Dunya TV

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• South Africa, New Zealand battle in deciding encounter
• England rest Joe Root for Australia T20 and ODIs
• Suu Kyi eyes poll majority, but fears for wider democratic gains
• Kyrgios hit with suspended ban and fine
• Gunman kills four in French travellers' camp
• Libya calls for international air strikes against IS
• Deadly clashes erupt at Chad gold mine: residents
• Zimbabwe's Mugabe booed in parliament over economic crisis
• Caste protest hits Indian leader's home state
• UN council to 'act immediately' if S. Sudan peace deal not signed
• Spain detects first case of mosquito-borne chikungunya virus
• Assad 'confident' of Russian support for Syria regime
• Turkey ready for anti-IS strikes: Pentagon
• Girl suicide bomber kills 5, injures 41 in northeast Nigeria
• Former Guatemalan dictator to face genocide retrial

South Africa, New Zealand battle in deciding encounter Posted: DURBAN (Agencies) - The South Africa-New Zealand ODI series stands at an interesting juncture, level at 1-1. The competition fought for attention because of the Ashes and the Sri Lanka-India Test series, which stole the limelight due to the retirements of Michael Clarke and Kumar Sangakkara. The focus will now shift to the deciding encounter. Both teams have had their fair share of problems and successes. With the way things have gone in the series so far, it could be a close contest.South Africas batting unit has been good in one match and poor in the other. Morne van Wyk has failed in the opening role and David Wiese in the middle-order has not been able to contribute much. They can, however, be happy with the form Rilee Rossouw is in. One of the major challenges that South Africa has faced in the series so far is their shoddy fielding. A flurry of dropped catches have only hurt their reputation and they will be keen to make amends.The Black Caps strength is their batting order, which has performed consistently, although wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi has not been all that impressive with the bat. Ronchi has done a fairly decent job behind the stumps and he will be keen to get amongst the runs. New Zealand were also below par in their fielding in the first game, but they rectified that mistake in the second, edging ahead of South Africa on that front.Probable squads:South Africa: Morne van Wyk (wk), Hashim Amla, Rilee Rossouw, AB de Villiers (c), David Miller, Farhaan Behardien, David Wiese/Dean Elgar, Vernon Philander, Kyle Abbott, Dale Steyn, Imran Tahir.New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Tom Latham, Kane Williamson (c), George Worker, Grant Elliott, James Neesham, Luke Ronchi (wk), Nathan McCullum, Doug Bracewell, Ben Wheeler/Mitchell McClenaghan, Adam Milne.

England rest Joe Root for Australia T20 and ODIs Posted: LONDON (AFP) - England have rested Ashes-winning star batsman Joe Root from their squads for both the upcoming lone Twenty20 international and five one-day internationals against Australia.Root, the Ashes player of the series after his 460 runs played a central role in England’s 3-2 win over the five Tests, has been a key player in all three international formats in recent times.But with England facing tough Test series away to Pakistan and South Africa later this year, England’s selectors have decided to give the 24-year-old a break from international duty.Also omitted are senior bowlers James Anderson, currently out with a side strain, and Stuart Broad, whose stunning eight for 15 at his Trent Bridge home ground saw Australia skittled out for 60 in the third Ashes Test.Neither Anderson nor Broad, as well as veteran batsman Ian Bell, have played a 50-over one-day international since this year’s World Cup, which Australia won on home soil in March.Test skipper Alastair Cook, dropped from England’s squad before the global showpiece, was again omitted from white-ball duty.Eoin Morgan will again captain both squads, having led England in their miserable first-round exit from the World Cup before overseeing a thrilling one-day series win at home to World Cup finalists New Zealand.Essex left-arm seamer Reece Topley was the only uncapped player in either squad after being named in the Twenty20 party.Moeen Ali was restored to both squads after being injured at the start of the season, with fit-again fellow all-rounder Chris Woakes also selected.But there was no place for Yorkshire wicketkeeper batsman Jonny Bairstow even though he revived his international career with a series-clinching 83 not out against New Zealand at Chester-le-Street in June.“We have made some significant progress in our limited-overs cricket this summer, and the next six games allow these players to continue testing themselves against one of the very best sides in the world,” said England national selector James Whitaker.“This is primarily a young group of players, and the next three weeks will provide them with valuable experience as we continue to identify those who can take our limited-overs cricket forward over the next four years.”Yorkshire paceman Liam Plunkett, included in the ODI squad after spending much of this season as cover for England’s Test bowlers, was well aware of the challenge posed by Australia.“They won the World Cup not so long ago — they are the best in the world, so it’s going to be a tough ‘ask’,” said Plunkett.“But we beat New Zealand, who were in that World Cup final, so it shows where we are — and I am really looking forward to the tough competition.”The lone Twenty20 clash takes place in Cardiff on August 31, with the one-day series starting at Hampshire’s Ageas Bowl headquarters on September 3.Australia face Ireland in a one-day international in Belfast on Thursday in what will be their first 50 overs per side clash since the World Cup.With former captain Michael Clarke having retired from international cricket after the Ashes, the upcoming white-ball games will mark Steven Smith’s first campaign as the full-time one-day skipper of Australia.England T20 squad: Eoin Morgan, Moeen Ali, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Steven Finn, Alex Hales, Adil Rashid, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, James Vince, David Willey, Chris Woakes.England ODI squad: Eoin Morgan, Moeen Ali, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Steven Finn, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, James Taylor, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.

