Dunya TV

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• Obama doesn't foresee US ground troops in Syria
• US military plane carrying 3 crashes in Kyrgyzstan
• Snooker: First Asian champion from Afghanistan
• Nadal criticizes ruling to destroy Puerto evidence
• Top-seeded Tipsarevic knocked out in Munich
• MotoGP: Lorenzo fastest in Spanish practice
• Rallying: Loeb takes Argentina lead as Ogier slips-up
• Oil rises above $95 on US jobs data
• Dollar slips despite strong US jobs report
• Solar plane takes off on cross-country US trip
• Three new cases of SARS-like virus in Saudi Arabia
• Bopara ready to seize England chance
• Swann guilty of dissent but escape ban
• US names James Dobbins new Pak-Afghan envoy
• Religious leader Qari Khurram shot dead in Lahore

Obama doesn't foresee US ground troops in Syria Posted: SAN JOSE (AP) - President Barack Obama said Friday he doesn't foresee any circumstance requiring the U.S. to send ground troops into Syria, even as Washington pursues more evidence about the regime's purported use of chemical weapons.I do not foresee a scenario in which boots on the ground in Syria, American boots on the ground, would not only be good for America but also would be good for Syria, Obama said at a news conference.The president's declaration was in line with the apparent prevailing sentiment in Washington. Even one of Obama's chief antagonists on Syria, Sen. John McCain, R- Ariz., has said he does not advocate sending ground troops, arguing that would be the worst thing the United States could do right now.Obama also said he had consulted with Mideast leaders who want to see Syrian President Bashar Assad's departure and agree with his assessment that the U.S. shouldn't send ground forces. After long wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, another U.S. intervention in the region could further inflame anti-American sentiment.Obama, who was meeting with Central American leaders in Costa Rica, was asked what the United States would do if its investigations find firmer evidence of Syrian use of chemical weapons. He repeated his earlier assertion that it would be a game-changer.We will stay on this, Obama said. The United States has sent humanitarian aid to the Syrian rebels, but not arms. The two-year civil war that has left an estimated 70,000 people dead and hundreds of thousands of refugees.On Thursday, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said the Obama administration is rethinking its opposition to arming the rebels. Hagel said that the U.S. was consulting with allies and that and he personally hadn't decided whether it would be a wise move. Sending arms is considered risky partly because of fears that some would end up in the hands of al-Qaida-linked fighters and might someday be used against the United States.Obama said the U.S. already is putting pressure on the Syrian government, including through humanitarian aid to the opposition. If systematic use of chemical weapons by Assad's forces were confirmed, he said, the United States would present that evidence to the international community.When it comes to using chemical weapons, the entire world should be concerned, he said.He also stressed the importance of moving cautiously. The Syria question comes as the U.S. is leaving Afghanistan after more than a decade of war there, most of it fought as the nation was also at war in Iraq.When we rush into things, when we leap before we look, not only do we pay a price but oftentimes we see unintended consequences on the ground, Obama said. It's important for us to do it right.The administration announced last week that it believes Assad has used chemical weapons but said the intelligence wasn't clear enough to be certain that the regime has crossed a red line of definite chemical weapons use that he said would have enormous consequences for Assad's government.Obama said Friday it's not yet clear when, where or how the weapons might have been used.

