Both of them now have four games to play and Liverpools pursuit of a Champions League place looks to be over.Hull, meanwhile, have moved above Aston Villa near the foot of the table and are four points clear of the relegation zone.With even a Europa Cup place far from certain, it will be scant consolation for Liverpool to know that few of their supporters were at the KC Stadium to witness the game which means their season is likely to end in disappointment.Liverpool, frustrated on several occasions by 40-year-old goalkeeper Steve Harper, sold their allocation of 2,506 tickets, but more than half of them boycotted the game as a protest against being charged 50 pounds.Their absence, backed by both managers, represented the first significant step in a fans fightback against admission prices. It will not be the last.It is a long time since Liverpool had such a paltry number of followers at an away game, but another familiar face was also missing.Skipper Steven Gerrard, on the fringes of the action in the goalless draw at West Brom in their previous game, was replaced by Joe Allen and not even included among the substitutes.The change initially did little to energise Liverpool in the wake of their lacklustre show against West Brom and they should have been behind after the seventh minute.Sone Alukos excellent left-wing cross picked out Dame NDoye, who placed his header too close to keeper Simon MIgnolet.But whenever Philippe Coutinho was involved Liverpool looked a threat and he forced a fine save from Harper after a well-worked corner in the 19th minute.Mario Balotelli also looked more fired up than usual, perhaps because of an early clash with Tom Huddlestone, and was unfortunate that an imaginative backheel went straight to Harper.Hull were still the more adventurous team and Liverpool were stretched again in the 27th minute. Robbie Brady created the problem for Liverpool as he accelerated clear of Emre Can, who was employed at right-back.From Bradys cross, Jake Livermores header was blocked by Mignolet and Aluko was inches away from hooking in the loose ball.Hulls breakthrough goal was delayed for only ten minutes, however. Paul McShanes failure to control the ball inside the area reaped an unexpected benefit when it reached Ahmed Elmohamady, who had time and space to curl in a cross.Liverpool left three Hull attackers offside as the ball went into the danger area, but allowed Dawson to power past them and head beyond Mignolet.Liverpool, who had kept clean sheets in seven of their previous eight away games, were upset about the decision, but reacted in the right way in the closing stages of the half.Henderson forced another smart save from Harper, then Glen Johnson surged to the byline and drove finally found a way past Harper, but the ball went across the face of the goal with no Liverpool able to get a decisive touch.Harper became an even bigger factor in the match in the second-half when his experience ensured there was no way back into the game.Rodgerss team had far more possession that in the opening half, but created few chances, although Harper had to be alert to deal with a 63rd minute effort from Henderson.The only other scare for Hull came near the end when substitute Adam Lallanas shot curled narrowly wide of the far with Harper, for once, beaten. But this was to be Hulls night as they managed back-to-back clean sheets for the first time in 18 months.

Football: Dortmund end Bayern's treble hopes Posted: BERLIN (AFP) - Bayern Munichs hopes of winning the treble were ended Tuesday after losing 2-0 to Borussia Dortmund on penalties as their German Cup semi-final finished 1-1 after extra-time.Having been crowned German league champions on Sunday, Bayern missed all four of their spot-kicks to put Dortmund in the German Cup final on May 30.Bayern -- who did win the treble of European, Cup and Bundesliga titles in 2013 -- can still win the Champions League and face Barcelona next Wednesday in the semi-final, first-leg. The shoot-out had a stupid start, it summed up our game, said goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who failed to convert Bayerns fourth penalty.We could have decided it over 90 minutes and also in extra-time. Its a bitter defeat.Robert Lewandowski scored against his former employers to give Bayern a first-half lead before Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang equalised 15 minutes from time to take the game into extra-time.The shoot-out got off to a dramatic start when Philipp Lahm and Xabi Alonso both slipped to fire Bayerns first two penalties over the bar.Ilkay Gundogan and Sebastian Kehl converted theirs for Dortmund before Mario Goetze had his effort saved by Borussias Australia goalkeeper Mitchell Langerak.Dortmund captain Mats Hummels had his shot saved before Munichs shot-stopper Manuel Neuer hit the cross bar with Bayerns fourth spot-kick to send Borussia to Berlin.That was a hell of a game, both teams gave everything and Bayern were certainly superior in the first-half, but we more than deserved to equalise in the second-half, today was our day, said Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp.Dortmund have reached their third Cup final in four years under Klopp and will face either VfL Wolfsburg or third-division leaders Arminia Bielefeld, who meet in Wednesdays other semi-final.Klopp is leaving Dortmund at the end of the season after seven years and two German league titles.The 47-year-old wants to bow out with one last title and his side lived up to his pre-match promise that they were spoiling for a fight in Munich.Dortmund were reduced to ten men when replacement midfielder Kevin Kampel was dismissed in the second period of extra time for a second booking after being on the field just 25 minutes.Bayern coach Pep Guardiola has a few concerns ahead of their Champions League semi-final as striker Robert Lewandowski appeared to finish the match with concussion.And Dutch winger Arjen Robben lasted just 16 minutes of his comeback after more than a month out with torn stomach muscles.Lewandowski netted Munichs 29th-minute opener when he finished off a counter-attack and then hit the cross-bar in the second half.The Polish hot-shot should have had a second when he hit the woodwork on 55 minutes before referee Peter Gagelmann missed a clear hand-ball from Dortmund defender Marcel Schmelzer.Dortmund equalised when replacement Henrikh Mkhitaryan fired across goal and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyangs shot crossed the line before the ball was caught by Neuer on 75 minutes.There was no need for goal-line technology to prove the goal was legitimate.Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger came on and had two headers saved in extra time by Socceroos goalkeeper Langerak, who like Neuer, had a superb game.Langerak flattened Lewandowski in the final five minutes when he punched the ball clear, but collided with the strikers head, which left Guardiola outraged and the Poland star groggy.The Poland star was a bemused figure on the bench as the penalty shoot-out unfolded in front of his vacant eyes.

