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Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

12 dead after two trains derail in India

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NEW DELHI (AFP) - Twelve people have been killed after two packed trains derailed while crossing a bridge hit by floods in central India overnight Wednesday, authorities said, highlighting again safety problems with the nations crumbling railway network.Rescuers have been searching in darkness for passengers feared trapped on the trains that were travelling in opposite directions when some of their carriages derailed in Madhya Pradesh state, the officials said. West Central Railway spokesman Piyush Mathur said several hundred people have been rescued after the trains derailed within minutes of each other near the town of Harda at about 11.30 pm on Tuesday. There are 12 casualties, Mathur told the CNN-IBN network, adding that the death toll could rise.Another 25 people have been injured, a second official said, adding that the carriages have not fallen into the river.One of the trains travelling from the financial city of Mumbai appeared to have been hit by a sudden surge of water on the swollen Machak river, derailing the last four to five carriages, railway ministry spokesman Anil Saxena said. The other passenger train, travelling to Mumbai from the eastern city of Patna, was also hit by water, with the engine and the first two to three carriages derailing, he said. There is some suggestion of flash floods on the tracks that caved the tracks. Most of the coaches had passed but the last few carriages were derailed, Saxena told the network of the first train.Monsoon rains have hit large swathes of the country in recent weeks, flooding rivers and roads and claiming some 180 lives in mainly western and eastern India.Police and doctors have been deployed to the accident site, with television footage showing medical supplies being piled on a nearby station platform and rescuers combing through tilted carriages. Rescue operations are in full swing. Things are under control and most of the people have been rescued, Saxena told the NDTV network. But rescuers said operations were being hampered by flooding in the area and officers were working through the night mostly in darkness. The entire area has been reeling under heavy rainfall for the last few days. The roads are badly damaged, even the access road, Saxena said.Rushing emergency medical and other relief personnel to spot, darkness, water creating hurdles but ordered all possible help. Trying our best, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said on Twitter.Indias railway network, one of the worlds largest, is still the main form of long-distance travel in the vast country, but it is poorly funded and deadly accidents are frequent.In 2012, a government report said almost 15,000 people were killed every year on Indias railways, describing the deaths as an annual massacre due mainly to poor safety standards.Indias government has pledged to invest $137 billion to modernise its crumbling railways, making them safer, faster and more efficient.

Swimming: Records tumble as Australia strike double gold

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KAZAN (AFP) - Katie Ledecky of the USA wrote swimming history again as three records fell while Australia won backstroke double gold.Ledecky underlined her status as the star of the Kazan pool by demolishing her own 1500m freestyle record in Tuesdays final, then qualified for Wednesdays 200m freestyle final less than 30 minutes later.She may have only just graduated from High School in Maryland, but Ledecky broke a world record for the ninth time in two years when she shaved 2.23 seconds off her 1500m personal best to clock 15 minutes, 25.48secs.Today was a really tough day for me, I knew I was going to have this double and I was prepared for it, she said having already broken the 1500m record in Monday mornings heats.It hurt a lot, but I got the job done and it feels really, really good right now.Ledeckys exploits came after South Africas Cameron van der Burgh had broken the mens 50m breaststroke record in the mornings heats, only to see Britains Adam Peaty swim a new record of 26.42secs in the evenings semi.It promises to be another breaststroke battle royal between the pair in Wednesdays 50m final as Van der Burgh swam 26.74secs in his semi.Its going to be a good final between me and Cam as always. Well put on a good show, I think, promised Peaty, who beat the South African on the wall in Mondays 100m final.The biggest surprise of the night was James Guys stunning win in the 200m freestyle final as the Briton beat Chinas Sun Yang at the wall as the 19-year-old left some big names in his wake.He was just 0.06secs ahead of Chinas long-distance expert Sun who had to settle for silver while Germanys world record-holder Paul Biedermann took bronze at 0.24secs.Ryan Lochte of the USA, who had led early on, was fourth at 0.69secs back.I never thought Id race Ryan Lochte head-to-head like that, he is one of my heroes, grinned Guy, who is making his world championship debut in Kazan.Being world champion hasnt sunk in quite yet, I am so happy.The teenager adds gold to the silver he won on Sunday in the mens 400m freestyle final when Sun retained his world title from Barcelona two years ago.Sun can claim his second gold in Kazan when he looks to retain his 800m freestyle title in Wednesdays final.Australia struck double gold as Mitchell Larkin and Emily Seebohm won the mens and womens 100m backstroke finals within minutes of each other.Larkin, 22, claimed his first world title while Seebohm bounced back from dislocating her knee in a riding accident in May to win her first individual world title.Larkin touched the wall at 52.40secs with Frances Camille Lacourt taking silver at 0.08secs back and Olympic champion Matt Grevers earned bronze at 0.26secs.Seebohm, who also won a relay gold on Sunday, timed 58.26secs with team-mate Madison Wilson taking silver at 0.49secs and the 23-year-old was in tears during the medal ceremony when the Australian anthem was played.Yuliya Efimova then won hosts Russias first swimming gold, just five months after completing a 16-month ban for taking steroids.Efimova clocked one minute, 05.66 secs leaving Olympic champion Ruta Meilutyte of Lithuania, who had led at the halfway stage, to settle for silver at 0.70secs back with Jamaicas Alia Atkinson earning bronze at 0.76.Meilutyte, 18, did not attend the post-final press conference, as she went to be drugs tested, and none of the six questions posed to Efimova in Russian were about her ban.Hungarys Laszlo Cseh is on course to win his first worlds gold medal for a decade as the fastest qualifier into the mens 200m butterfly final on Wednesday in 1:53.53.But the world and Olympic champion Chad le Clos of South Africa is right behind him at 0.97 secs back in what promises to be a fascinating duel.World records have now fallen on seven occasions in Kazan.Swedens Sarah Sjostrom broke the womens 100m butterfly record twice en route to winning gold in Mondays final in 55.64secs.Hungarys Iron Lady, Katinka Hosszu, set a new record of two mins 06.12 secs when she won gold in the 200m individual medley final, also on Monday, before the exploits of Van der Burgh, Peaty and Ledecky.

