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Friday, July 17, 2015

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Four Marines killed in US shooting rampage

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CHATTANOOGA (AFP) - A 24-year-old gunman opened fire at two US military centers in the southern state of Tennessee on Thursday, killing four Marines in what officials said was a possible act of domestic terrorism. The gunman -- identified by the FBI as 24-year-old Mohammod Youssuf Abdulazeez -- was shot dead. Three people were injured, including a police officer and a Marine Corps recruiter. The incident served as an ugly reminder of other deadly shootings at US military installations, including a 2009 rampage at Fort Hood that left 13 dead and a 2013 attack at the Navy Yard in Washington that left 12 dead.President Barack Obama called the shootings heartbreaking and asked Americans to pray for the relatives of the victims.It is incomprehensible to see what happened and the way that individuals who proudly serve our country were treated, Chattanooga mayor Andy Berke said, praising the quick response by law enforcement to prevent further loss of life.Today is a nightmare for the city of Chattanooga.Bill Killian, the US federal prosecutor in that part of Tennessee, said the shootings were being investigated as an act of domestic terrorism.We are looking at every possible avenue -- whether it was terrorism, whether it was domestic, international or whether it was a simple criminal act, FBI special agent Ed Reinhold said.The FBI said in a later statement that it was premature to speculate on the motives of the shooter at this time, pledging to conduct a thorough investigation of this tragedy.Little was immediately known about the shooter.WRCB news said Abdulazeez graduated from the University of Tennessee in 2012 and showed footage of law enforcement officers preparing to search his suburban home.The Marine Corps confirmed that all four victims were killed at a Navy and Marine Corps Reserve Center in the late morning. About 40 minutes earlier, the gunman had opened fire at a recruitment center several miles away.Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and Navy Secretary Ray Mabus offered their condolences to the families of the victims.Though we can never fully prevent attacks like this, we will continue to investigate, review and guard against future vulnerabilities and do everything in our power to safeguard the security of our service members and their families, Mabus said in a statement.The Department of Homeland Security said it had ordered security be stepped up at certain federal facilities, out of an abundance of caution.Erica Wright said she witnessed the shooting at the recruiting center through the window of a hair salon two doors down.We heard one pop, really loud pop. So we went to the door to see what it was, Wright told CNN. We saw a guy in a silver Mustang just unloading on the naval recruiting place.Wright said she watched in horror as the man reloaded his gun and opened fire again. He then backed up his car, pulled up to another part of the recruiting center and started shooting again.Were all shook up, she said. Never expected something like this.Several locations in Chattanooga were placed on lockdown while the shootings were unfolding, including a local college, area businesses and government offices.Bullet holes could be seen in the windows of the recruiting center and shell casings littered the parking lot.Senator Bob Corker, a former mayor of Chattanooga, said he was heartbroken.This is a difficult day for Tennesseans and our thoughts and prayers are with all affected by this tragedy, he said in a statement.

Twin blasts hit market in NE Nigeria, 'nearly 50 killed'