Tennis: Gasquet, Kyrgios open with Estoril wins Posted: ESTORIL (AFP) - Fifth seed Richard Gasquet and Australian number seven Nick Kyrgios made winning starts on Tuesday at the Estoril Open, as both players began gathering confidence for the clay-court run to Roland Garros.Gasquet marked a victorious return after nearly six weeks out with a back injury as the Frenchman beat Marinko Matosevic of Australia 7-6 (9/7), 6-1.The former ATP number seven currently ranked 28th took less than 90 minutes to dispatch the 82nd-ranked Matosevic in the opening round.Kyrgios avoided the fate he suffered last week in Barcelona as he also competed for the first time in a month-and-a-half, missing on two match points before securing his win over Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/3).A week ago Kyrgios lost in the first round after holding match points against Swede Elias Ymer in Barcelona.This time, the Aussie held his nerve after missing on his pair of match-winners in the 12th game of the third set.Instead, the player who turned 20 on Monday came back in the tiebreaker for a 5-3 lead and served out victory.When I was down a break in the third set, I was struggling. But somehow I broke back in the tiebreaker.It was a fun match in the end and Im very pleased to get through. I was frustrated at the end of the second set. Ive not played a lot of tennis in the last few months, said the player who rolled his ankle last March just after returning from back problems.Having match points last week and not converting did not help the confidence. I just need to play a lot more matches right now, Ive not played a lot of tennis in the last few months.Gasquet was one of two French winners as qualifier Kenny De Schepper put out Portugals Gastao Elias 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 to move into a second-round meeting with Gasquet.Spains Pablo Carreno Busta advanced over Constant Lestienne of France 6-3, 6-1. Two-time champion Albert Montanes beat Austrian Martin Fisher 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, Guillermo Garcia-Lopez put out Roberto Carballes Baena 6-2, 6-2 and wild card Rui Machado beat Portuguese compatriot Joao Sousa 7-6 (7/5), 6-3.Gasquet has played a pair of finals in Portugal, losing to Novak Djokovic in 2007 and Juan Martin del Potro in 2012.Gasquet last took to a court on cement in Indian Wells on March 15, retiring with a herniated disc in his back against German Michael Berrer in the second round.The 28-year-old improved to 11-4 on the season after his winning debut on clay.Im feeling better, its as important for me to finish the match as win, said Gasquet. Im feeling better than a week ago, Im more confident with my body.Im very happy with the way I won today. I had no pain, but recovery is a long process. I have nothing to lose and can only get better. I need to play as many matches as possible.Im feeling good now, but I had this injury for three months last year and it came back this year.Its in my head a bit, its tough to play right now without thinking about it.Gasquet finished with nine aces and three breaks of serve. He won the opening set in a tiebreaker and broke early to dominate the second set on the way to victory.Matosevic saved match points and forced the seed to salvage a break point in the final game before Gasquet claimed the win.