US military plane carrying 3 crashes in Kyrgyzstan Posted: CHALDOVAR (AP) - An American military refueling plane carrying three crew members crashed Friday in the rugged mountains of Kyrgyzstan, the Central Asian nation where the U.S. operates an air base key to the war in Afghanistan.There was no word on the fate of the KC-135 crew as darkness fell and the search for them was suspended for the night. Cargo planes do not have ejector seats. Officials at the U.S. base said they had no information yet on the cause of the crash.The plane crashed at 2:55 p.m. near Chaldovar, a village 100 miles (160 kilometers) west of the U.S. Transit Center at Manas base outside the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek. Pieces of the plane, including its tail, were scattered across in a grassy field bordered by mountains; the air was infused with the heavy stench of fuel.The plane was on a refueling mission for Afghanistan war operations at the time of the crash, a U.S. defense official in Washington said, speaking anonymously because he was not authorized to discuss the details of an ongoing investigation.The front section of the aircraft has not yet been found, Kyrgyz Emergencies Minister Kubatbek Boronov told The Associated Press. He said searchers also have not found the flight recorders from the plane, which was badly burned in the crash.The search for the crew will resume Saturday morning and the crash site will remain under guard, Boronov said.One resident of the agricultural and sheep-grazing area said the plane exploded in flight.I was working with my father in the field, and I heard an explosion. When I looked up at the sky I saw the fire. When it was falling, the plane split into three pieces, Sherikbek Turusbekov told an AP reporter at the site.The U.S. base, which is adjacent to Manas International Airport outside Bishkek, was established in late 2001 to support the international military campaign in Afghanistan. It functions as an interim point for troops going into or out of Afghanistan and as a home for the tanker planes that refuel warplanes in flight.The Manas base has been the subject of a contentious dispute between the United States and its host nation.In 2009, the U.S. reached an agreement with the Kyrgyz government to use it in return for $60 million a year. But the lease runs out in June 2014, and the U.S. wants to keep the base longer to aid in the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. Kyrgyzstan is reluctant to extend the lease.On Monday, a Boeing 747 cargo plane crashed just after takeoff from the U.S. military base in Bagram, Afghanistan, killing all seven people aboard. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating that crash since it was on the Bagram air base.

Snooker: First Asian champion from Afghanistan Posted: KARACHI (AFP) - Saleh Mohammad on Friday became the first Afghan to win the amateur Asian snooker title, expressing hope that his victory would lift the game in the war-ravaged country.The 40-year-old, who also represented Pakistan at a regional and world level from 1988 to 2006, beat Syria's Omar al Kojah 7-2 in a one-sided final.It's a dream come true for me, Mohammad told AFP. I don't know, but I can claim to be the first Afghan to become an Asian champion in any sport and it means a lot to my homeland where they clamour for a sporting title.Pakistan organised the 29th edition of the Asian championship despite a rise in violence in both Karachi and the country at large.Mohammad, who lived in Pakistan for many years after becoming a refugee but in 2006 switched to representing Afghanistan, won a glittering trophy and $7,000.He now runs a snooker parlour in Kabul and called on the government of Afghan President Hamid Karzai to increases its support for the game.Snooker is gaining in popularity day by day... and can help divert youth from being involved in unhealthy activity to a peacful and rewarding game, he said.Mohammad reached the the final of the world amateur snooker championship in China in 2003 while representing Pakistan.The International Billiards and Snooker Federation president Jim Leacy praised the hosts for organising a successful event in which 14 countries featured.I had no hesitation in coming to Pakistan and the successful hosting and wide coverage of the event has made me envious, Leacy said at the prize distribution.India refused to send its players amidst heightening tension between the two countries and security fears for their players.Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association president Aalmgeer Shaikh hoped the event would remove doubts about the safety of visiting sportsmen in the country.We hope that more and more international sports will be held in our country, said Shaikh.Pakistan has been a no-go zone for international teams since militants attacked the Sri Lankan cricket team in March 2009.