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KANO (AFP) - At least 49 people were killed and dozens injured when twin blasts struck a market in the northeast Nigerian city of Gombe on Thursday, rescue workers said.The first explosion took place outside a packed footwear shop around 1620 GMT, followed by a second explosion just minutes later, said Badamasi Amin, a local trader who counted at least three bodies.He said the area at the time was crowded with customers doing some last-minute shopping on the eve of the Eid festival marking the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.I was about 70 metres (yards) from the scene when the first blast hit, Amin told AFP.I and many other people rushed to assist the victims. While we were trying to attend to the wounded, another blast happened outside a china shop just opposite the footwear shop, he said, adding that he himself was drenched in blood from moving dead bodies.Ali Nasiru, another trader, said he saw people lying lifeless on the ground.Traders and shoppers helped in evacuating the victims to the hospital, he said.In all, we have 49 dead and 71 injured, a top rescue official told AFP, asking not to be named.He warned that the toll could climb further as some of the wounded are in a critical condition.The victims include many women and children, he said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blasts but a market, bus station and stadium in the city of Gombe, the capital of Gombe state, have all in recent months been targeted by bomb and suicide attacks.In February, Boko Haram Islamists claimed responsibility for an attack on Gombe during which hundreds of insurgents, armed with heavy weapons, invaded the city for a few hours.Gombe state neighbours the states of Borno, Yobo and Adamawa, which have been most affected by the Boko Haram insurgency that has killed more than 15,000 people in Nigeria since 2009.There has been a spike in attacks by Boko Haram after a four-nation coalition of Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon pushed out the militants from captured territory earlier this year.The violence has intensified since Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari took power one and a half months ago and vowed to crush the group, something his predecessor had also made a priority but failed to do.Buhari, in an Eid message, pledged to press on with efforts to quash the militants.I was very aware of your high expectations when I assumed office and I reassure you, my fellow citizens, that since my inauguration... I have been working with utmost dedication to meticulously plan and tackle the many national challenges which we identified and promised to resolve, he said.To succeed however, I need your continued support, understanding and patience.Buhari, a former military man, this week sacked his entire defence top brass in the wake of criticism over the military commands poor handling of the six-year Boko Haram insurgency.

Kerry to launch Gulf charm offensive to sell Iran deal

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - US Secretary of State John Kerry will head to the Gulf in August seeking to allay fears over the Iran nuclear deal, as Saudi Arabia Thursday warned Tehran against any further mischief in the region.Back at work only days after an 18-day negotiating marathon to seal the unprecedented accord, Kerry met Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, the beginning of a charm offensive designed to win over the many doubters in the United States and abroad.All of us in the region want to see a peaceful resolution to Irans nuclear program, Jubeir said after their talks.He welcomed a deal with a robust and continuous inspections regime to make sure Iran does not violate the terms of the agreement, adding it should also have an effective and quick snapback mechanism that allows for sanctions to be quickly reimposed if Tehran violates Tuesdays accord.Under the deal, Iran will win relief from crippling sanctions in return for dismantling and mothballing much of its nuclear industry so it cannot quickly develop an atomic bomb.We hope that the Iranians will use this deal in order to improve the economic situation in Iran and to improve the lot of the Iranian people, and not use it for adventures in the region, Jubeir said.But he warned if Iran should try to cause mischief in the region were committed to confront it resolutely.Iran stands accused of supporting Shiite Huthi rebels in Yemen who overran the capital and parts of the country, forcing the Western-backed President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi and his government into exile in Riyadh.Saudi-led warplanes have been waging air strikes against the rebels since March, helping to force the militia into retreat with ministers from Hadis exiled government now preparing to visit the southern city of Aden to assess the damage.Majority Sunni Gulf countries have remained wary of the US overtures to arch-foe Iran, believing the nuclear deal will only embolden Tehrans Shiite leaders.But Kerry said he will travel to the Gulf to brief leaders on the hard-won accord.I will be meeting with the entire GCC and giving them a full briefing, download, answering any questions they have on August 3, Kerry said.The Saudi minister said the meeting with the Gulf Cooperation Council would take place in Doha.