Boxing: Pacquiao readies 'killer instinct' for Mayweather Posted: LAS VEGAS (AFP) - Manny Pacquiao warned Floyd Mayweather he has been honing his killer instinct here Tuesday as he was welcomed to Las Vegas by a deafening horde of supporters.A day after wrapping up his Los Angeles training camp, the Filipino superstar delighted hundreds of loyal fans at a rally in Sin City as the final countdown to his career-defining Fight of Century began.Most bookmakers have made the unbeaten Mayweather the favorite for Saturdays eagerly-anticipated welterweight bout at the MGM Grand, the most lucrative in boxing history.But Pacquiao told reporters he is reveling in his underdog status as he spoke excitedly about the prospect of finally stepping into the ring to face Mayweather.My confidence is different than for other fights. I am not nervous. I am excited, Pacquiao said. I have something to prove. I like being the underdog because my killer instinct and my focus is there, added Pacquiao, describing the bout as one of the most important fights in my boxing legacy. I want to make it a good result, Pacquiao said. My goal is to win.Pacquiao was all smiles as he took the stage in a cavernous room at the Mandalay Bay Hotels convention center to greet hundreds of Philippine flag-waving supporters.Pacquiaos arrival was preceded by Filipino singers and folk dancers, which included a rousing rendition of the national anthem and a music video played on giant screens that featured the boxer, politician and singer performing his new song.After taking the stage with his long-time trainer Freddie Roach, Pacquiao had to wait several minutes for the roars to die down before he assured the crowd of a victory in Saturdays world title mega bout.Are you excited? asked Pacquiao, who was wearing a white MP T-shirt and light brown pants. Dont be nervous. Saturday I am going to win the fight so relax. I am so excited for Saturday.The brightly lit stage was decorated with a giant poster of Pacquiao and Mayweather. Besides Roach, Pacman was flanked by his promoter Bob Arum, and the president of the Mandalay Bay, Chuck Bowling.Welcome to the fan rally for the man who will be victorious on May 2, Arum said.Afterwards Pacquiao told reporters that the timing is right for a fight of this magnitude.It is the right time for this fight to happen, Pacquiao said. Even if they are not boxing fans people really want to watch this fight so it is the right time.Pacquiao said the unbeaten Mayweather is not the most dangerous boxer he has faced, but he will be difficult opponent to hit.I cant say he is the most dangerous fighter. I already fought (Oscar) De La Hoya and (Juan Manuel) Marquez but he is one of the most difficult.

52 feared dead in Afghanistan landslide: officials Posted: KABUL (AFP) - At least 52 people, mostly women and children, are feared dead after a landslide swept through a village in Afghanistans remote mountainous northeast Tuesday, the latest natural disaster in the war-torn nation, officials said.The disaster, which buried dozens of houses in Badakhshan province, comes nearly a year after another landslide triggered by heavy rains killed at least 300 people in the isolated region.The disasters highlight the challenges facing the underdeveloped nation as it battles a resilient Taliban insurgency in what is expected to be the bloodiest spring-summer fighting season for a decade.At least 25 women and 22 children were among those missing in the landslide in Jaryo Bala village, said deputy provincial governor Gul Mohammad Beidar.We have asked Kabul for help and they have said they are sending two helicopters to assist with the rescue operations, Beidar told AFP.This is a remote area on the border with Tajikistan and the road to this district remains closed for six months of the year, he added, highlighting the challenges facing the relief effort.Lal Mohammad Ahmadzai, the police spokesman of Badakhshan, confirmed the toll.Initial information shows 100 houses have been destroyed in the landslide and 52 people are missing, Ahmadzai told AFP. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani was deeply saddened to hear about the landslide which claimed the lives of a number of our countrymen, his office said in a statement.The president, currently on a three-day state visit to India, has instructed disaster management authorities to act swiftly in delivering aid to the victims.Flooding and landslides often occur during the spring rainy season in northern Afghanistan, with flimsy mud houses offering little protection against rising water levels and torrents of mud.The landslide in May last year buried an entire village, leaving hundreds of families homeless in the Argu district of Badakhshan province which borders Tajikistan, China and Pakistan.And last June flash floods killed around 80 people in a remote mountainous district of neighbouring Baghlan province after heavy torrential rain.Severe flooding also hit a vast swathe of Afghanistan last year, particularly northern provinces, leaving 175 people dead and tens of thousands displaced.Afghanistan is currently in the grip of fierce battles in various provinces between local security forces and the Taliban, who launched their traditional spring offensive last Friday.The militants have stepped up attacks on government and foreign targets in recent weeks, inflicting a heavy toll on civilians and Afghan security forces.This years Taliban offensive marks the first fighting season in which Afghan forces will battle the insurgents without the full support of US-led foreign combat troops.NATOs combat mission formally ended in December but a small follow-up foreign force has stayed on to train and support local security personnel.