Football: Bale scores as Real Madrid meet Bayern in Audi Cup final

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MUNICH (AFP) - Gareth Bale scored against former club Tottenham Hotspur as Real Madrid won 2-0 on Tuesday to set up a final against Bayern Munich in the pre-season Audi Cup friendly tournament in Germany.The Wales international was playing against Spurs for the first time since his GBP 85.3m world record transfer to Madrid in September 2013.The 26-year-old found the net on 79 minutes after James Rodriguez headed home the opener after 36 minutes at Munichs Allianz Arena.Last years tournament winners Bayern Munich later dominated AC Milan 3-0 to join the Spaniards in Wednesdays final.It will be the first meeting between the two teams since April 2014 when the Spaniards ran riot in a 4-0 Champions League semi-final second leg win en route to their record tenth European Cup triumph.The win boosted Pep Guardiolas Bayern side three days after their German Super Cup loss on penalities to Wolfsburg, the only title the Spaniard has failed to win since his arrival in Bavaria.Juan Bernat opened the scoring after 24 minutes for the hosts with the help of a Cristian Zapata deflection, but it was new signing Douglas Costa who was the man of the match until his substitution at the break.The Brazilian midfielder has had a good pre-season since his arrival from Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk last month and he was inspirational in combination with Mario Gotze and fellow new signing Arturo Vidal.Chilean Vidal -- who arrived from Italian champions Juventus last week -- almost scored twice with two thumping headers - the first hitting the crossbar on 36 minutes with the second just missing the target seven minutes later.Despite dominating, Bayern had to wait until the 74th minute to get a second with Gotze scoring as Robert Lewandowski completed the scoreline five minutes from time with a powerful shot that left Diego Lopez with no chance in the Milan goal.Overrun by the Bundesliga champions, AC Milan will look to save face against Tottenham in the third-place play-off, also on Wednesday.

Boxing: Unbeaten Mayweather names Berto as September foe

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LAS VEGAS, Aug 4, 2015 (AFP) - Unbeaten welterweight world champion Floyd Mayweather will try to match the iconic 49-0 career record of Rocky Marciano against fellow American Andre Berto on September 12, promoters announced Tuesday.In what Mayweather claims might be his final fight, and what is the last bout on his rich six-fight Showtime television deal, the reigning World Boxing Association and World Boxing Council champion will risk his crowns against a two-time world champion who has lost three of his past six fights.Im ready to get back in the ring on September 12 and prove again to the whole world why Im The Best Ever, Mayweather said. I always bring my A-game and this fight against Andre Berto is no exception. Hes a young, strong fighter who is hungry to take down the best -- 48 have tried before and on September 12, Im going to make it 49.Berto, 30-3 with 23 knockouts, intends to flip the script on Mayweather, whose 48-0 record includes 26 knockouts.Im coming to kick Floyds ass, Berto said. Best believe I plan to bring it to Floyd and Im not concerned about what 48 other fighters have been unable to do. Somebody is getting knocked out and it wont be me.In making the fight, Mayweather snubbed Britains Amir Khan, 31-3 with 19 knockouts. The Bolton battler has won his past five fights.Mayweather comes in off his unanimous decision victory over Filipino icon Manny Pacquiao last May and with a goal to equal the 49-0 of the late heavyweight champion Marciano, who retired in 1956 with one of boxings most hallowed marks.Mayweather, 38, has won 12 world titles over five weight divisions. He has defeated 22 world champions in his career and has been the worlds highest-paid athlete under the TV deal he signed in 2013.Berto, 31, was a 2004 Haitian Olympian. He won the WBC welterweight crown in 2008 and defended it five times before losing it in 2011 to American Victor Ortiz, only to claim the International Boxing Federational version of the crown later the same year by stopping Slovenian Jan Zaveck.But Berto lost his next two fights, to American Robert Guerrero by unanimous decision and Mexicos Jesus Soto by 12th round knockout.