'Batman' massacre gunman James Holmes guilty of murder

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CENTENNIAL (AFP) - A US jury found Batman theater gunman James Holmes guilty of first-degree murder Thursday over the 2012 massacre that left 12 dead and 70 more injured in Colorado.Judge Carlos Samour read out guilty verdicts relating to each of the 12 people killed when Holmes opened fire at a packed midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises in the town of Aurora, just outside Denver.The 27-year-old Holmes, dressed in a blue shirt and cream-colored trousers with his hands in his pockets, showed no emotion as the verdicts were read out.The trial will now move on to the sentencing phase, in which Holmes -- who had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity -- could face the death penalty. The jury foreman handed over a thick stack of verdict forms, representing the scale of the atrocity: in all, Holmes faced 164 charges of murder and attempted murder, as well as one count of possession of explosives.After the 12 murder verdicts, the judge spent several minutes reading out guilty verdicts on the attempted murder charges for those injured. Jurors were relatively quick to reach their verdicts: they only retired to deliberate Wednesday on whether Holmes -- who has been in custody since he was arrested outside the theater -- was sane when he opened fire. Wrapping up the trial on Tuesday, prosecutor George Brauchler ran through a blow-by-blow account of the massacre, which stunned America and reignited the countrys perennial debate about gun control. Referring to the 400 people in the theater, he said: They came in hoping to see a story of a hero dressed in black, someone who would fight insurmountable odds in the name of justice and trying to protect others. Instead a different figure appeared by the screen dressed all in black. And he came there with one thing in his heart and in his mind -- and that was mass murder, the prosecutor said. But Holmes defense lawyer Dan King insisted his client was insane, saying: The fact of the matter is that when Mr Holmes stepped into that theater... he had lost touch with reality. You cannot divorce the mental illness from this case, or from Mr Holmes. The mental illness caused this to happen. Only the mental illness caused this to happen, and nothing else. Brauchler, however, urged the court to reject this claim that he didnt know right from wrong... That guy was sane beyond a reasonable doubt, and he needs to be held accountable for what he did. It appears jurors did not buy the defense teams arguments.The 49-day-long trial included weeks of grisly evidence and testimony from more than 250 witnesses. The jury also was shown hours of videotaped interviews of Holmes by psychiatrists for the state. Both they and two defense psychiatrists agreed the defendant struggled with mental illness. The states psychiatrists however maintained that Holmes was sane when he carried out the rampage. The punishment phase of the trial could last the rest of the summer, Samour has said. The prosecutor has said he will seek the death penalty. If Holmes had been found not guilty by reason of insanity, he would have been confined to a state mental hospital. To win a release, he would have had to be found free of mental illness and no longer a danger to himself or to others.

Barrel bombs kill 11 civilians in IS town in Syria

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BEIRUT (AFP) - Barrel bombs dropped from Syrian government helicopters on Thursday killed at least 11 civilians, including three children, in raids on a jihadist-held northern town, a monitoring group said.The crudely constructed weapons were used on Al-Bab, which lies in Aleppo province and is held by the extremist Islamic State group, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.Since Saturday, at least 68 civilians have been killed in aerial attacks on the town.Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said the intensified air attacks by regime forces on Al-Bab are aimed at foiling IS efforts on multiple fronts, including the nearby Kweyris military airport, which IS has besieged for more than a year.Al-Bab is strategically important because it is one of ISs closest positions to regime-held parts of Aleppo, he told AFP.In May, more than 60 civilians were killed by barrel bomb attacks on the town.Syrias embattled regime has heavily bombarded areas in Aleppo province that have fallen out of its control.To the west, in Idlib province, an alliance of rebels and Islamist fighters heavily shelled the provinces last two regime-held Shiite villages for the second consecutive day.The Army of Conquest, an opposition coalition that includes Al-Qaedas Syria affiliate Al-Nusra Front, began its assault on Fuaa and Kafraya on Wednesday.Dozens of shells fell overnight Wednesday and into Thursday morning on Fuaa and Kafraya, which are largely inhabited by Shiite Muslims, the Observatory said.Abdel Rahman said there were casualties but had no immediate toll.The Army of Conquest said Wednesday its attack was a response to an offensive by the army and the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah on Zabadani, the last rebel-held bastion along the Syrian-Lebanese border.Clashes in Zabadani raged on Thursday, according to the Observatory, which has documented heavy shelling on the town since early July.Elsewhere on Thursday, the Observatory said 17 government troops including a commander were killed in fighting with the Islamic State group near the city of Palmyra.Among the dead was Major General Mohsen Makhlouf, of a tank battalion in area of central Homs province, the monitor said.Palmyra, which is famed for its ancient ruins, has been under IS control since May, but in recent weeks government troops have advanced to within a few kilometres (miles) of the city.In northeastern Syria, Kurdish forces backed by government shelling took an area south of the city of Hasakeh from IS forces, the Observatory said.IS entered the city, where security control is divided between Kurdish and regime forces, on June 25, seizing territory in its southern districts.But the Kurdish fighters, along with a group of Sunni Arab tribesman, are hoping to encircle the IS forces by taking a strip of territory outside the city.At least 230,000 people have been killed in Syrias multi-front conflict, which began in 2011 with anti-government protests but devolved into a civil war.