Saudis arrest 93 jihadists, say attacks foiled Posted: RIYADH (AFP) - Saudi Arabia has arrested nearly 100 jihadists, mostly linked to the Islamic State group, and foiled several plots to carry out attacks including on the US embassy, authorities said Tuesday.The arrests have taken place since December and most of those detained were Saudis, the interior ministry said in a statement published by the official news agency SPA.It said two Syrians and a Saudi who had threatened to launch a suicide car attack against the American embassy in Riyadh last month were among those held.The statement did not clarify if this group was linked to IS.US consular services in Saudi Arabia were suspended for a week in March over what the embassy said were heightened security concerns.Saudi security services had proof that led to the early uncovering of terrorist activities in several parts of the kingdom by members of the deviant group, a term the authorities use to refer to jihadists, the ministry statement said.The Sunni-dominated kingdom is part of a US-led coalition carrying out air strikes against IS in Syria and Iraq, where the jihadists have seized swathes of territory.Among those arrested up to April 18 was a 65-strong IS-linked group plotting to target residential areas, and operations to incite sectarian sedition in attacks similar to the killing of seven members of the minority Shiite community in Eastern Province in November, the ministry said.That group includes a Palestinian, a Syrian and two stateless people, it added.They are accused of recruiting young people, spreading the terrorist ideology of IS, sheltering wanted individuals, training recruits and coordinating travel to conflict zones.Another 15 Saudis formed a group linked to IS abroad, calling itself Jund Bilad al-Haramain or Soldiers of the Land of the Two Holy Mosques, in reference to Saudi Arabia being home to Islams holiest sites, the ministry said.It said that cell was led by a bomb-making specialist and was testing car bombs, planning to attack security headquarters, soldiers and residential areas.Nine other Saudis, among them a woman, were arrested for allegedly promoting terrorist organisations on social networks and trying to lure young people to send them to conflict zones, among other activities. They had threatened to bomb government headquarters and residential areas, and used the woman in a failed attempt to lure a military official and assassinate him.Two other Saudis were arrested separately.One, held in the ultra-conservative Qassim region, has been linked to IS abroad and had contacted them to form a terrorist cell.The ministry said he confessed during questioning that he had pledged allegiance to IS chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The second of the two Saudis was also affected by IS after he followed them on social networks, and has confessed to making weapons.Saudi security forces will stand strongly and decisively against anyone who considers undermining the countrys security and stability, the ministry said.The ultra-conservative country is seeking to deter young Saudis from joining jihadist ranks.Fighters from Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Morocco make up the majority of about 12,000 foreign extremists who have travelled to Syria and Iraq, according to the London-based International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation.News of the arrests followed the arrest earlier Tuesday of a second suspect in the fatal shooting of two policemen blamed on IS.The policemen were killed in an April 8 drive-by shooting in an eastern district of Riyadh.Authorities had said on Friday that they had seized three bomb-laden cars during investigations into the killings.Sunni-dominated Saudi Arabia in September joined the US-led coalition carrying out air strikes in Syria and Iraq against IS, which has threatened Saudi Arabia.Shopping malls in the kingdom have tightened security after the interior ministry last week warned of possible attacks at a mall or oil facilities.That caution led the US embassy to remind its citizens to remain vigilant about personal security.After Riyadhs announcement of the latest arrests, US State Department spokesman Jeffrey Rathke said that clearly the security situation in Saudi Arabia is one weve kept under close watch.

Dozens dead in Yemen as Iran, Saudi step up war of words Posted: ADEN (AFP) - Fighting between Shiite rebels and loyalists killed dozens of people across Yemen Tuesday as Iran accused Saudi Arabia of using Cold War-era tactics by airdropping leaflets warning of Persian expansion.A Saudi-led coalition carried out air strikes for a seventh straight day since announcing a halt to its aerial campaign, an AFP correspondent and witnesses said.They destroyed the rebel-held Sanaa airport runway after an Iranian plane defied a blockade on Yemeni airspace and its pilot dismissed calls to land at a Saudi airport to be searched, coalition spokesman Brigadier General Ahmed al-Assiri told Al-Arabiya news channel.This showed there was something not right about the plane, he said, denouncing irresponsible actions in defiance of blockade measures.The conflict has exposed deteriorating relations between the Middle Easts foremost powers, Saudi Arabia and Iran, which are increasingly seen as vying for supremacy in the region beset by bloody turmoil.On Tuesday, at least 70 people were killed in fighting between the Iran-backed rebels and pro-government forces in several parts of Yemen, sources said.Stepping up a war of words, a security chief in Shiite Iran hit out at the Saudi-led coalition of Sunni Arab states over the leaflets airdrop.Dropping these leaflets, as untrue as they are, has the goal of frightening the Yemeni people, said Ali Shamkhani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council. The leaflets were dropped for two weeks during Operation Decisive Storm -- the air campaign which officially ended on April 21.They said in Arabic: My brother of Yemen. The real goal of the coalition is to support the people of Yemen against the Persian expansion, a reference to Irans language and ancient name.But Shamkhani, a close adviser to Irans supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, countered by saying Tehran was helping in Yemen by opposing the air strikes and providing aid.He described the leaflets as simplistic and accused the Saudis of backward thinking.This is a technique that Western governments used to frighten people in the Cold War era, he said.Irans Revolutionary Guards chief General Mohammad Ali Jafari said on Monday that Saudi Arabia was verging on collapse and accused it of following in the footsteps of Israel and the Zionists by bombing