Football: Ajax dumped out of Champions League, Monaco through

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PARIS (AFP) - Four-time European champions Ajax have been eliminated at the third qualifying round stage of the Champions League after a humiliating 3-2 second-leg defeat to Rapid Vienna on Tuesday as Monaco advanced with a 4-0 win over Swiss side Young Boys.After a 2-2 first-leg draw in the Austrian capital last week, Ajax were strong favourites to progress to the play-off round, but they suffered a torturous night at the Amsterdam Arena.Frank de Boers men let a two-goal lead slip at the Ersnt-Happel Stadion last week and the visitors -- seemingly buoyed by that comeback -- started where they left off last week.Slovenian international Robert Beric -- the scorer of Rapids equaliser in the first leg -- tormented Ajax again as he put the Austrian side in front after 12 minutes before Louis Schaub doubled their lead before half-time.Ajax, who had reached the group stages in each of the last four seasons, hauled themselves back into the match and levelled the aggregate scores at 4-4 thanks to goals by Polish international Arkadiusz Milik and Serbian midfielder Nemanja Gudelj.But just as the tie seemed set for extra time, Rapid Vienna -- who last reached the Champions League group stages in the 2005/06 season -- struck a decisive blow after 77 minutes via Schaubs second goal of the night.Rapid progress to the play-off round after a 5-4 aggregate victory.Monaco took controlLast seasons quarter-finalists Monaco are into the play-off round after a thumping 4-0 second-leg win over Swiss side Young Boys.The Ligue 1 side -- who reached the 2004 final where they were beaten by Portuguese giants Porto -- were already 3-1 up from last weeks first leg in Bern and finished the job handsomely at the Stade Louis II thanks to a blistering second-half display.I liked our performance. We managed to put our game plan into practice - to contain the opposition at first, then counter-attack after we scored the first goal, said Monaco boss Leonardo Jardim.We took control of the game. The first half was very good from a strategic perspective. Our goal was to not concede before half-time and force our opponent to attack. Thats exactly what happened.Young Boys, who were semi-finalists of the European Cup back in 1958/59, retained some hope of getting back into the tie with the second leg goalless at half-time.But Monaco -- third in Ligue 1 last season -- struck four times in 23 devastating second-half minutes to inflict a crushing 7-1 aggregate defeat on the Swiss capital club.Ivan Cavaleiro -- a big-money summer arrival from Portuguese champions Benfica -- curled in a superb opener after 54 minutes before further goals from Layvin Kurzawa, Anthony Martial and another new signing Stephan El Shaarawy saw Monaco run riot.Meanwhile, Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb survived a thrilling comeback by Norwegian side Molde to progress on away goals after a 3-3 second-leg draw.With the tie level after a 1-1 draw in Zagreb last week, the visitors looked to be out of sight after scoring three goals in the opening 22 minutes at the Molde Stadion.The Norwegian champions -- who missed two penalties and had Vegard Forren sent off -- hit back with three second-half goals to leave Zagreb hanging on, but the hosts couldnt get the fourth goal that would have put them through at the visitors expense.Cyriot champions APOEL remain on course for a second successive appearance in the group stages despite a 1-0 second-leg loss to Danish champions FC Midtjylland in scorching heat in Nicosia.In temperatures of 35 degrees celsius, the Cypriots -- who played for an hour with ten men after Vinicius straight red card -- were beaten by Erik Sviatchenkos early goal but progressed on away goals after a 2-1 first-leg success last week.