Malian troops kill jihadists on I. Coast border: defence source

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BAMAKO (AFP) - Malian troops killed several jihadists near the countrys southern border with Ivory Coast and destroyed the insurgents camp in a forest straddling the frontier, a Malian army officer said Thursday.We have just destroyed the main military camp of the jihadists in the south, in the Sama forest located on the Ivorian border, the officer told AFP by telephone, requesting anonymity.Since last week, Malian army parachutists known as the Red Berets and regular troops stationed in the frontier region of Sikasso have been conducting operations against the insurgents, the officer said.Another Malian security source said arms, ammunition, motorbikes and strategic documents were seized from the camp.Asked for details about the jihadists, the source said they were members of the Islamist Ansar Dine group, which seeks to impose Sharia law in areas under its control while opposing Western education models and vaccination campaigns.A humanitarian source said two Malian soldiers were injured in the operation.Malian troops on Thursday also pressed on with anti-insurgent operations in the frontier town of Fakola, which was attacked and pillaged on June 28, for which Ansar Dine claimed responsibility.Residents of the Ivorian town of Debete, located 30 kilometres (20 miles) from Fakola, confirmed that an operation was underway in the forest, and that several arrests had been made.There were battles in Sama forest, said a resident of Pogo, located on Ivory Coasts border with Mali.Jihadist attacks are normally confined to Malis restive northern desert region but areas bordering Mauritania have been targeted since the start of the year, and southern settlements more recently.The north came under the control of Ansar Dine -- which is Arabic for Defenders of Faith -- and two other jihadist groups, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa, in April 2012.A move south towards the capital by the extremists, who imposed a brutal version of sharia on inhabitants, prompted Malis former colonial master France to intervene in January 2013, pounding their positions in the north.Their organisational structure smashed, small pockets of armed Islamists managed to remain active, and continue to carry out occasional deadly attacks in the desert.

Rangers raid MQM headquarters Nine-Zero, arrest two leaders

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KARACHI (Dunya News) - The Rangers conducted a raid at the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) headquarters Nine-Zero in Azizabad and Khursheed Begum Memorial Hall on early Friday morning and arrested two key leaders.The rangers initially detained four MQM leaders including Rabita Committee in charge Kaif-ul-Warah, Qamar Mansoor, Azeem Farooqi and Sufiyan Yousuf.Azeem Farooqi and Sufiyan Yousuf were released after interrogation while Kaif-ul-Warah and Qamar Mansoor were arrested and shifted to some undisclosed location.According to sources, all the roads leading to MQM headquarters Nine-Zero were sealed before the raid.The Rangers in a statement after the raid said that those who were arrested from Nine-Zero have been arranging and facilitating hate speeches against peace of Karachi.On the other hand, raids were also conducted at the houses of MQM leaders Dr Farooq Sattar and Haider Abbas Rizvi but no arrest was made.

Ruet-e-Hilal Committee meets today for Eid-ul-Fitr moon sighting

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - The central Ruet-e-Hilal Committees will meet today (Friday) for sighting of crescent of Eid-ul-Fitr. Chairman Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman, will preside over the meeting.Simultaneously, the zonal and district Ruet-e-Haial committees will hold their meetings at their respective sighting locations.Official of meteorological and other concerned departments will also attend the meeting to provide technical assistance to the committee.According to Pakistan Meteorological Department, there is high chance for sighting of Shawwal crescent on Friday. In that case, Eid-ul-Fitr will fall on Saturday.