Nadal criticizes ruling to destroy Puerto evidence Posted: MADRID (AP) - Rafael Nadal says the decision to destroy the evidence in the Operation Puerto doping case is a mistake.My opinion is that the ruling wasn't positive for anyone, the tennis great said on Friday. The only ones that benefited were the ones who cheated. The ones that are hurt are Spanish athletes and sports in general.In the verdict on Tuesday, the doctor at the heart of the doping ring, Eufemiano Fuentes, was found guilty and given a one-year suspended sentence for endangering the health of cyclists through blood doping.Judge Julia Santamaria then cited privacy laws when ordering that the more than 100 blood bags seized by police seven years ago be destroyed.That meant anti-doping authorities cannot examine the evidence to try and identify more athletes who Fuentes helped to dope.The judge's decision has been widely criticized by anti-doping organizations, who are looking at appealing.The image this transmits to the world isn't the one we were hoping for, Nadal said. I think it is a mistake that the names (of Fuentes' clients) are not known, but that is what happened. We will keep working so that sports stays clean and this doesn't happen again in the future.Fuentes said during the trial that he had doping clients from sports other than cycling, but he was not asked by the judge to name them. Only a handful of cyclists have been identified as having doped with Fuentes.Also on Friday, the president of Spain's Olympic Committee, Alejandro Blanco, said Operation Puerto had been a mistake and a horror for Spanish sports.We have a judicial process that lasted seven years, which is the life span of a professional athlete, Blanco said. That doesn't happen in any other country in the world and we must change it.We can't have a judicial process that lasts seven years and not know who was behind it all.Madrid is competing with Istanbul and Tokyo for the right to host the 2020 Summer Games. Its tarnished reputation on fighting doping has hurt its previous two bids.When police began the Puerto investigation in 2006, doping was not illegal in Spain, leaving prosecutors to seek charges under public health laws. The country has since passed anti-doping legislation.

Top-seeded Tipsarevic knocked out in Munich Posted: MUNICH (AP) - Daniel Brands beat top-seeded Janko Tipsarevic 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 Friday at the BMW Open to set up an all-German semifinal with defending champion Philipp Kohlschreiber.Kohlschreiber defeated Viktor Troicki of Serbia 6-3, 7-6 (3). He is bidding for his third Munich title after also winning in 2007.Ivan Dodig of Croatia caused another upset by ousting fifth-seeded Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine 6-4, 6-4 to reach the final four.It was the third straight-set victory of the week for Dodig, who beat Russian two-time champion Nikolay Davydenko in the first round and followed up by defeating second-seeded countryman Marin Cilic on Wednesday.The 56th-ranked Dodig next faces third-seeded Tommy Haas, who defeated No. 6 Florian Mayer 6-4, 6-1 in an all-German match.Haas, a finalist in 2000, is bidding to win the title for the first time on his 10th appearance.It's perhaps my last chance to win here, the 35-year-old Haas said.

MotoGP: Lorenzo fastest in Spanish practice Posted: JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA (AFP) - Jorge Lorenzo, on a Yamaha, was fastest after the first two free practice sessions for Sunday's Spanish MotoGP in Jerez on Friday.Lorenzo, the reigning world champion, was 0.142sec ahead of fellow-Spaniard Dani Pedrosa, on a Honda, and 0.171sec faster than another Yamaha rider, Cal Crutchlow of Britain.Rookie Marc Marquez, the reigning Moto2 champion, currently leads the standings, alongside Lorenzo, following his victory at the Grand Prix of the Americas in Austin, Texas two weeks ago.Marquez was fifth fastest on Friday on his Honda, just behind Valentino Rossi on another Yamaha.At the beginning of the second practice I felt better than this morning but with the warmer temperatures it has been difficult to keep the same pace, said Lorenzo.We will have to work on the settings to keep the same pace for tomorrow. We need to try to improve our pace by three or four tenths, to ride comfortably in the 39s will be a good feeling. I'm happy that we are first in today's two sessions but I want more.Rossi admitted that the sessions had left him searching for the right balance.We still haven't found the perfect way yet, said the Italian.We also tried to understand the right tyre choice for the race because it is difficult with the soft and also with the hard so we need to make sure we make the right choice to go fast on Sunday. Anyway, we are in fourth place and not so far from pole position.

Rallying: Loeb takes Argentina lead as Ogier slips-up Posted: CRDOBA (AFP) - Nine-time world champion Sebastien Loeb on Friday built-up a formidable 40-second lead over French compatriot Sebastien Ogier in the Rally of Argentina, a race he has won every year since 2005.Loeb, in a Citroen, captured the day's last two main stages with only a super-special to run, having already snatched the advantage from overnight leader Ogier, in a Volkswagen Polo, earlier in the day.The only setback for Loeb was seeing Citroen teammate Mikko Hirvonen slip from second to sixth place after suffering a puncture and then an electrical failure.It took a rare error by world championship leader Ogier to hand Loeb the lead.Ahead of the field by 17 seconds, Ogier overran a crossroads in difficult muddy conditions near Cordoba, damaging his car into the bargain and had to backtrack, losing 45 seconds in the process on the seventh stage.Ogier, the winner in Portugal, Sweden and Mexico this year, then lost more time on the eighth stage with a front left puncture.I pushed really hard, said Loeb.It's rough, but you have to go over the rocks and hope that you don't get what happened to the others.Ogier, whose puncture was caused when he ran into a stone, refused to be too downcast knowing that Loeb is not a world title threat with the Frenchman having already decided to run a reduced programme in 2013.It's not my plan (to catch Loeb). My plan was to catch Hirvonen. I only care about him, Ogier told www.wrc.com.