Martial Arts: Rousey eyes global superstardom

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LOS ANGELES (AFP) - From Hollywood to hamburgers, Ronda Rouseys cage-fighting exploits are propelling the ferocious former Olympic judoka further towards global superstardom.The 28-year-old martial artist from California completed the latest in a series of devastating knockouts on Saturday, demolishing Brazilian opponent Bethe Correia in just 34 seconds in Rio de Janeiro.The quickfire defeat cemented Rouseys reputation as arguably the most exciting fighter in any combat sport -- she has taken a total of just one minute, four seconds to dispatch her last three opponents.Its the sort of record which has helped build a buzz around Rousey and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) that has been compared to the rise of Mike Tyson in heavyweight boxing during the 1980s.She has that killer aura, meaning anything is capable of happening, Tyson said during a recent visit to watch a Rousey workout at her base in Los Angeles.Rousey was already a household name in the United States before her latest win. Two more significant deals announced in the aftermath of victory this week will raise her profile even further.On Monday, Paramount Pictures confirmed they had secured the rights to Rouseys bestselling autobiography My Fight/Your Fight, the story of the fighters remarkable rise through the ranks.Unusually, Rousey will play herself in the Hollywood adaptation. She has already demonstrated a flair for the big-screen, appearing in the recent action movies The Expendables 3, Furious 7 and the comedy film Entourage.On Tuesday, Rousey was named by US burger chain Carls Jr as the face of its latest campaign, following in the footsteps of the likes of Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian, Heidi Klum and Kate Upton.Aside from a variety of other factors, (Ronda) was chosen because she is loved and respected so much by both men and women, a spokesperson from Carls Jr said.Compelling life storyWhile its Rouseys fearless performances inside the UFC octagon that have won her fame and fortune, her back story is, in its own way, just as compelling.After a childhood upturned by family tragedy -- her father committed suicide when she was eight -- she set about emulating her mother, the first American woman to win a judo world title, as a champion judoka.Rousey took up the sport at 11 and at the age of just 17 qualified for the 2004 Athens Olympics. Four years later, she won a bronze medal in Beijing.She was working in a bar when she saw the UFC for the first time and decided it was something she could thrive in.UFC chief Dana White had initially said women would never take part in the sport but was ultimately persuaded by Rousey.She absolutely brings in a different audience, White said in a recent interview.She brings in an audience of people who dont normally buy every fight. And she brings in a lot of women.For now, however, the biggest challenge might be finding an opponent capable of giving Rousey a match.Many hope to see Rousey face another Brazilian, Cris Cyborg Justino.The South American, however, would have to come down in weight to face the American, usually fighting at the featherweight limit of 145 pounds rather than Rouseys bantamweight 135 pounds.Rousey, who has ruled out a bout at a compromise weight of 140 pounds, appeared to be goading Justino into accepting a challenge, referencing the Brazilians recent drug ban for testing positive for steroids.I fight in the UFC, in the 135-pound division, Rousey told ESPN following her latest win.(Justino) can fight at 145 pumped full of steroids or she can make the weight just like everybody else without them.

Football: Uneven Man United look for winning balance

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LONDON (AFP) - After returning to the Premier Leagues top four, Manchester United have once again recruited extensively, but there are concerns about the balance of their squad ahead of the new season.Manager Louis van Gaal has spent around GBP 77 million ($120 million, 110 million euros), notably bolstering his midfield with the additions of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin, to take his spending since succeeding David Moyes last year to around GBP 230 million.With Robin van Persie and Radamel Falcao having left and Javier Hernandez out of favour, it leaves Wayne Rooney shouldering a heavy burden up front, but former captain Bryan Robson believes the midfield reinforcements can provide the platform for a first sustained title assault since Alex Fergusons departure in 2013.The manager has built the midfield area to a point where we look strong enough to dictate the tempo of games, said Robson, now a club ambassador.Schweinsteiger and Schneiderlin look really good signings. They are going to be the powerhouse of Uniteds midfield and that should hold us in good stead over the season.United fans raised on the all-action displays of players like Robson and Roy Keane have long lamented the lack of oomph in the teams midfield, but if anything, the club now have too many midfielders on their hands.United, who finished fourth last season, deployed a 4-2-3-1 formation in pre-season, but van Gaal has pledged to revert to the 4-3-3 system that belatedly brought the team success in the latter part of the 2014-15 campaign.It means that Schweinsteiger, Schneiderlin, Michael Carrick, Ander Herrera and Marouane Fellaini (who is suspended for the first three league games) will be competing for only three starting berths.With the exciting Memphis Depay, a GBP 25 million acquisition from PSV Eindhoven, expected to start on one flank, Ashley Young, Juan Mata, Antonio Valencia and Adnan Januzaj -- and potentially reported target Pedro Rodriguez -- must vie for a place on the other side of the pitch.De Gea stalemateA new GBP 750 million kit deal with Adidas having taken effect on August 1, money is now even less of an object for Englishs long-time richest club, hence the hit they were willing to take in offloading Angel di Maria just a year after his record GBP 59.7 million arrival from Real Madrid.The Argentines departure is part of a streamlining process that has also seen Nani, Tom Cleverley and Rafael da Silva pass through the exit door.Irked by Uniteds gruelling travelling arrangements on their 2014 tour of the United States, van Gaal took a firm grip on this years trip Stateside, keeping journeys to a strict minimum.A pair of training camps allowed him to drill his players on the teams shape and make adjustments in defence, with Daley Blind moved to centre-back, Luke Shaw given a run at left-back and Matteo Darmian, recruited from Torino, introduced to the team at right-back.But with United having failed in their attempts to lure Sergio Ramos from Real Madrid, former centre-back Rio Ferdinand believes the defence remains an area of concern.I dont think (van Gaal) knows his best defence -- thats a problem in itself, said Ferdinand, who wants his former club to sign Evertons England defender John Stones.With Ramoss arrival having been established as a pre-condition for David de Gea to move in the opposite direction, Uniteds goalkeeper has been left in a position that Van Gaal acknowledges is not favourable.The clubs Player of the Year in 2014-15, De Gea is set to start the new campaign between the posts, but Argentinas Sergio Romero has been drafted in to provide back-up, further marginalising Victor Valdes.United begin the season at home to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday and with a Champions League play-off tie following soon after, they can ill afford a repeat of the sluggish start they made a year ago.