Suu Kyi eyes poll majority, but fears for wider democratic gains Posted: NAYPYIDAW (AFP) - Aung San Suu Kyi said Tuesday she was confident her opposition party would win Myanmars landmark elections if they are free and fair, but raised concern at the countrys overall progress toward democracy.The Nobel Peace Prize winner told AFP in an interview she expects her National League for Democracy will secure a majority in November.It will be the first nationwide poll the NLD has contested for 25 years in a country strait-jacketed for almost half a century under army rule. The party won by a landslide in 1990 but was barred by the military from taking power.Asked if she was confident of winning a dominant share of seats Suu Kyi replied: If the elections are free and fair, of course.I think looking at the governments which have gone before us, we should be in a position to form a better government, she told AFP, in some of her most confident comments yet as Myanmar fast approaches an election that many hope will be the freest in its modern history.But the veteran campaigner, who was held for years under house arrest by the former junta, said she was also very concerned about irregularities in the run-up to the polls, stressing that the long-cloistered country still has a long way to go before it can be called democratic.Suu Kyi, the daughter of Myanmars independence hero, is widely revered for her long campaign for democracy. She led her opposition party into parliament after the current quasi-civilian government replaced military rule in 2011.But Myanmars junta-era constitution blocks her pathway to the presidency, and a recent attempt to change it was quashed by the still-powerful military and its allies.Suu Kyi also raised concerns over election fraud, with particular fears about using religion for political purposes as the Buddhist-majority nation grapples with the increasing influence of radical nationalist monks.Scant progress had been made, she said, in two complaints filed with election authorities over cases in which political rivals started attacking the NLD during religious ceremonies.Nobody has been punished ... what you are asking, are we concerned about irregularities about fraud and so on and of course we are very concerned, she said.But she was clear the party, which is fielding over a thousand candidates across the country, would not step back from the elections.The constitution excludes those with foreign spouses and children from top political office - Suu Kyis two sons are British - as well as enshrining the militarys continued political clout by reserving a quarter of parliamentary seats for them.Earlier this month President Thein Sein, a former general, launched a dramatic internal putsch of the ruling party using security forces, ousting rival Shwe Mann from the party leadership.That came as a blow to the opposition leader, who has fostered a close working relationship with Shwe Mann.The former general, who remains parliament speaker, had been seen by some as a possible compromise presidential candidate for the NLD.We are supposed to be going along the path of democratization but events over the last couple of weeks show that we are not very far along that path yet, said Suu Kyi of the incident, citing the use of security forces - a throwback to junta days.Observers fear that the NLDs lack of an obvious heir to Suu Kyi will stoke political uncertainty, particularly in the months after the November 8 legislative elections when parliament will select a president.Suu Kyi, who turned 70 this year, confirmed to AFP that the NLD would reveal its presidential candidate only after the polls.But she said the nominee would come from within the party ranks.

