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Saturday, August 8, 2015

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Dunya TV

Football: LuaLua gets Brighton off to winning start

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LONDON (AFP) - Kazenga LuaLua got Brightons Championship campaign off to a flying start as the Congolese wingers fine strike sealed a 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Friday.LuaLua settled the first match of the English second tier season when he netted from wide on the left side of the Forest penalty area five minutes into the second half at the Amex Stadium.The 24-year-olds winner stopped Brightons run of three successive losses in their opening match of the season.It was an encouraging start for Chris Hughtons team, who narrowly avoided relegation to League One last season and featured debutants Tomer Hemed, an Israel forward, and Cameroon left-back Gaetan Bong.Seagulls legend Bobby Zamora, who re-signed for the club this week, wasnt fit enough to feature, but the former Tottenham and West Ham striker received a warm welcome from the 24,623 crowd when he strolled onto the pitch before kick-off.Defeat was tough on Forest, who have been hit by Financial Fairplay transfer restrictions and injuries during pre-season.Britt Assombalonga and Matt Fryatt, the clubs leading strikers, were both sidelined, but Dougie Freedmans side hit the woodwork early on through Henri Lansburys free-kick.Forest midfielder Michail Antonios rasping shot was pushed away by goalkeeper David Stockdale as the visitors battled for an equaliser that wouldnt come.

Football: Mourinho expects tougher battle for title

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LONDON (AFP) - Jose Mourinho says Chelsea will have to survive a much sterner examination than last season if the champions are to mount a successful defence of the Premier League title.Mourinhos side begin the new campaign against Swansea on Saturday as the bookmakers favourites to retain the title they won at a canter, but the Blues boss is convinced the challenge from their rivals will be much stronger this time.The west Londoners finished eight points clear of second placed Manchester City and rarely looked like surrendering the lead in a title race they led for virtually the entire season.But Chelsea have spluttered in pre-season and could be without last seasons top scorer Diego Costa at Stamford Bridge this weekend due to his recurring hamstring injury.Those teething troubles, combined with the big spending of Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool -- as well as Arsenals impressive resurgence, have convinced Mourinho that Chelsea will be under severe pressure right from the start this year.It depends not just about you, its also about the others, he said just hours before signing a new four-year contract on Friday.You can have a good season and somebody was better than you, a little bit better, a couple of points more than you, then I dont think its a failure.I just think credit to the others. Lets try to be a good team and lets try to be here in March, April speaking to you about the possibility of winning something.Manchester United open the top-flight season in Saturdays early fixture at home to Tottenham.They are looking for signs that they are ready to mount a sustained assault on Chelseas title.Last seasons equivalent fixture, a 3-0 home win on March 15, proved the belated catalyst for a run of form that ensured Louis van Gaal ended his first season as manager with United back in the Champions League places.But with some GBP 77 million ($120 million, 110 million euros) having been spent on new players including Memphis Depay, Morgan Schneiderlin and Bastian Schweinsteiger, United have set their sights a little higher.(Last season) we could see that we were getting better gradually, but we just needed that consistency in our performances and then, obviously, in results, captain Wayne Rooney told ESPN this week.But we could see in each game we were getting better. I feel this season for the first time, rather than the last two seasons, were ready to challenge again.Liverpool seek atonementArsenal, bolstered by the arrival from Chelsea of goalkeeper Petr Cech, begin their season with a home fixture against London rivals West Ham United, who now have their former defender Slaven Bilic at the helm.Manchester City travel to West Bromwich Albion on Monday, while Liverpool, sixth last season, start out at Stoke City, where they were dealt a humiliating 6-1 defeat on the campaigns final day.We didnt end the last season particularly well and I think we owe it to the fans to make amends, said Liverpools German midfielder Emre Can.This is why the first few matches are especially important. I think we can start to put (the Stoke result) right with a few good results.Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is expected to hand competitive debuts to a number of new signings, including James Milner, Roberto Firmino and Christian Benteke.All three promoted clubs are in action on the opening day, with Watford visiting Everton, Norwich City hosting Crystal Palace and Bournemouth tackling Aston Villa in the first top-flight match in their 116-year history.Having romped to the Championship title, Bournemouth are expected to make a mark in the Premier League, but manager Eddie Howe has warned his players that he will not show them foolish loyalty.I do whats best for the team and if that means being ruthless and making some tough calls, Ive proved in the past Ill do that, he said.Former England manager Steve McClaren begins his Newcastle United tenure at home to Southampton, while Claudio Ranieri starts life as Leicester City manager with a home game against Sunderland.FixturesSaturday (1400 GMT unless otherwise stated):Bournemouth v Aston Villa, Chelsea v Swansea City (1630 GMT), Everton v Watford, Leicester City v Sunderland, Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur (1145 GMT), Norwich City v Crystal PalaceSunday (1230 GMT unless otherwise stated):Arsenal v West Ham United, Newcastle United v Southampton, Stoke City v Liverpool (1500 GMT)Monday (1900 GMT):West Bromwich Albion v Manchester City