Football: New boys Bournemouth enjoy rags-to-riches rise

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LONDON (AFP) - Just seven years after coming within hours of going out of business, Bournemouth will complete a remarkable rags-to-riches rise when they kick off their first Premier League campaign this weekend.For decades, genteel Bournemouth was known primarily as one of the most popular retirement spots on Englands south coast and the lethargic efforts of the local football team were in keeping with that sedentary image.The malaise was so profound that Bournemouth came close to going into liquidation on three occasions in 2008 as the club languished in obscurity near the bottom of English footballs fourth tier.But like the area itself, whose tourist board now boasts of a vibrant, cosmopolitan town with a buzzing nightlife, Bournemouth underwent a face-lift thanks to the inspired management of Eddie Howe and the subsequent investment of Russian benefactor Maxim Demin, whose petrochemical fortune has bankrolled the club since 2011.With a stadium seating only 11,700, the Cherries are by far the smallest team in the top tier, making Aston Villas arrival on Saturday for the first top-flight fixture in the clubs 116-year history all the more extraordinary.However, the highly regarded Howe, who secured Bournemouths promotion to the second tier in 2013 and then led them into the Premier League as surprise Championship winners in May, has no intention of resting on his laurels and has spent the close season analysing how clubs of similar stature have fared in their first seasons.That research showed the 37-year-old that Barnsley, Blackpool and Swindon Town, all relegated after one season, reached the Premier League playing an attacking style that was brutally exposed against higher quality opposition.With that in mind, Howe has been trying to follow the example set by Swansea City, whose swashbuckling promotion in 2011 was followed by a subtle switch to more cautious tactics and careful transfer dealings that have allowed the club to punch above their weight.Romantics We have analysed a lot of the clubs that have got promoted and what they have done and how they have gone about their work, Howe said.I would say we are more related to Swansea than anyone else with the style of our football. There are similarities between the two clubs, especially with their history and ours. And hopefully we can emulate what they have done.While Bournemouths progress has delighted football romantics, Watfords return to the top flight for the first time since 2007 has had a savvier edge to it.In an era when overseas investors are desperate to buy English clubs so as to cash in on the Premier Leagues lucrative television deals, Watford have benefited from their takeover by the Pozzo family.The astute Italians had already shown with Udinese in Italy and Granada in Spain that they have a successful blueprint for turning unglamourous teams into top-tier mainstays and Watford are the latest club to reap the rewards.Watfords success was not without casualties, however, as the Pozzos went through four managers last term, then parted company with Slavisa Jokanovic in the close season to make way for former Valencia and Atletico Madrid coach Quique Sanchez Flores.It is special to come into the Premier League, I know that. I feel a passion for my work and I want that to transmit to the fans and players, Flores said when asked how he would avoid the same fate as his predecessors.Preparing to embark on their eighth Premier League season after going up via the play-offs, Norwich City are the most familiar of the three promoted clubs.Their Scottish manager Alex Neil will be a name to follow, the fiery 34-year-old having earned comparisons with Manchester United legend Alex Ferguson.Neil made his name north of the border with Hamilton Academical before leading Norwich into the Premier League just five months after taking charge.