Kyrgios hit with suspended ban and fine Posted: PONTE VEDRA BEACH (Agencies) - Australian Nick Kyrgios has been given a suspended 28-day ban and $25,000 fine for the vulgar comments he directed towards Stan Wawrinka at the Rogers Cup earlier this month.The ATP said the 20-year-old had been found guilty of aggravated behaviour during the second round match in Montreal, when Kyrgioss comments about Wawrinkas alleged girlfriend were picked up by on-court microphones.The fine and suspension are withheld on the condition that over the next six-month period the player does not incur any fines for verbal or physical abuse at any ATP sanctioned tournament; or does not accumulate fines totalling more than $5,000 for any other offences at ATP-sanctioned tournaments, the governing body of mens tennis said in a statement.Kyrgios had already been fined the on-site maximum of $10,000 for the offence and a further $2,500 for comments directed at a ball person.This incident was egregious and reflected poorly on our sport, Gayle David Bradshaw, Executive Vice President, Rules & Competition, said in a statementNick has expressed regret, and the best result would be that he learns a lesson from this incident and that he understands he is responsible to the Tour and to fellow players for both his actions and his words.It is with these factors in mind I feel he should have the opportunity to earn his way out of additional sanctions.Kyrgios subsequently published an apology for the comments but last week Wawrinka said he had received no apology from the combustible Australian.Should Kyrgios adhere to the conditions until the February 24, 2016 deadline, the penalties will be dismissed.The 37th-ranked Kyrgios is well known for on and off-court outbursts and was booed by the crowd at this years Wimbledon for appearing to give up in a match against Richard Gasquet.

Gunman kills four in French travellers' camp Posted: PARIS (Agencies) - A shooting in northern France’s Roye has left four people dead and three seriously injured, including two policemen. The gunfire took place in a Roma camp. The circumstances of the deadly assault are yet to be established.The shooting took place at 4:30 pm on Tuesday at a Roma camp in France’s Roye commune, the prefecture reports. Three people were shot dead on the spot – a man, a woman and a baby, who local media say was six months old. Four people were severely injured, including another child, the gunman himself and two policemen.Police were quick to respond to reports of the shooting. Immediately upon arrival, they were met by gunfire.One of the injured policemen later died of his wounds, BFM TV reports. Bernard Cazeneuve, France’s Interior Minister, has immediately flown to Roye.The injured were all taken to the Amiens University Hospital by helicopter.The gunman was supposedly a resident of the camp. Alcohol may have triggered the unexpected outbreak of violence.“Once again the security forces have demonstrated their courage,” Bernard Cazeneuve was reported as saying by The Telegraph.Local authorities have gone to the site to clarify the case. The area is currently surrounded by armed police.The attack occurred on the territory right next to a police station. A great number of ambulances and helicopters have rushed to the scene, witnesses say.The motive of the shooting remains unclear. However, police sources told The Telegraph that this is a most likely criminal matter which is not connected to terrorism.

Libya calls for international air strikes against IS Posted: PARIS (AFP) - Libyas foreign minister on Tuesday renewed a call for the lifting of an arms embargo and for international air strikes to help tackle the Islamic State group which threatens to create a rear base in the country.The situation is extremely serious, Mohamed al-Dayri, foreign minister for Libyas internationally-recognised government based in Tobruk, told AFP on a visit to Paris.People are dying, are crucified, are disinterred from their graves, are burned alive. Libyans dont understand why the international community doesnt wake up to these dangers.Libya has two rival governments and has been torn apart since the international community helped oust its leader Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.One government, which Dayri is part of, controls most eastern regions after fleeing Tripoli in July 2014, driven out by a motley coalition of Islamists and militants.Dayri said the Islamic State (IS) group was present in the towns of Derna, Benghazi, Sirte and Sabratha.They have not yet seized oil fields, but we fear they might come to control several wells, he added.On Saturday, there was a call from their leaders in Iraq and Syria to reinforce their ranks in Libya. They want to make Libya a rear base.He said IS currently had limited means in Libya and had faced pushback from local populations working alongside other armed Islamist groups including Al-Qaeda, notably in Derna in June.After 2011, Libya was abandoned to its fate, said Dayri.He called for the United Nations to lift the arms embargo imposed in 2011.We are not talking about sophisticated military equipment, but we need the minimum to fight terrorism in an adequate manner, he said.We also hope for an (international) intervention as soon as possible because the danger is growing. But not troops on the ground. We are hoping for aerial support for the Libyan armed forces on the ground.The international community waited for Mosul to fall before intervening in Iraq. We dont want to see Tripoli or Misrata fall, he said.