Barrel bombs kill 11 civilians in IS town in Syria

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BEIRUT (AFP) - Barrel bombs dropped from Syrian government helicopters on Thursday killed at least 11 civilians, including three children, in raids on a jihadist-held northern town, a monitoring group said.The crudely constructed weapons were used on Al-Bab, which lies in Aleppo province and is held by the extremist Islamic State group, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.Since Saturday, at least 68 civilians have been killed in aerial attacks on the town.Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said the intensified air attacks by regime forces on Al-Bab are aimed at foiling IS efforts on multiple fronts, including the nearby Kweyris military airport, which IS has besieged for more than a year.Al-Bab is strategically important because it is one of ISs closest positions to regime-held parts of Aleppo, he told AFP.In May, more than 60 civilians were killed by barrel bomb attacks on the town.Syrias embattled regime has heavily bombarded areas in Aleppo province that have fallen out of its control.To the west, in Idlib province, an alliance of rebels and Islamist fighters heavily shelled the provinces last two regime-held Shiite villages for the second consecutive day.The Army of Conquest, an opposition coalition that includes Al-Qaedas Syria affiliate Al-Nusra Front, began its assault on Fuaa and Kafraya on Wednesday.Dozens of shells fell overnight Wednesday and into Thursday morning on Fuaa and Kafraya, which are largely inhabited by Shiite Muslims, the Observatory said.Abdel Rahman said there were casualties but had no immediate toll.The Army of Conquest said Wednesday its attack was a response to an offensive by the army and the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah on Zabadani, the last rebel-held bastion along the Syrian-Lebanese border.Clashes in Zabadani raged on Thursday, according to the Observatory, which has documented heavy shelling on the town since early July.Elsewhere on Thursday, the Observatory said 17 government troops including a commander were killed in fighting with the Islamic State group near the city of Palmyra.Among the dead was Major General Mohsen Makhlouf, of a tank battalion in area of central Homs province, the monitor said.Palmyra, which is famed for its ancient ruins, has been under IS control since May, but in recent weeks government troops have advanced to within a few kilometres (miles) of the city.In northeastern Syria, Kurdish forces backed by government shelling took an area south of the city of Hasakeh from IS forces, the Observatory said.IS entered the city, where security control is divided between Kurdish and regime forces, on June 25, seizing territory in its southern districts.But the Kurdish fighters, along with a group of Sunni Arab tribesman, are hoping to encircle the IS forces by taking a strip of territory outside the city.At least 230,000 people have been killed in Syrias multi-front conflict, which began in 2011 with anti-government protests but devolved into a civil war.

Malian troops kill jihadists on I. Coast border: defence source

Posted:

BAMAKO (AFP) - Malian troops killed several jihadists near the countrys southern border with Ivory Coast and destroyed the insurgents camp in a forest straddling the frontier, a Malian army officer said Thursday.We have just destroyed the main military camp of the jihadists in the south, in the Sama forest located on the Ivorian border, the officer told AFP by telephone, requesting anonymity.Since last week, Malian army parachutists known as the Red Berets and regular troops stationed in the frontier region of Sikasso have been conducting operations against the insurgents, the officer said.Another Malian security source said arms, ammunition, motorbikes and strategic documents were seized from the camp.Asked for details about the jihadists, the source said they were members of the Islamist Ansar Dine group, which seeks to impose Sharia law in areas under its control while opposing Western education models and vaccination campaigns.A humanitarian source said two Malian soldiers were injured in the operation.Malian troops on Thursday also pressed on with anti-insurgent operations in the frontier town of Fakola, which was attacked and pillaged on June 28, for which Ansar Dine claimed responsibility.Residents of the Ivorian town of Debete, located 30 kilometres (20 miles) from Fakola, confirmed that an operation was underway in the forest, and that several arrests had been made.There were battles in Sama forest, said a resident of Pogo, located on Ivory Coasts border with Mali.Jihadist attacks are normally confined to Malis restive northern desert region but areas bordering Mauritania have been targeted since the start of the year, and southern settlements more recently.The north came under the control of Ansar Dine -- which is Arabic for Defenders of Faith -- and two other jihadist groups, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa, in April 2012.A move south towards the capital by the extremists, who imposed a brutal version of sharia on inhabitants, prompted Malis former colonial master France to intervene in January 2013, pounding their positions in the north.Their organisational structure smashed, small pockets of armed Islamists managed to remain active, and continue to carry out occasional deadly attacks in the desert.