Yemen, the Arab worlds poorest state.A Sanaa airport official told AFP coalition warplanes bombed Sanaa airport pon Tuesday afternoon after three planes carrying aid landed at the facility in the morning.Assiri confirmed that aircraft carrying aid from Doctors Without Borders, the International Migration Organisation and other aid groups had landed in Sanaa Tuesday.But with the runway now destroyed, there can be no further aid flights until it is repaired by the rebels who control the airport, as well as the capital itself.Witnesses reported other strikes on the rebels and their allies in oil-rich Marib province, east of the capital, around third city Taez and in the Red Sea port of Hodeida.A spokesman for the armed forces who have sided with the rebels said the anti-government fighters had lost 200 combatants -- 112 soldiers, 43 policemen and 45 Huthis -- in five weeks of coalition air strikes.In a statement carried by the rebel-controlled Saba news agency late Monday, Brigadier General Sharaf Luqman accused Riyadh of moving into a new stage of its air war, not ending it as promised.The Huthi rebels and their allies, meanwhile, advanced in the heart of Yemens second city Aden in heavy fighting that killed at least 20 people, medical and security sources said.Forces loyal to exiled President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi were pushed back in the citys central district of Khor Maksar as the rebels overran Hadis family home and the German and Russian consulates, an official said.In the adjacent province of Lahj, 14 rebels and 11 Hadi loyalists were killed in battles for the coast road linking Aden to the strategic Bab al-Mandab strait, military sources said.Farther northeast in Marib, 17 rebels and two pro-Hadi fighters were killed, tribal and medical sources said.In Abyan, another southern province, six rebels were killed in two attacks on their positions, an official said.The United Nations says more than 1,000 people have been killed in fighting in Yemen since late March, when Riyadh assembled the coalition in support of Hadi.

Iran seizes cargo ship in Strait of Hormuz Posted: TEHRAN (AFP) - Irans Revolutionary Guards seized control of a Marshall Islands-flagged cargo vessel in the strategic Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, prompting the US Navy to dispatch a destroyer to monitor the situation, officials said.Iranian military ships fired across the bow of the Maersk Tigris when the captain initially refused a demand to head towards Iranian territory, US government and cargo company officials said.Iran said it had ordered the ship to be impounded at the Gulf port of Bandar Abbas because of a commercial dispute.An Iranian court had ordered the ships confiscation over alleged unpaid debts, Hadi Haghshenas of the Iran Ports and Maritime Organisation was quoted as saying by the Tasnim news agency.The container ship had last made a stop at the Red Sea port of Jeddah, on the Saudi Arabian coast, and was sailing through the strait into Gulf waters bound for the United Arab Emirates, according to the website maritimetraffic.com. It was unclear if the last port of call was related to the Iranian decision to take control of the container ship. Iran and Saudi Arabia are waging a proxy war in Yemen, where Saudi-led aircraft are bombing Shiite Huthi rebels backed by Tehran. After hearing a distress call from the cargo vessel, the US military deployed a guided-missile destroyer, the USS Farragut, and a P-3 surveillance aircraft, to the area, Pentagon officials said.But US officials said there were no imminent plans for the warship to seek to secure the release of the cargo vessel, which had no Americans on board.The ship seizure came against the backdrop of heightened tensions in the Gulf fueled by the conflict in Yemen and high-stakes diplomacy between Washington and Tehran over Irans nuclear program.The incident also followed declarations last week from President Barack Obamas administration that US naval ships in the Gulf region would ensure freedom of navigation. At about 0900 GMT, at least five ships from Tehrans elite Revolutionary Guards ordered the Maersk Tigris, which had no Americans on board, to head toward Irans Larak Island, the Pentagon said. The cargo ships captain declined the demand and one of the Iranian vessels fired shots across its bow, Pentagon spokesman Colonel Steven Warren said.The cargo ship, Warren said, then complied with the Iranian demand and proceeded into Iranian waters in the vicinity of Larak Island.Members of the Revolutionary Guards boarded the cargo ship, which issued a distress call over an open radio channel.The US militarys Central Command heard the distress call and ordered a naval destroyer, the USS Farragut, to the area, along with a P-3 naval aircraft. The plane is monitoring the situation, Warren said.The US destroyer was directed to proceed at best speed to the nearest location of the Maersk Tigris, he said.But it was unlikely that the US destroyer would enter Irans territorial waters.US Central Command, which oversees American forces in the Middle East, said it is communicating with representatives of the shipping company and we continue to monitor the situation.The cargo ship was operated by Rickmers Ship Management, with head offices in Singapore and Hamburg. The vessel was carrying cargo for A.P. Moeller-Maersk, the Danish shipping and oil conglomerate which chartered the ship.The container vessel had a 24-member crew and was carrying regular commercial cargo but nothing related to weapons, said Cor Radings, spokesman for Rickmers Ship Management.We dont have any indication why we were halted, Radings told AFP.Its exceptional and we look at it with great concern.The company has had no contact with the ships crew since the incident and Iranian authorities have not spoken to the firm, he said.The Maersk Tigris was traveling through an international shipping lane, he said.Irans actions appeared provocative but we dont have all the facts yet, Warren said at the Pentagon.The cargo ship was approached by the Iranians along a standard shipping route used by commercial vessels, part of which lies in Irans territorial waters, officials said.Under maritime law governing the narrow Strait of Hormuz, commercial ships have the right to move through Irans territorial waters, under the principle known as innocent passage, officials said.Nine US warships, including destroyers and an aircraft carrier, recently deployed to the waters off Yemen for a potential showdown with an Iranian convoy of cargo ships that American officials suspected was carrying arms destined for Huthi forces in Yemen.But the convoy last week turned back and headed north towards Iran.