Syrian FM in Iran for talks with allies

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TEHRAN (AFP) - Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem arrived in Iran Tuesday to meet his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif to discuss the situation in the region, the official IRNA news agency reported.His visit comes with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, President Vladimir Putins special Middle East representative, also in Tehran.IRNA said Bogdanov and Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian discussed the situation in Syria and the region.Iran and Russia are the two main allies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assads regime. Tehran backs him both financially and militarily by sending military advisers.Iranian media reported that a tripartite meeting between Zarif, Bogdanov and Muallem will also take place to discuss the conflict in Syria.On Sunday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the Islamic republics nuclear agreement with world powers would create better prospects for solutions in Syria and Yemen, two of the Middle Easts worst conflict zones.The final solution in Yemen is political, in Syria the final solution is political, Rouhani said on state television.The agreement will create a new atmosphere. The climate will be easier.Ali Akbar Velayati, international affairs adviser to supreme leader Ali Khamenei, told a visiting Serbian minister Tuesday that Tehran would continue to support its regional allies.IRNA quoted him as naming the legal governments in Iraq or Syria or the Islamic resistance in Lebanon, a reference to the Shiite Hezbollah group.Velayati also criticised the United States and some reactionaries in the region, like the Saudis, who want to interfere more in the region.The Americans train terrorists in Syrias neighbours and then support them when they kill only innocent people, he said.

UN chief seeks urgent funding for Palestinian refugees

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UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday raised alarm over a $100 million shortfall in funding for the UN aid agency for Palestinian refugees and called for urgent donations.Ban said in a statement that the UNRWA relief agency was a pillar of stability for five million Palestinian refugees at a time when the Middle East is in the throes of crises and suffering.He called on all donors to urgently ensure that the $100 million required be contributed to UNRWA at the earliest possible date so that the children of Palestine can begin their 2015-2016 school year without delay.Ban has personally spoken to several world leaders in the past weeks about the unprecedented funding crisis at UNRWA, his spokesman said.The United Nations has been struggling to keep several humanitarian efforts afloat in the Middle East -- in Syria, Yemen and also Iraq -- where donors are under pressure to boost contributions.The war in Syria, now in its fifth year, has driven more than four million people to flee across the border to neighbouring countries, in what the UN refugee agency UNHCR has described as the single largest exodus in a generation.

Syria army plane crash toll rises to 37: monitor

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BEIRUT (AFP) - A Syrian military aircraft that crashed during a bombing run over rebel-held territory killed at least 37 people and injured more than 60, a monitor said on Tuesday.The victims died when the plane crashed on Monday in the town of Ariha in Idlib province, and in preceding air strikes, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which originally said 31 were killed.There are three children among the 37 victims, the Britain-based monitor said.The crash and explosion destroyed the main market in Ariha, which was overrun by a rebel Islamist alliance in May.Local activist Ibrahim al-Idlibi, speaking to AFP via the Internet, said the blast was caused by rockets and bombs still on the plane.It destroyed the entire market, as well as residential buildings near the market, he said.The Damascus regime has relied heavily on its monopoly of air power in Syrias four-year-long civil war, repeatedly pounding rebel-held towns.It has lost a number of aircraft, some to rebel fire and others to mechanical failure.In mid-January, at least 35 government troops were killed when a military aircraft crashed in Idlib.The province, which borders Turkey, has since been largely overrun by a rebel alliance including Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front.