Football: Saints could show McClaren's Newcastle the way

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NEWCASTLE (AFP) - Steve McClaren returns to the Premier League on Sunday when Newcastle United take on Southampton, who represent the ideal blueprint for his attempt to transform a team who were only 90 minutes away from starting this season in the Championship.Southampton, in contrast, finished in seventh place in May thanks to coach Ronald Koemans shrewd signings, players who came mainly from mainland Europe and possessed the quality and character required to handle the demands of the Premier League.Now, with Southampton starting the new season at St James Park, Koemans team offer an examination of McClarens progress since he took over at a club in danger of relegation until the final day of last season.McClaren is aware he will face intense scrutiny on his return to the Premier League nine years after he left Middlesbrough to take charge of England.Im coming back into a Premier League thats pretty much as it was before, said McClaren.But he will find the pressure is even more intense, particularly from supporters who have embraced social media as a means of criticising managers and players.A sizeable proportion of Newcastle followers are still to be convinced about McClaren, whose failure with England was followed by success at FC Twente in Holland before he was subsequently sacked from jobs at Wolfsburg and Derby and resigned at Twente and Nottingham Forest in the wake of poor results.McClaren is aware of at least one change in the Premier League since his Middlesbrough days where he had the consistent backing of owner Steve Gibson: managers and coaches no longer survive bad results -- unless you are Alan Pardew at Newcastle last season, of course.Instant impactThe pressure is on me from the outset, without a shadow of a doubt, he said. I know it will take time, but in the real world of football and the Premier League, you are judged on every game.McClaren has brought in four new players, although the latest signing, teenager Ivan Toney, is an investment in the future.Anderlechts Chancel Mbemba and Aleksandar Mitrovic and PSV Eindhovens Georginio Wijnaldum, are expected make an instant impact in the same way as Koemans imports adapted to the Premier League last season.Dusan Tadic, Graziano Pelle, Florin Gardos, Shane Long, Sadio Mane and Fraser Forster all remain at the club, while Ryan Bertrands loan from Chelsea has turned into a permanent deal.They are joined by Malagas Juanmi, Feyenoords Jordy Clasie, FC Twentes Cuco Martina and Sporting Lisbons Cedric Soares following the departure of Morgan Schneiderlin and Nathaniel Clyne, to Manchester United and Liverpool respectively.Koeman also has defender Steve Caulker and goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg on loan and another new player in the forward Jay Rodriguez, who has been out for 16 months because of a knee injury and returned in in Thursdays Europa League 2-0 win at Vitesse Arnhem.Koeman believes his squad has sufficient depth to handle the twin demands of Europe and the Premier League.I have a full and strong squad with balance of the team to manage both competitions, said the coach, who may miss the trip to Tyneside because of an Achilles tendon injury.We didnt let as many players leave as last season, which is very important. We lost quality players but the replacements were the same quality.We are in a good place. The new guys have showed already they have a lot of quality so I am really relaxed on that aspect.