Oil rises above $95 on US jobs data Posted: NEW YORK (AP) - The price of oil climbed again Friday as a better-than-expected U.S. jobs report pointed to growth and a rising demand for energy this year.Benchmark crude for June delivery was up $1.61 to $95.60 a barrel in late morning trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.Oil jumped after the Labor Department said that employers added a solid 165,000 jobs in April and far more in February and March than first thought. Job growth in April drove down the unemployment rate to a four-year low of 7.5 percent and sent a reassuring sign that the U.S. jobs market is improving.Oil started the week around $93 a barrel, and, after a brief retreat below $91 at midweek, kept pushing higher. Crude rose sharply Thursday after the European Central Bank cut its key interest rate to a new low and weekly U.S. unemployment benefit claims dropped. The Nymex contract rose 3.3 percent, its biggest one-day gain since November.The recent rebound in crude oil prices is a result of more confidence in the global economy as ECB and Fed decisions to stimulate growth could bring a boost in oil demand for the second half of 2013, said analysts at Sucden Financial Research in London.Oil is getting support from a weaker dollar as well. The euro was at 1.3114 against the dollar Friday versus 1.3067 late Thursday. Because oil is bought and sold in dollars, it becomes attractive to investors with foreign currency when the dollar falls in currency trade.Brent crude, which is used to set prices of oil from the North Sea used by many U.S. refiners, was up $1.75 to $104.60 per barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London.

Dollar slips despite strong US jobs report Posted: NEW YORK (AFP) - The dollar fell against the euro Friday despite a strong US April jobs report that otherwise sent stock markets and oil prices soaring.Analysts said that an increased interest in risk assets in Europe were to blame in part for the sharp reversal of the greenback's gains that followed the release of the employment sector data.At 2100 GMT the euro was at $1.3116, up from $1.3063. The single currency largely traded above the $1.3110 level throughout the day, except for a short-lived spike downward to $1.3062 immediately following the US Department of Labor jobs data release for April.The department reported the US economy added 165,000 jobs in April, and revised sharply upwards its numbers for the previous two months, helping to send the unemployment rate down a tenth point to 7.5 percent.The data offered a significantly brighter picture of the jobs situation than that for March, which would ostensibly have turned into a sustained dollar rally, analysts said.But a material euro recovery suggests traders are not quite ready to push it to fresh lows despite signs of pickup in the US economy, said David Rodriguez of DailyFX.Substantial moves in global government bond markets tell most of the euro's story: yield-hungry investors pushed the Greek 10-year Government bond yield below 10 percent for the first time in almost three years, he said.We can hardly claim that economic and fiscal crises are solved in the euro area, but buoyant global financial markets are encouraging risk-taking -- benefiting the euro greatly against the safe-haven US dollar.The dollar did manage a gain on the yen, pushing back to 99.00 yen, from 97.93 Thursday, while the euro rose to 129.80 yen from 127.93.The British pound also gained on the dollar, to $1.5572 from $1.5531, while the dollar was barely higher on the Swiss franc, at 0.9348 francs.