Deadly clashes erupt at Chad gold mine: residents Posted: NDJAMENA (AFP) - Some 10 people have been killed in clashes near a gold mine in northern Chad as rival tribes flock to the area in search of riches, local residents told AFP Tuesday.The deadly fighting, near a gold mine in Miski, in the countrys far-northern Tibesti region, broke out Monday night between members of the local Toubou tribe and gold prospectors from the Zaghawa community, who had come from further afield, according to residents who spoke on condition of anonymity.Officials in the capital NDjamena were unable to confirm the toll on Tuesday.Miners from all over Chad have flocked to the desert region of Tibesti in recent months in search of gold.At least seven people had been killed since the beginning of July in similar inter-communal clashes between the Toubou and illegal gold-panners from President Idriss Debys eastern Zaghawa tribe, according to the opposition website Tchadconvergence.

Zimbabwe's Mugabe booed in parliament over economic crisis Posted: HARARE (AFP) - Zimbabwes veteran President Robert Mugabe was booed and heckled by opposition lawmakers over the deteriorating economy as he gave his state of the nation address to parliament Tuesday.Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) lawmakers questioned his economic policies, jeering as the 91-year-old delivered a policy speech which lasted less than half an hour.He spoke as the UN confirmed earlier estimates that around 1.5 million Zimbabweans or 16 percent of the countrys population will face hunger later this year and need food aid.When Mugabe -- who has been in power since Zimbabwes independence from Britain in 1980 -- outlined his governments plan to improve the economy, one lawmaker yelled at him to admit that you cant do much about it.Mugabe presented a 10-point plan which included boosting agricultural growth, encouraging private sector investment and fighting graft.What about job creation? one opposition member shouted while another accused Mugabes government of corruption.Another parliamentarian shouted if wishes were horses while his other opposition legislator screamed you have utterly failed.The economy of the southern African nation has been on a downward spiral for more than a decade with slow growth, low liquidity and high unemployment.Many companies have closed, downsized or relocated to neighbouring countries.The government has cut its growth forecasts for 2015 to 1.5 percent, from 3.2 percent, mainly due to slow growth in the agricultural sector.Zimbabwes harvest of the staple corn has shrunk by half due to erratic rains and abnormally high temperatures.The country will need to import 700,000 tonnes of corn to feed those facing hunger in the coming months.Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa has already appealed for cash from development agencies and the private sector.The UNs World Food Programme on Monday said 16 percent of the population are projected to be food insecure at the peak of the 2015-16 lean season, the period following harvest when food is especially scarce.This represents a 164 percent increase in food insecurity compared to the previous season, said WFP in a note.Amidst the heckling, Mugabe -- not known for not brooking dissent -- continued unfazed and read his speech through to the end.His ZANU-PF lawmakers then burst into a song praising their leader while the opposition countered singing ZANU-PF is rotten.It is not the first time Mugabe has been jeered in parliament.In August 2008, MDC deputies roundly booed the president during a speech to show they did not recognise his legitimacy following a flawed presidential vote held earlier that year.

Caste protest hits Indian leader's home state Posted: AHMEDABAD (AFP) - At least half a million protesters paralysed the main city of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis home state on Tuesday to demand preferential treatment for their Patidar caste -- one of the states most affluent.The Patidars, or Patels, who make up around 12 percent of the population of western Gujarat state, say they are struggling to compete with less privileged castes for jobs and university places.Several incidents of violence and rioting were reported across Ahmedabad late Tuesday following the arrest of firebrand protest leader Hardik Patel, who was subsequently released on bail.Fire department officials told AFP at least four buses were torched by the mob.Violence has occurred at a number of places in Ahmedabad after Hardik Patels arest. Efforts are on to control the situation, additional commissioner of police Rajiv Ranjan Bhagat told media.India sets aside a proportion of government jobs and university places for Dalits, known as untouchables, and for so-called other backward castes under measures intended to bring victims of the worst discrimination into the mainstream.But the system of reserved categories has caused resentment among other castes including the Patidars, traditionally farmers and traders, who are now demanding the same privileges for themselves.People in the Patel community are not getting jobs even if they have degrees, said protest leader Patel.In education too, a student under reserved category with less grades gets admission, but a Patel does not get admission despite having secured higher grades.State authorities have already ruled out granting the Patidars request, but their campaign has gathered pace in recent weeks.Police commissioner Shivanand Jha said nearly 20,000 security personnel had been deployed in Ahmedabad for Tuesdays rally and roads within a two-kilometre radius of the venue were closed to traffic.Kantibhai Patel was among those who had travelled to Ahmedabad for the protest wearing a white cap printed with the words I am Patidar.Reservation is our right. If we do not get our right we will obtain it by force if necessary, he told AFP.