Football: Rodgers confident of Liverpool revival

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STOKE-ON-TRENT (AFP) - Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers believes Stoke will face a much different team than the one they humiliated at the end of last season when the Reds return to the Britannia Stadium for their Premier League opener on Sunday.Rodgers side suffered a chastening afternoon in the Potteries in the final game of the last campaign as they were thrashed 6-1 by a rampant Stoke side.Despite the close-season departures of Steven Gerrard and Raheem Sterling, Rodgers is adamant there will not be a repeat of Liverpools heaviest Premier League defeat as he has strengthened his side with seven new players.Well certainly be better than what we were last season, thats for sure, Rodgers said.That was a one-off game in terms of the whole experience. It was incredible; in every aspect of football and high-class football, we lacked in everything.It was something that was very surprising and something that was very disappointing.Well look to return to the levels that weve had over a couple of seasons here in terms of organisation and fight. Then obviously you add the talent to that and it gives us the chance to win the game.Stoke is always a difficult place to go. We know it will be a tough game, but it will certainly be tougher for them than it was last year.Rodgers has confirmed Liverpool will be without Wales midfielder Joe Allen for three to four weeks after he picked up a hamstring injury during their pre-season friendly against Swindon Town.Striker Daniel Sturridge (hip) and full-back Jon Flanagan (knee) are the only other major absentees for Rodgers, who is poised to hand full debuts to midfielder James Milner, right-back Nathaniel Clyne and striker Christian Benteke.Big characterEngland international Milner, who joined on a free transfer from Manchester City, has also been named as vice-captain to club skipper Jordan Henderson.James has got big character and a big mentality, and I felt we needed that in the team to the extent where he will be the vice-captain this year, Rodgers added.Jordan has been appointed the captain, but hell be a great ally for him because he leads by example.James is a wonderful, wonderful footballer and a big personality in the dressing room as well.Meanwhile, Stoke manager Mark Hughes insists the growing expectancy at the club does not frighten him.Hughes guided the Potters to a record Premier League points total last season and a joint-highest finish of ninth place.The Welshman has also overseen a change in Stokes style and got them playing a more attractive brand of football than predecessor Tony Pulis.It has increased hopes among supporters of challenge for a European place in the forthcoming campaign, and Hughes is at ease with that pressure.Ive never tried to manage expectation. Its a good thing, Hughes said. Its easy for a manager to underplay potential and then overachieve. But thats not something Im doing.Ive always worked with expectation. Its higher because of what weve achieved the past two years. However, its not something were apprehensive of.Well just try keep building and moving forward because everyone is spending money and progressing.Hughes is without centre-back Ryan Shawcross, who has been ruled out for two months with an ongoing back injury that requires surgery.Marc Wilson (ankle) is a doubt so Geoff Cameron is poised to partner Marc Muniesa at the heart of the Stoke defence, while forward Marko Arnautovic (thigh) will not be risked.

Golf: Furyk grabs four-shot lead at WGC-Bridgestone

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AKRON (AFP) - Former US Open champion Jim Furyk fired a second consecutive four-under-par 66 to open up a four-shot lead after the second round of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational on Friday.Furyk finished 36 holes at eight-under 132 and has a solid lead heading into the weekend over Irelands Shane Lowry and Americans Dustin Johnson and Bubba Watson in the final tune-up for next weeks PGA Championship at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.I felt like I had more confidence, said Furyk. I hit the ball more solid and I am just hoping to improve a little bit every day and hopefully Sunday I will have a lot of confidence.Reigning Masters and US Open champion Jordan Spieth, who is trying to dethrone Rory McIlroy as the No. 1 ranked player in the world, climbed the leaderboard with a two-under 68 and is tied for eighth, six strokes adrift of Furyk.Lowry and Watson matched Furyks 66 while Johnson fired a three-under 67 for a four-under 136 total.Furyk, 45, always seems to be in contention at this event as he has finished in the top-15 at the WGC-Bridgestone four of the past five years.He also finished runner-up twice, losing a playoff to Tiger Woods in 2001 and in 2012 when a bogey at the 72nd hole left him in second.He began Friday just one shot back of first round leader Danny Lee and said knowing he was close helped motivate him to shoot a low score.Keeps you concentratingSome of us play our best rounds when we are close and not quite there. Being close keeps you concentrating a lot and you dont take as much for granted, said the 2003 US Open winner.Furyk, who started on the 10th tee, had a strong finish with birdies at the seventh and eighth holes. He made bogey on the final hole but that was offset by some superb putting throughout a round that featured seven birdies.What I am really happy about is I was able to make six birdies yesterday and seven today, he said. I putted pretty well again. I left a few out there but was still able to knock some in and make some birdies.I felt better about my round today. I drove it better and hit some good iron shots. I made some mistakes but that is going to happen on this golf course.Spieth, who tied for fourth in his last outing at the Open Championship at St. Andrews, recorded his first ever round under par at the WGC-Bridgestone.His round of six birdies and four bogeys included a 20-foot chip-in for birdie at the par-four third which got him to three under.He followed that with back-to-back bogeys on the fourth and fifth.This game of golf can be a little odd in the slightest way sometimes, said Spieth, who can overtake McIlroy for top spot if he wins at Firestone this weekend.I was a little aggressive on a couple of putts. But very pleased with the way I can make six birdies hitting nine greens.New Zealands Lee (72), Henrik Stenson (69) and Graeme McDowell (71) were tied at 137, five shots behind Furyk.