Solar plane takes off on cross-country US trip Posted: MOFFETT AIRFIELD (AFP) - The first-ever manned airplane that can fly by day or night on the sun's power alone took off Friday on the first leg of a trip across the United States.Solar Impulse, piloted by Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard, left the runway in northern California at 6:12 am (1312 GMT) against the backdrop of a golden morning sunrise, in what a mission control operator called a perfect takeoff.Flying quietly and slowly at an average speed of about 30 miles (49 kilometers) per hour, the plane is scheduled to arrive in Phoenix, Arizona, early Saturday under cover of darkness.We are on our way. The mission across America has started, Piccard said as the plane flew eastward from California.A dashboard showing the live speed, direction, battery status, solar generator and engine power, along with cockpit cameras of both Piccard and his view from the plane, were online at live.solarimpulse.com.The US itinerary allows for up to 10 days at each stop in order to showcase the plane's technology to the public. Other stops are planned for Dallas, Texas, and the US capital Washington, before wrapping up in New York in early July.That will allow two pilots -- Piccard and his co-founder, Swiss engineer and ex-fighter pilot Andre Borschberg -- to share duties and rest between flights.The project aims to showcase what can be accomplished without fossil fuels, and has set its ultimate goal as an around-the-world flight in 2015.The plane has four electric motors and runs on energy provided by 12,000 solar cells.Longer trips have already been successfully completed by the plane, which made the world's first solar 26-hour day and night trip in 2010. However, the cockpit has room for just one pilot, so even though the plane could likely make the entire US journey in three days, Piccard decided it would be easier to rest and exchange flight control with Borschberg at the stops.Solar Impulse was launched in 2003.The plane can fly at night by reaching a high elevation of 27,000 feet (8,230 meters) and then gently gliding downward, using almost no power through the night until the sun comes up to begin recharging the aircraft's solar cells.The US journey is being billed as the plane's first cross-continent flight. The aircraft completed its first intercontinental journey from Europe to Africa in June on a jaunt from Madrid to Rabat.The slim plane is particularly sensitive to turbulence and has no room for passengers, but Piccard has insisted that those issues are challenges to be met in the future, rather than setbacks.Instead of speaking of the problems, we want to demonstrate solutions, Piccard said as he flew toward Phoenix, stressing that renewable technologies already exist and are well known to science.Now we need to put them on a big scale everywhere in our daily life.

Three new cases of SARS-like virus in Saudi Arabia Posted: GENEVA (AFP) - Three new cases of a new SARS-like virus have been detected in Saudi Arabia, the World Health Organisation reported Friday.The Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia has informed WHO of an additional three laboratory confirmed cases of infection with the novel coronavirus (nCoV), the UN body said in a statement.They are currently in critical condition, it added.The organisation said the latest report brought to 27 the global total of laboratory confirmed cases, including 16 deaths.The virus was first detected in mid-2012 and is a cousin of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which triggered a scare 10 years ago when it erupted in east Asia, leaping to humans from animal hosts.hCoV-EMC stands for human coronavirus-Erasmus Medical Centre, after the Dutch health institution that identified it.The mysterious killer virus has been deadliest in Saudi Arabia and the other cases were reported in Jordan, Germany and Britain.Researchers believe the virus can be transmitted from human to human, although such occurrences appear to be uncommon.