Aid reaches quake-hit Nepal villagers as death toll passes 5,000 Posted: GORKHA (AFP) - Hungry and desperate villagers rushed towards relief helicopters in remote areas of Nepal Tuesday, begging to be airlifted to safety, four days after a monster earthquake killed more than 5,000 people.The ground keeps shaking, even this morning it did. Every time it feels like we will be swallowed, that we will die now. I want to get out of here said Sita Gurung, 24, whose home had been wrecked.As the Himalayan nations Prime Minister Sushil Koirala said getting help to remote areas was a major challenge, aid finally began reaching areas that had to fend for themselves since Saturdays 7.8-magnitude quake.In a televised address late Tuesday, Koirala declared three days of national mourning for the 5,057 people known to have perished in Nepal alone.More than 100 people died in neighbouring countries such as India and China.Around 8,000 people had been injured while the United Nations estimated that eight million people had been affected.Among the dead were 18 climbers who were at Mount Everest base camp when an avalanche triggered by the quake flattened everything in its path. The victims included two American climbers, an Australian and a Chinese.Countries far and wide have joined the relief effort in what is one of Asias poorest countries, with neighbouring India playing a leading role.In Gorkha, one of the worst-hit districts, terrified residents ran with outstretched arms towards an Indian army helicopter to plead for food and water.An AFP journalist on board saw scores of houses across several villages in the district turned into twisted mounds of wood and corrugated tin roofs. We havent had any food here since the earthquake. Everything has changed, we dont have anything left here, Gurung told AFP, gesturing towards what was left of her home in the village of Lapu.An army officer lifted her onto a stretcher and carried her away.Military planes from numerous other countries such as the United States, China and Israel have also joined the rescue effort.Koirala told an emergency all-party meeting the government was sending desperately needed tents, water and food supplies to those in need.But he said authorities were overwhelmed by appeals for help from remote Himalayan villages.Appeals for rescues are coming in from everywhere, a statement from Koiralas office quoted him as saying.But we have been unable to initiate rescue efforts in many areas at the same time due to lack of equipment and rescue experts.Jagdish Chandra Pokherel, a Nepal army spokesman, told AFP: The terrain is such that very remote areas take a very long time to reach and without being there physically we wont be able to reach them, help them, rescue them. Our troops are trying their best.In a sign of how difficult conditions are, Nepalese official Uddav Prasad Bhattarai said 250 people were feared missing after an avalanche Tuesday on the popular Langtang trekking route. With fears rising of food and water shortages, Nepalis were rushing to stores and petrol stations to stock up on essential supplies in the capital Kathmandu.Nepal has declared a state of emergency after the disaster, its deadliest in more than 80 years.Families who work in Kathmandu were packing onto buses -- some even sitting on the roofs -- in an exodus from the city.Those who remained in the capital were sleeping outdoors in tents in parks and other open spaces. Many had lost their houses, others were too terrified to return home after several powerful aftershocks.With just plastic sheets to protect them from the elements, many were desperate for aid and information on what to do next.Weve been staying here for three days, living under canvas. Were counting every bite we eat, every drop we drink, said 28-year-old housewife Rama Shrestha, who was camping out with her five-year-old son.And now on top of everything, it is raining. What can we do? Where can we go? We are too scared to return home. What if another one strikes?Hospitals have been overwhelmed, with morgues overflowing and medics working flat out to cope with an endless stream of victims suffering trauma or multiple fractures.The United Nations said Tuesday it was releasing $15 million from its emergency fund to help relief efforts while the World Food Programme said it aimed to get food aid to 1.4 million people over the next three months.UN aid chief Valerie Amos will spend three days in Nepal from Thursday to show solidarity with the Nepalese people, raise the visibility of the crisis and assess the response operations, UN spokesman Farhan Haq said Tuesday.Australia said it was raising its level of aid to $4.7 million and sending a military plane to bring in relief supplies and evacuate stranded citizens.But lack of space at the only international airport was hampering efforts to bring in relief by air.The quake is a serious blow to the economy of the impoverished nation, already reeling from a decade-long civil war that ended in 2006.Nepal and the rest of the Himalayas, where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates collide, are particularly prone to earthquakes.A 6.8 magnitude quake hit eastern Nepal in August 1988 killing 721 people, and a magnitude 8.1 quake killed 10,700 people in Nepal and India in 1934.