UN council to 'act immediately' if S. Sudan peace deal not signed Posted: UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - The UN Security Council on Tuesday piled pressure on South Sudans president, warning it was ready to act immediately if he does not sign a deal to end the 20-month war ripping apart the worlds youngest nation.President Salva Kiir is scheduled to sign the power-sharing agreement in Juba on Wednesday, alongside the leaders of Kenya, Uganda, Sudan and Ethiopia, but his spokesman said he had reservations.South Sudans rebel leader Riek Machar signed the agreement a week ago but Kiir had only initialled the text and said he would return to the table in early September.After meeting on the crisis in South Sudan, council members expressed their readiness to act immediately if President Kiir does not sign the agreement tomorrow as he has undertaken, said Nigerian Ambassador Joy Ogwu, who chairs the council this month.We will take immediate action if he does not sign, or if he signs with reservations, she said, without elaborating.The United States has presented a draft resolution that would impose an arms embargo and targeted sanctions on South Sudan if Kiir fails to sign the accord.Russia and China have expressed doubts about the draft text as have some African countries, in particular over sanctions that would target those deemed as blocking the peace accord.The United States has yet to submit a list of names of those who would be hit by an assets freeze and travel ban.Russia, a veto-wielding member of the council, said there would be no need to adopt the resolution if Kiir signs the deal.We dont need this resolution if the main purpose is achieved, said Russian Deputy UN Ambassador Petr Iliichev.A first stepThe latest in a string of peace deals, the agreement commits both sides to implementing a permanent ceasefire within 72 hours after signing.The deal gives rebels the post of first vice president, which means that Machar would likely return to the post he was sacked from in July 2013, six months before the war began.To address months of horrific violence, the agreement calls for a truth and reconciliation commission to be established and a war crimes court in collaboration with the African Union.The UN envoy to South Sudan, Ellen Margrethe Loej, told the council that a peace accord -- if signed on Wednesday -- was only a first step and that many hurdles lie ahead.Loej, who heads the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, said attention must turn to the inter-ethnic fighting, which in some states is just as violent as the struggle opposing the Kiir and Machar camps.South Sudan has been torn by fighting between forces loyal to Kiir and rebels allied with Machar since December 2013 and the violence has imploded along ethnic lines.Tens of thousands are estimated to have been killed, nearly 70 percent of the countrys population is facing food shortages and some 200,000 terrified civilians are sheltering in UN bases.The United Nations released a report detailing arms supplies from China to government forces along with shipments of Russian-made and Israeli-made weapons, possibly supplied through regional countries.Kiirs government had budgeted $850 million for arms contracts from January to July 2014, the report said, although the experts cautioned that the weaponry listed for purchase was not delivered.

Spain detects first case of mosquito-borne chikungunya virus Posted: MADRID (AFP) - Spain has detected its first domestic case of the painful mosquito-borne viral disease chikungunya in a 60-year-old man in the eastern province of Valencia, officials said Tuesday.The man was most likely infected in Gandia, a seaside Mediterranean resort, and was treated in hospital last month, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said in a statement.This is the first chikungunya case reported from Spain without travel history to endemic areas, the statement said, as all prior reported cases involved people who caught the virus while abroad.Chikungunya, more commonly found in Africa and Asia, is spread by two mosquito species, and is typically not fatal. But it can cause debilitating symptoms including fever, headache and severe joint pain lasting months.The word chikungunya, from the East African Kimakonde language, translates loosely as contorted or hunched over from pain.Last year there were 266 recorded cases of chikungunya in Spain, all imported, according to the National Epidemiology Centre, a unit of the health ministry.The first case of domestic transmission of the disease in Europe happened in Italy in 2007.