EU offers to help France, Britain face Calais migrant crisis

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BRUSSELS (AFP) - The European Commission offered Tuesday to help France and Britain deal with the migrant crisis at the Channel Tunnel, as police on both sides braced for new attempts at the crossing.The EC said in a statement that it would send a first instalment of financial assistance to France of 20 million euros ($22 million), less than a day after some 600 fresh attempts were made to penetrate the tunnel, according to a police source.The situation in the northern French port of Calais has hit the headlines in the past week, with people desperate to reach Britain making attempt after attempt to breach Eurotunnel defences, some paying for it with their lives.Last week, a Sudanese man in his 30s died, apparently crushed to death by a lorry, and at least 10 people have been killed since June trying to get to Britain where many already have family and work is perceived as easier to find.The ECs Migration and Home Affairs Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos said the first instalment of a special grant would now be sent to help Paris deal with its side of the crisis.Britain has already received 27 million euros.This comes from the total of over 266 million euros earmarked for France and over 370 million euros earmarked for the UK for the period covering 2014-20, Avramopoulos said in a statement.The EC also offered the two countries its technical assistance, including help to process asylum applications through a support office.The European Borders Agency, Frontex, can help identify and register migrants, collaborate with countries of origin and transit to speed up the issuing of travel documents for return, and coordinate and finance joint return operations, it added.Solidarity, responsibilityA police source said earlier Tuesday some 500 migrants had been seen overnight next to the Channel Tunnel site near Calais, and of the 600 attempts they made to enter, around 400 were repelled by authorities.Of the other 200 people, 180 were caught within the site and removed and a further 20 were arrested.Eurotunnel, which operates the Channel Tunnel, was also inspecting a section of one of the undersea tunnels for an anomaly that was causing delays earlier Tuesday, the group said, though traffic returned to normal later in the day.The crisis in Calais has become a cross-Channel political hot potato and has seen French police bolster their presence in Calais with 120 additional officers.British Prime Minister David Cameron, whose government on Monday announced new measures to crack down on illegal immigrants, came under fire last week for comments in which he referred to swarms of people seeking to get into the country.French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve, meanwhile, has urged Britain to do more to help with the crisis.But commissioner Avramopoulos warned the Calais crisis is another stark example of the need for a greater level of solidarity and responsibility in the way we deal with migratory pressures in Europe.We are facing a migratory crisis of extraordinary proportions that is very much linked to the conflicts occurring in the wider periphery of Europe, he said.We must act in a united way to address a challenge that surpasses national boundaries, he added.

Netanyahu implores US Jews to oppose Iran deal

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - Benjamin Netanyahu personally called on US Jewish groups to thwart a White House-backed Iran nuclear deal Tuesday, while hitting out at disinformation over Israels trenchant stance against it.The claim that we oppose this deal because we want war is not just false, its outrageous, the Israeli prime minister said in a webcast hosted by Jewish American groups, who said it reached an estimated 10,000 people.I dont oppose this deal because I want war, I oppose this because I want to prevent war and this deal will bring war. It will spark a nuclear arms race in the region.In the midst of a bitter and sometimes personal dispute with Barack Obama, Netanyahu insisted his opposition is not about me and it is not about President Obama, its about the deal.The agreement would curb Irans nuclear program in return for international sanctions relief.Netanyahu said that instead of preventing Iran from getting a nuclear weapon it would pave the way for Iran to get one, while legitimizing Tehrans leadership.Do I believe that President Obama thinks this is the best way to address the Iranian nuclear threat? Yes, I think he does, he said.Would I prefer not to have this agreement? Absolutely.Netanyahu has infuriated the White House by actively opposing what Obama sees as a way to avoid a military conflagration with Iran and a signature foreign policy achievement of his presidency.Obama pointedly refused to meet Netanyahu when he traveled to Washington in March to argue against the deal before the Republican dominated US Congress.This is not a partisan issue in Israel, Netanyahu said Tuesday, it should not be a partisan issue in the United States.That may be wishful thinking. Republicans have roundly condemned the deal and vowed to vote it down in Congress.Tensions ahead of voteThat has triggered a ferocious battle for US public opinion, including within the Jewish community.Key Democrats such New York Senator Charles Schumer have yet to voice their opinion on the deal in public and may hold the key to victory or defeat.A no vote would not automatically kill the deal, but it would force Obama to issue a veto and to rally enough Democratic votes to uphold it.Schumers public agnosticism reflects the deep divisions the deal has caused with Americas politically attuned Jewish community.Groups like right-leaning AIPAC (The American Israel Public Affairs Committee) and left-leaning J-Street have engaged in a multimillion-dollar public relations faceoff.Netanyahus webcast was hosted by the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations and the Jewish Federations of North America.Meanwhile federations, individual organizations, Rabbis and Rabbinical assemblies are being pressed to take a stance.Obama is expected to host Jewish leaders at the White House later on Tuesday.He received a boost from news that influential Democrat Senators Barbara Boxer, Tim Kaine and Ben Nelson came out in support of the deal.Earlier Netanyahu said he sought to reassure his audience that the United States and Israel would survive the latest policy rift, as we have in the past.The relationship between the United States and Israel is so fundamentally strong that it will continue to remain strong, he added.