Police flood Baltimore as Obama questions race relations Posted: BALTIMORE (AFP) - National Guard troops deployed to prevent Baltimore spiralling into mayhem on Tuesday as President Barack Obama warned that recent incidents raise troubling questions about the policing of black communities.Violence and looting erupted in Baltimore on Monday after the funeral of 25-year-old African-American man Freddie Gray, who died after suffering severe spinal injuries during a police arrest.Speaking in nearby Washington, Obama condemned the rioting, but also said that a series of recent incidents -- beginning last year with the police shooting of an unarmed black teenager in Ferguson, Missouri -- was worrying.Since Ferguson... we have seen too many instances of what appears to be police officers interacting with individuals -- primarily African American, often poor -- in ways that raise troubling questions, he said.Obama expressed sympathy for civil rights leaders and protesters -- as well as for police on the front line of demonstrations -- and said America needed to address the strained ties between officers and blacks.He said it was essential that we dont just pay attention to these communities when a CVS (store) burns. And we dont just pay attention when a young man gets shot or has his spine snapped.I think there are police departments that have to do some soul searching.I think theres some communities that have to do some soul-searching. I think we as a country have to do some soul-searching. This is not new. Its been going on for decades.In Baltimore, thousands of military and police reinforcements swarmed onto the streets after a night of unrest saw stores looted, more than 140 vehicles burned, 20 police wounded and 235 suspects arrested, according to police.There was no immediate return Tuesday to the nights chaos, but there were tense scenes when noisy supporters faced off against police lines. Arrests were made and pepper spray was deployed at least once.Earlier, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan inspected a National Guard barricade and vowed to make sure what happened last night in Baltimore City is not going to happen again.By tonight, youre going to see an overwhelming display of people out there on the streets protecting the citizens, Hogan told reporters.Baltimore declared an overnight curfew from 10:00 pm Tuesday (0200 GMT Wednesday), to be in force for a week, and local and national leaders have appealed for calm.The initial trigger for the violence came after a dignified service for Gray, who died a week after his spine was all but severed as he was detained by city police.An investigation has been launched into the cause of his injuries, but many see the incident as only the latest example of police brutality against black suspects.Grays family also pleaded for calm, but tempers boiled over as young, mainly African-American men pelted police with stones and ransacked businesses.Volunteer clean-up teams hit the streets Tuesday and residents spoke of their terror as gangs roamed the streets fighting police and destroying property.It was horrific to the point where my children were actually crying trying to get back to the house because there was so much going on, Latania Graham told AFP.Many condemned the rioters, but also spoke of their distrust of police following incidents of alleged brutality.Department store clerk and Baltimore native Aretha Williams, 45, speaking in front of a line of mostly white police officers in riot gear, said: I think that a lot of the police are racist... they get a license to kill by becoming a police officer.A 68-year-old retiree who gave his name as Clarence said he hadnt seen Baltimore so tense since the riots of 1968, when six people were killed, 700 injured and much of the downtown area razed. The police brutality. Thats sad. You have a man handcuffed. You dont beat him, he said. Youve got some good ones out there. But it seems like its getting worse.Baltimore schools were closed on Tuesday as a safety measure, although some residents worried that this would lead to more restless teenagers on the tense streets.The Orioles, the citys baseball team, cancelled games against Chicagos White Sox on Monday and again on Tuesday. Wednesdays game will be played behind closed doors.Last years fatal shooting of unarmed teenager Michael Brown by a white police officer in Ferguson triggered coast-to-coast protests.Lawyers for Grays family say his death was caused by injuries sustained following his arrest. He lost consciousness in custody and died within a week.Six officers have been suspended pending the outcome of a police investigation that is to be submitted to state prosecutors by Friday.