Assad 'confident' of Russian support for Syria regime Posted: BEIRUT (AFP) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad expressed strong confidence Tuesday that Russia will continue supporting his embattled regime, speaking in an interview with Hezbollahs Al-Manar television network.Assad also described as legitimate the presence in Syria of fighters from Hezbollah backing his forces.The powerful Lebanese Shiite movement, along with Russia and Iran, have been Assads major allies since Syrias revolt broke out in 2011.We have strong confidence in the Russians, as they have proven throughout this crisis, for four years, that they are sincere and transparent in their relationship with us, Assad said.His rare television interview came as Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the Syrian crisis with Jordans King Abdullah II on the sidelines of the Maks-2015 aerospace show in Moscow.Assad described Russia as principled, while the United States abandons its allies, abandons its friends.He added: This was never the case with Russias policy, neither during the Soviet Union, nor during the time of Russia... Russia has never said that it supported President Such and Such and then decided to abandon him.Assad had been asked by Al-Manars correspondent about US President Barack Obamas comments earlier this month that Russia and Iran recognise that the trend lines are not good for Assad.He rebuffed the statement, saying Iran, too, remained a steadfast ally.He said the recent nuclear deal between Iran and world powers would strengthen Irans role internationally, in turn benefiting Syria.The power of Iran is the power of Syria, and a victory for Syria is a victory for Iran.The president added: We are on the same axis, the axis of resistance.- Syrian state is legitimate –Officials in Washington and other western nations have long called for Assads ouster, insisting he could not play a role in a political solution to Syrias crisis.Turning to the question of Hezbollah, he said the difference (between Hezbollah and foreign anti-regime fighters) is legitimacy. Who invited Hezbollah to Syria, Assad asked.It came after an agreement with the Syrian state, and the Syrian state is a legitimate state, whereas the other terrorist forces came to kill the Syrian people.Syrias conflict began with anti-government demonstrations in March 2011.But after a bloody crackdown by the ruling regime, it spiralled into a multi-front civil war that has left more than 240,000 people dead.Several international efforts to bring about a political solution to the crisis have failed.Most recently, UN envoy to the Syrian crisis Staffan de Mistura launched a series of consultations in a step to rekindle talks between the regime and political opposition.But Assad accused de Mistura of making biased statements, likely referring to the envoys condemnation of regime bombardment near Damascus that killed over 100 civilians on August 16.De Misturas plan, set to begin in September, aims to set up four working groups to address safety and protection, counterterrorism, political and legal issues, and construction.The plan received support from a UN Security Council presidential statement last week.On Tuesday, Assad said any initiative must be based on fighting terrorism.Any initiative that does not have combatting terrorism as a priority has no value, Assad said.Throughout the four-year war, Syrias regime has used the term terrorist to refer to peaceful activists, rebels, and jihadists alike.

Turkey ready for anti-IS strikes: Pentagon Posted: WASHINGTON (AFP) - Turkey is now ready to fully participate in coalition strikes against the Islamic State group and may do so within days, the Pentagon said Tuesday.Department of Defense spokesman Peter Cook also said Washington has no indication the Turkish government had tipped off an Al-Qaeda affiliate group to help them go after US-trained Syrian rebels, as alleged in one report citing rebel figures.The agreement with Turkey will incorporate Turkish planes into the air tasking order -- or ATO -- to ensure Turkish operations do not interfere with the operations of the coalition of countries targeting the IS group.US and Turkey have finalized technical details for Turkeys full inclusion in counter ISIL coalition operations. This includes full integration into the coalition air tasking order, Cook said.It could take a few days these technical arrangements into place at the operational level. We believe that Turkey is committed to fully participating as soon as possible.Last week, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter expressed impatience with the pace of discussions with Ankara on its participation in the campaign.They need to join the ATO and they need to work more on controlling their border. And weve made that clear, he told reporters.Last month, Turkey had made a preliminary step toward joining the counter-offensive by allowing US planes to use Incirlik Air Base to attack IS positions in Syria.But its participation in the anti-extremist fight remains limited and its attention seems focused on fighting the Kurdish separatists of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).Cook said Tuesday that talks on controlling Turkeys long border with Syria were still in progress.Our cooperation with Turks and expansion of that cooperation remains a work in progress at this point, he said, noting that we havent mentioned or discussed a safe zone in which IS fighters could be swept from a strip along the Turkish-Syrian border.Cook also rejected reports from US newspaper group McClatchy that alleged Turkish intelligence tipped off the Al-Nusra Front, Al-Qaedas Syrian affiliate, earlier this summer to help them capture or kill Syrian rebels trained by the United States.