Helicopter crash kills 16 Colombian police

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BOGOTA (AFP) - At least 16 police were killed Tuesday in Colombia when a helicopter taking part in an anti-drug trafficking operation crashed in a remote jungle-covered region, officials said.A total of 18 officers were on board the Blackhawk helicopter, which was involved in an operation against the powerful Clan Usuga drug gang in northwestern Colombias Antioquia department, said Defense Minister Luis Carlos Villegas.The other two were taken to a nearby hospital with second- and third-degree burns, he told a press conference.Unfortunately, the prognosis is not good, he said, adding there was no indication of foul play.Villegas said thick jungle and rough terrain, as well as bad weather, had delayed the operation, which had been due to begin at 5:30 am.For the moment, the most likely theory is that the helicopter crashed into the hillside at a speed of 120 knots, which is 180 kilometers per hour, possibly because of low clouds. The helicopter was found absolutely destroyed, he said.It is the second deadly crash to hit the Colombian security forces in recent days. On Friday, 11 soldiers were killed when the air force plane transporting them went down in the Las Palomas region.The pilot in that crash had reported engine trouble.Clan Usuga is the main drug gang in Colombia, the worlds leading producer of coca, the raw ingredient for cocaine.President Juan Manuel Santoss government has intensified its offensive against the gang in recent months.A UN report recently found coca cultivation in Colombia exploded 44 percent last year, yielding potential cocaine production of 442 tonnes -- a 52 percent increase from 2013.

Inconsistent England eye Ashes glory

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NOTTINGHAM (AFP) - England head into the fourth Test against Australia at Trent Bridge starting on Thursday knowing they are just one win away from recapturing the Ashes yet being equally aware theyve yet to string back-to-back victories together in Tests in 2015.Since drawing their series opener against the West Indies at Antigua in April, Englands next seven Tests have seen them alternate between winning and losing.Indeed their eight-wicket win in the third Test at Edgbaston, which put England 2-1 up in the five-match Ashes series followed a defeat by the huge margin of 405 runs in the second Test at Lords. England will also be without all-time leading wicket-taker James Anderson, who took an Ashes-best six for 47 at Edgbaston but was subsequently ruled out of the fourth Test with a side strain.It is the first time Anderson has missed a Test in three years and means he wont be able to add to his exceptional record at Nottinghamshires headquarters which has seen him take 53 wickets in eight Tests, including 10 during Englands thrilling 14-run win in the corresponding Ashes clash in Nottingham in 2013.England would like to recall Durham quick Mark Wood, whose absence through injury paved the way for Middlesex fast bowler Steven Finn to take a Test-best six for 79 on his return to the side at Edgbaston.However, they will have to decide if he Wood is over the ankle trouble that forced him out at Edgbaston, with Liam Plunkett and uncapped Derbyshire left-armer Mark Footitt standing by.Australia left-arm quick Mitchell Johnson insisted Andersons absence would leave a huge hole in Englands attack.Its a massive loss for them, he said. Whoever they bring in will have big pressure on them.Meanwhile England opener Adam Lyth is set to keep his place despite managing 72 runs in six innings at an average of 12 so far this series.Stuart Broad, set to lead Englands attack in the absence of longtime new-ball partner Anderson, is just one wicket away from joining Test crickets 300 club on his Nottinghamshire home ground But that is not his main concern. We are consistently the most inconsistent side, said Broad.There is no point ignoring and pretending it has not happened.He added: It is all about breaking it down into the simplest form as players, so focusing in on our individual jobs on Thursday morning and not thinking about the exterior things like 300 wickets.For Australia, captain Michael Clarke is desperate to end a mediocre run of form.Scores of 10 and three at Edgbaston left Clarke with a meagre series aggregate of 94 runs in six innings at an average of under 19.But a defiant Clarke dismissed suggestions he no longer has the desire to do well in Test cricket.People can certainly have a shot at me about my performance, but they cant have a shot at me about my hunger and my will to play this great game, he wrote in his Sydney Daily Telegraph column published Tuesday.It is Adam Voges, averaging 14.60 this series, however, who is in greatest danger of being replaced by reserve batsman Shaun Marsh.Australia would dearly love more of the aggression from Johnson that saw him produce two rip snorting deliveries that yielded the wickets of Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes in the space of three balls during Englands first innings at Edgbaston. Im scratching my head a little bit about not continuing on from that (first over), and thats something Ill look at this game, said Johnson.Meanwhile Nottinghamshire groundsman Steve Birks is under pressure too after last years Test pitch at Trent Bridge was officially classed as poor after a run-glut draw between England and India proved heart-breaking for any bowler above medium-pace.But Broad said overhead conditions often held the key to the outcome of matches at Trent Bridge. If it is blue sky, it is good to bat. If it is cloudy it can be good to bowl.

Posted by IMRAN ALI SOOMRO (DARVESH) at 8/05/2015 07:27:00 AM

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