Bopara ready to seize England chance Posted: LONDON (AFP) - Ravi Bopara promised to make the most of his latest England lifeline after he was the surprise inclusion in the hosts' 15-man squad for next month's ICC Champions Trophy and the preceding one-day series with New Zealand. Essex all-rounder Bopara has not played a 50-overs-a-side international since September and the stylish batsman and handy medium-pacer had not been selected in either of England one-day coach Ashley Giles's two previous squads in the format since the former Test spinner took charge of the limited overs side.It seemed Bopara was fighting for his international future but he edged out fellow all-rounders Samit Patel, Luke Wright and Rikki Clarke.Bopara's last four one-day international innings saw him manage just 22 runs in total at home to South Africa and he was omitted from the ODI squads for the recent tours of India and New Zealand.However, the all-rounder, 28 on Saturday, has a career batting average of over 30 in 83 ODIs and prior to his South Africa slump that same English season he scored 182 runs at an average of 91 against Australia. Now Bopara believes he is more ready than ever to seize the latest chance of a stop-start England career.I'm in the best place at the moment, he told Sky Sports. I'm very happy. I'm loving my game.It can be frustrating (being in and out of the team) but it didn't help that my problems came up at the back end of last summer.I played well against the Aussies. I felt 'right this is it, I'm at the top of my game now' and then a few things happened and it set me back.I feel like I'm back in that place again where I have to do what I did at the front end of the summer against the Aussies. There's no reasons why I can't.Earlier, England national selector Geoff Miller explained Bopara's recall by saying: He's been given another opportunity because we know what he's capable of doing.He's got all assets to his game -- there's the bowling aspect which has come on very, very well; batting-wise we know what he's capable of doing and he's very good in the field as well. He adds strength to the squad, the ex-England off-spinner added.Bopara's inclusion aside, there were few surprises, with off-spinner Graeme Swann and seamer Tim Bresnan both recalled following elbow problems.As expected, rising Yorkshire batting star Joe Root was included with star stroke-maker Kevin Pietersen already ruled out of the Champions Trophy because of a knee injury.Jos Buttler was given the chance to cement his claim to be England's one-day wicketkeeper, with Test gloveman Matt Prior again omitted from a limited overs squad. Yorkshire batsman Jonny Bairstow will provide back-up with the gloves.England have never won a major 50-over tournament and the three-time losing World Cup finalists were beaten by the West Indies at The Oval in the climax of the last Champions Trophy staged in England in 2004. A side again set to be captained by left-handed opening batsman Alastair Cook play the first of three one-dayers against New Zealand at Lord's on May 31 before opening their Champions Trophy campaign against Australia at Edgbaston on June 8.England squad for New Zealand one-day series and the ICC Champions Trophy: Alastair Cook (capt), James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler (wkt), Steven Finn, Eoin Morgan, Joe Root, Graeme Swann, James Tredwell, Jonathan Trott, Chris Woakes

Swann guilty of dissent but escape ban Posted: LONDON (AFP) - England off-spinner Graeme Swann has been penalised for showing serious dissent during his comeback game for Nottinghamshire against Durham in the County Championship this week.The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced Friday that Swann had been found guilty of a level two disciplinary breach but had escaped a ban.Swann stayed in his crease for several seconds and lifted his hands above his head after being last man out, lbw ,in Nottinghamshire's second innings at Trent Bridge.His exit helped leave visitors Durham with sufficient time to force a six-wicket win on the fourth and final day.Swann, returning from elbow surgery, was subsequently reported by the umpires, one of whom was former England batsman Peter Willey.During Nottinghamshire's LV= County Championship match against Durham on 29 April-2 May 2013, Swann was reported by umpires Steve Garratt and Peter Willey for a level two breach of the code (showing serious dissent at an umpire's decision by word or action), an ECB statement read.The penalty for this offence is three penalty points which will remain on his record for a period of two years. The accumulation of nine or more penalty points in any two year period will result in an automatic suspension.Swann, England's premier spinner and set to feature in the forthcoming two-Test series against New Zealand, the one-day Champions Trophy and the Ashes provided he maintains fitness took four for 56 in the second innings as Durham took 20.2 overs to chase down a victory target of 183.

US names James Dobbins new Pak-Afghan envoy Posted: WASHINGTON (AFP) - US Secretary of State John Kerry on Friday named veteran diplomat James Dobbins to be the new special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan at what he called a pivotal moment for the two nations.Mr. Dobbins, who is currently the director of the RAND International Security and Defense Policy Center, has plenty of experience with diplomatic troubleshooting, including in Afghanistan.During the Bill Clinton and George W. Bush administrations, he served as an envoy to Bosnia, Kosovo and Haiti, as well as to Somalia, where he oversaw the withdrawal of American troops.After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, Mr. Bush appointed him as the American representative to the Afghan opposition, and he took part in the Bonn conference in late 2001, at which a new post-Taliban Afghan government was named.

Religious leader Qari Khurram shot dead in Lahore Posted: LAHORE (Dunya News) – According to details, Qari Khurram of Samanabad was on his way back to home in a rickshaw after leading the Juma prayers when some unidentified persons opened fire on him and killed him on the spot in Tibbi City area.The leaders and workers of the religious party staged protest against the killing, and demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.

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