Girl suicide bomber kills 5, injures 41 in northeast Nigeria Posted: DAMATURU (AP) - Two suicide bombers carried out separate attacks Tuesday that killed five people in Damaturu, a town in northeastern Nigeria, police and witnesses said.In one attack, a girl bomber died in an explosion that killed five people at the crowded entrance to the main bus station, said Assistant Superintendent Toyin Gbagedesin. Witnesses said a young male suicide bomber killed only himself when his device exploded prematurely.Gbagedesin said 41 people were wounded in the bus station explosion. The bomber appeared to be about 14 years old.Nigerias Islamic extremist group, Boko Haram, is suspected of being behind the attacks. It has used dozens of girls and women in recent suicide bombings in Nigeria and neighboring Chad, Cameroon and Niger, raising fears it is using kidnap victims.More than 1,000 people have been killed since President Muhammadu Buhari was elected in March with a pledge to annihilate the militants, whose 6-year-old uprising has killed a total of about 20,000 people. Nearly 2 million have been driven from their homes, some across borders.Earlier this year, troops from Chad and Nigeria drove the extremists out of some 25 towns held for months in what they had declared an Islamic caliphate. The insurgents have returned to hit-and-run tactics and suicide bombings.In one bold attack last week, the extremists ambushed the lead vehicle in a convoy carrying Nigerias new chief of army staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai. One soldier was killed and two wounded in a firefight in which the troops killed five attackers and arrested five.Defense chiefs have finalized details to deploy a regional army of 8,750 troops from five countries against Boko Haram, Nigerias Defense Ministry reported Tuesday following a meeting of commanders in NDjamena, the Chadian capital and headquarters of the multinational force.

Former Guatemalan dictator to face genocide retrial Posted: GUATEMALA CITY (AFP) - A Guatemalan court ruled Tuesday that former dictator Efrain Rios Montt must face retrial for genocide during the countrys civil war, but ordered it take place behind closed doors because he has dementia.The 89-year-old former general, who ruled the Central American country from 1982 to 1983, will go back to court on January 11 next year, accused of ordering the army to massacre more than 1,700 Ixil Maya indigenous people.He was sentenced to 80 years in prison at an initial trial in 2013 -- the first former head of state in the world to be tried for genocide in a domestic court.But the Constitutional Court threw out his conviction on procedural grounds and ordered a retrial.After defense lawyers argued that Rios Montt was no longer mentally fit to stand trial, the court sent him to a psychiatric facility for testing earlier this month.The psychiatric experts all agreed the accused suffers mental illness, Judge Jaime Gonzalez said Friday.He concluded that the incapacity of the accused to appear in public court has been demonstrated, and ruled the trial must be held behind closed doors, with no journalists present.Under the ruling, Rios Montt, who suffers from a series of health problems, will not be in court, either. He will be represented by two attorneys.Doctors told the court last week that the former general alternates between moments of lucidity and dementia.Rios Montt and his military intelligence chief, Jose Rodriguez, are charged with orchestrating a scorched-earth campaign in Ixil Maya areas as the government sought to stamp out rural support for leftist guerrilla groups at the height of Guatemalas 1960 to 1996 civil war.Rodriguez will be tried separately in open court, the judge ruled.Defense lawyers vowed to keep fighting Rios Montts trial on grounds of failing health.Victims relatives meanwhile cheered the decision.He waged a genocide against our people. Many people died. They burned our houses and our animals. It cant go unpunished, said Maria Cedillo, a 49-year-old woman from the town of Santa Maria Nebaj who was wearing the colorful clothing traditional among the Ixil Maya.I want him to pay for what he did.

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