French Muslim girl banned from class for wearing long skirt Posted: REIMS (AFP) - The case of a 15-year-old Muslim girl who was banned from class twice for wearing a long black skirt seen as too openly religious for secular France has sparked an outcry.The girl was stopped from going to class earlier this month by the head teacher who reportedly felt the long skirt -- popular among some Muslim women who cover their whole body -- conspicuously showed religious affiliation, which is banned in schools by Frances strict secularity laws.The girl was not excluded, she was asked to come back with a neutral outfit and it seems her father did not want the student to come back to school, local education official Patrice Dutot told AFP on Tuesday.He added that the student always removed her veil before entering school premises in the northeastern town of Charleville-Mezieres, as is specifically stipulated by law.According to the 2004 law that governs secularity in schools, veils, the Jewish kippa or large Christian crosses are all banned in educational establishments, but discreet religious signs are allowed.The student, whom local daily LArdennais identified as Sarah, told the newspaper her skirt was nothing special, its very simple, theres nothing conspicuous. There is no religious sign whatsoever.Her story was trending on Twitter in France Tuesday with the hashtag JePorteMaJupeCommeJeVeux, translated into English as I wear my skirt as I please.If its worn by a white person, its hippy chic, if its a Muslim, it becomes conspicuous, one user tweeted.But the regional education office hinted in a statement that wearing the skirt could have been part of a concerted provocation.When it comes to concerted protest actions by students, which follow other more visible incidents linked for instance to wearing the veil, the secular framework for education must be firmly reminded and guaranteed, it said.According to the CCIF Islamophobia watchdog, some 130 students were rejected from class last year for outfits deemed too openly religious.

Algerian soldiers kill 6 armed Islamists: ministry Posted: ALGIERS (AFP) - Algerian soldiers on Tuesday killed six armed Islamists in the Kabylie area some 140 kilometres (85 miles) east of the capital, the defence ministry said.A unit of the ANP (Algerian army) killed six terrorists in the afternoon during an operation near Akerrou Azazga, a ministry statement said.It added that the operation was still under way, and that five Kalashnikov-type assault rifles, an automatic pistol, ammunition, explosives and mobile phones were recovered.Violence attributed to Islamists has declined considerably in recent years.But groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb continue to attack strategic targets in the eastern Kabylie region, around the capital and in the centre and east of the country.The army says that more than 100 armed Islamists were killed in 2014.

Nigeria claims rescue of nearly 300 women, girls from Boko Haram stronghold Posted: ABUJA (AFP) - Nigerias military on Tuesday claimed the rescue of 200 girls and 93 women from a notorious Boko Haram stronghold, but said there was no confirmation the hostages were those kidnapped from Chibok a year ago.Troops have this afternoon captured & destroyed three camps of terrorists inside the Sambisa forest & rescued 200 girls & 93 women, defence spokesman Chris Olukolade said in a text message, referring to the area in northeast Borno state where the Islamists have bases.It is not yet confirmed if the girls are the Chibok girls. The freed persons are now being screened & profiled, he added.Olukolade gave no indication as to how long it would take for the hostages to be identified. Boko Haram claimed the abduction of 276 girls from a secondary school in Chibok, also in Borno, on April 14 of last year. Fifty-seven girls escaped within hours of the attack but 219 remained in captivity.In the weeks following the mass abduction, Nigerian security sources and locals in Borno said there were indications the girls had been taken to the Sambisa Forest. But defence officials and experts agreed that they were likely separated over the last 13 months, casting significant doubt on the possibility that they were being held together as a group.Boko Harams leader, Abubakar Shekau, has vowed to marry them off or sell them as slaves.Boko Haram has also been blamed for hundreds of other kidnappings, especially targeting women and girls across northeast Nigeria.Amnesty International estimates that the Islamists have kidnapped at least 2,000 women and girls since the beginning of last year.The Chibok attack brought unprecedented worldwide attention to Nigerias Islamist uprising.It also sparked sharp criticism of the governments initial response to the drama, with outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan accused of indifference and of trying to downplay the size of the kidnapping.Celebrities and prominent personalities including US First Lady Michelle Obama joined the Twitter campaign BringBackOurGirls that attracted supporters worldwide.Earlier this month, countries around the globe took part in marches and candlelight vigils to mark the first anniversary of the kidnappings.Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai, who was shot and nearly killed by the Pakistani Taliban for advocating girls education, used the occasion to renew calls for their release, describing the girls as my brave sisters.The 17-year-old criticised Nigerian and world leaders for not doing enough to free the girls.Twenty-one of the 57 girls who escaped are currently studying at the American University of Nigeria in Yola, the capital of neighbouring Adamawa state.Boko Haram, whose name translates roughly from the Hausa language as Western education is sin, is seeking to create a hardline Islamic state and has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State jihadist group.Boko Harams six-year insurgency in northeast Nigeria has left at least 15,000 dead and some 1.5 million people homeless.The Nigerian military has in recent months claimed a string of successes against Boko Haram after launching a joint offensive against the militants with the help of soldiers from Chad, Cameroon and Niger.But Boko Haram has been fighting back, and Nigerian troops were notably forced to retreat from the groups Sambisa Forest stronghold this week after a landmine blast killed one soldier and three vigilantes.

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