Dollar firms on US rate hike prospects

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NEW YORK (AFP) - The dollar made broad gains Thursday on prospects of a US interest rate hike this year, while the Greek debt crisis heightened the need for easy money in the eurozone.The euro fell against the dollar as the Greek parliament approved new austerity measures, opening the way for negotiations on a three-year bailout.The European Central Bank meanwhile increased its lifeline for Greeces banks, and interim EU financing to keep Athens afloat was expected to be approved Friday.All of this uncertainty will require the ECB to maintain super-easy policies for even longer than was the case already, said Kit Juckes of Societe Generale.The euro fell to $1.0856, its lowest level against the greenback in seven weeks.Foreign-exchange market traders had their eyes on the looming interest rate increase in the United States.Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen, in testimony to Congress this week, was upbeat about a potential pick-up in the US economy and reaffirmed the central banks plan to raise its federal funds rate this year, pegged at zero since 2008 to support the recovery from the Great Recession.While US data and US rates have provided no meaningful fresh signal this week, the notion that headline risk from Greece is moving to the background has given traders an opportunity to re-establish positions, including USD long positions, Nomura said in a research note.

Oil prices mixed as strong dollar weighs

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NEW YORK (AFP) - Oil prices traded mixed Thursday amid a stronger dollar and persistent worries about a global oversupply of crude.US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for delivery in August fell 50 cents to $50.91 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.Brent North Sea crude for August delivery rose to $57.51 a barrel in London trade, up 46 cents from Wednesdays settlement.Both contracts had shed more than $1.50 on Wednesday.There are conflicting forces keeping the market in check, said Phil Flynn of Price Futures Group.Among the bearish elements, there are concerns about rising interest rates with (Federal Reserve Chair) Janet Yellen, he said, referring to her testimony in Congress this week reaffirming a rate hike by the end of the year.There are still concerns about an oversupply of oil, he added.On the positive side, the analyst said, was the record pace of crude oil used by US refineries. The Department of Energy reported Wednesday that US refineries operated at 95.3 percent of capacity in the week ending July 10.We keep talking about weak demand and oversupply but refiners dont seem to mind, Flynn said. If demand is so bad, why are refiners running at 95 percent of their capacity?The dollar hit a seven-week high against the euro and its highest level against the yen in three weeks. A stronger greenback makes dollar-priced oil more expensive for buyers using weaker currencies.

Rogers, Smith join Lord's Test ton club

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LONDON (AFP) - Australias Chris Rogers and Steven Smith both gained coveted places on the Lords honours board as they each scored a hundred on the first day of the second Ashes Test against England on Thursday.Number three Smith, who until twice making 33 in Englands 169-run win in the first Test in Cardiff was ranked as the worlds number one Test batsman, was first to the landmark despite giving Rogers a 35-run and 70-minute head start.He brought up three figures after tea with a pulled four off James Anderson, reaching his hundred in 161 balls, including nine fours and a six.It was Smiths 10th hundred in 30 Tests and sixth in eight matches, although he was dropped on 50 in the slips by Ian Bell.Left-handed opener Rogers, after nearly five hours at the crease, followed Smith to a century when he drove Anderson down the ground for a 17th four in 209 balls faced.It was a particularly sweet moment for Rogers as the 37-year-old, who knows the ground well from his time with Lords-based Middlesex, plans to retire at the end of this series.This match represented his last chance to score a Test century at the home of cricket after he made scores of 15 and six in the corresponding Ashes clash at Lords two years ago.Rogers has now scored eight fifties in nine Test innings but Thursdays effort, his fifth century in 22 matches at this level, was the first one of those scores he had converted into a hundred.Ashes-holders Australia, looking for their first Test series win in Britain in 14 years, were 254 for one when Rogers completed his century, with the second-wicket duos unbroken stand then worth 176.Both Rogers and Smith will now have their names inscribed on the honours board in the visitors dressing room which records all the individual Test hundreds scored by Englands opponents at Lords.

Record-setting Rogers and Smith pummel England

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LONDON (AFP) - Chris Rogers and Steven Smith both scored unbeaten hundreds in a record-breaking partnership as Australia dominated the first day of the second Ashes Test against England at Lords on Thursday.At stumps, Australia were 337 for one after cashing in on captain Michael Clarkes good fortune in winning the toss and batting first on a placid pitch.Rogers was a Test-best 158 not out at the close and Smith, dropped on 50, unbeaten on 129.Their partnership was so far worth 259 runs and broke the previous Australia second-wicket record at Lords of 231 set by Bill Woodfull and Don Bradman which had stood since 1930.Englands lone success in 90 overs of toil was when off-spinner Moeen Ali had David Warner (38) caught in the covers by James Anderson shortly after the first hours play. Not since Geoff Marsh (125 not out) and Mark Taylor (141 not out) took their side to 301 without loss against England on the first day of the fifth Test at Trent Bridge in 1989 had Australia produced such a commanding display with the bat on the opening day of an Ashes match.It was just the response the Ashes-holders, looking to win their first Test series in Britain in 14 years, would have wanted following Englands 169-run win in the first Test in Cardiff last week.Left-hander Rogers -- who plans to retire after this series -- knows the home of cricket well from his time with Lords-based county side Middlesex.This was the 37-year-olds eighth fifty in nine Test innings but the first one in that sequence he had converted into a hundred.Rogers batted the whole day as he spent more than six hours at the crease and in the process scored his fifth hundred in 22 Tests.It was his highest score at this level, comfortably topping his 119 against England at Sydney in 2014.Thats probably a little bit better to bat on than a usual Lords pitch, Rogers told Sky Sports after both he and Smith gained a place on the Lords honours board.Its one of the proudest moments of my career. To get a hundred here is so special.Smith said: That was very important after Cardiff.We said we needed to be more patient. Today was more about waiting for the bad ball and putting it away -- I wanted to make it count and get up on that board.Initially overcast skies offered a hint of swing movement but long before tea the sun had broken through as conditions for batting eased.The first over saw Rogers fortunate to survive when he edged an intended drive off Anderson just over the top of the slips for four.England captain Alastair Cook brought on Ali after drinks.But with Australia determined not to let the off-spinner settle, Warner slog-swept Alis first ball for four.Ali, however, had his revenge five balls later to leave Australia were 78 for one.Smith, until twice making 33 in Cardiff ranked as the worlds number one Test batsman, should have been out for 50 when he edged all-rounder Ben Stokes only for Ian Bell to floor the low chance at second slip.Rogers went to 97 with two well-struck fours off Ali.Smith joined Rogers in the 90s with a straight driven six into the Pavilion against the part-time off-spin of Joe Root.Australias No 3, despite giving Rogers a 35-run and 70-minute head start, was the first of the duo to a century.His ninth four, through mid-on off Anderson saw Smith to a 161-ball hundred. It was his 10th hundred in 30 Tests and sixth in eight matches.Rogers followed Smith to three figures when he drove Anderson down the ground for a 17th four in 209 balls faced.The last over of the day saw the increasingly free-scoring Rogers, on 155, edge Stuart Broad just short of Bell at slip.

Peshawar's Popalzai claims moon sighting, announces Eid Friday

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PESHAWAR (Dunya News) – Mufti Shahabuddin Popalzai of Masjid Qasim Ali Khan on Thursday claimed to have sighted the Shawal moon and announced Eid in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to be celebrated on Friday.According to details, Shahabuddin headed the meeting of an informal session of moon sighting where several clerics participated.Talking to the media after the session, Shahabuddin claimed that he received reports of several moon sightings from Peshawar, Khyber Agency, Kirk, Hangu, Sara-e- Norang, Laki Marwat, Bannu and Sawabi.Shahabuddin said that the day is not far when the whole nation will observe fast and celebrate Eid on same day.He demanded the government to sack the central moon sighting committee.

Posted by IMRAN ALI SOOMRO (DARVESH) at 7/17/2015 07:13:00 AM

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