IS executed 2,000 in Iraq's Mosul region since takeover

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BAGHDAD (AFP) - The Islamic State group has executed more than 2,000 people in and around the northern Iraqi city of Mosul since seizing it last year, officials said Friday.Parliament speaker Salim al-Juburi confirmed the execution of more than 2,000 innocent citizens at the hands of the terrorist Daesh organisation, his office said, using an Arabic acronym for IS.According to sources in and around Mosul interviewed by AFP, a total of 2,070 people were executed since IS seized Iraqs second city on June 10, 2014.The names of 2,070 people were posted on a list compiled by the terrorist organisation, part of which was displayed on a wall of the local health ministry branch, several residents said.The list came with an order from IS, which has administered Mosul since taking over last year, for the ministry staff to deliver death certificates.A source at the ministrys department of forensic medicine confirmed the list had been received.The source said the people whose names were listed were accused by IS of promoting ideas that distort Islam.A senior security official who used to be based in Mosul and still monitors IS activities there gave the same number of 2,070, saying it covered a period starting on June 10, 2014 and applied to the entire Nineveh province.IS controls most of Nineveh, of which Mosul is the capital.I think my cousin is one of the victims. He was arrested by IS in his house in central Mosul. He used to work for the election committee, said a Mosul resident, who would not give his name for fear of retribution.Then we heard nothing... I think his body must have been buried in a mass grave, he said, adding he had not yet been able to consult the list.BarbaricAmong those listed on the IS order were policemen, former army officers, local officials, lawyers, journalists, doctors and rights activists. The names show that many women were also executed.We are very appalled to hear that the health ministry has been provided those lists of 2,070 people killed in cold blood by Daesh, said the Civil Movement for Reform rights group, using an Arab acronym for IS.IS has made no secret of its campaign of executions against those refusing to submit to its rule or who are simply suspected of secretly working against them.It has carried out several public executions, including by decapitation, firing squad, stoning or in at least one case pushing the accused off a high building.Daesh hasnt even handed over the bodies, its an unprecedented and barbaric crime. What happened in Mosul is equivalent to what happened in Speicher. It should be considered a war crime.Up to 1,700 military recruits were kidnapped near the Speicher base close to the city of Tikrit as IS swept through Iraqs heartland in June last year.Their massacre by the Tigris has played a key role in the mass mobilisation of volunteers to fight the terrorists and is considered one of the worst crimes of the conflict.A 35-year-old unemployed resident of western Mosul, who gave his name as Abu Nuri, said he and many fellow Muslawis felt abandoned by both the Baghdad government and the international community.They should speed up operations to liberate Mosul... Blood is spilt every day this is delayed, he said.

4 Gazans wounded in Israel air strike after rocket fire

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GAZA CITY (AFP) - A retaliatory Israeli air strike on Hamass military wing in the Gaza Strip wounded four policemen Friday, a Palestinian official said, following a rocket attack on the Jewish state.The hospital official told AFP one was critically injured and the rest moderately hurt in the strike on a training facility of the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, near El Bureij refugee camp in the centre of the strip.Gaza militants earlier fired a rocket into southern Israel, without causing casualties, the Israeli army said.A rocket fired from the Gaza Strip hit southern Israel, it said in a statement. No injuries reported.Israeli media said at least one other rocket was fired but fell short and landed in the Palestinian territory.The air force targeted a Hamas terror infrastructure in the central Gaza Strip. A direct hit was confirmed, Israels military said.Hamas is the de factor power in Gaza and Israel formally holds it responsible for any attack launched from the coastal territory.Hamas must fulfill its responsibilities or face the consequences, the army statement said.Earlier, a previously unheard of group calling itself The Grandsons of the Companions of the Prophet claimed responsibility for the rocket fire.The rocket fire was the first response by Salafist jihadists to Jewish attacks against Al-Aqsa, it said.Last month, Israeli police entered Jerusalems Al-Aqsa mosque, one of Islams holiest sites, as they clashed with Palestinians angered by Jews being granted access to the compound on an annual day of Jewish mourning.The mosque compound, one of the most volatile sites in the Middle East, is the most sacred site in Judaism and Islams third holiest, after Mecca and Medina.In Gaza, Salafists have made no secret of their disdain for Hamas over its observance of a tacit ceasefire with Israel and failure to implement Islamic law.Last summer, Israel went to war against Hamas with the aim of stamping out cross-border rocket and mortar attacks.The 50-day conflict killed about 2,200 Palestinians, most of them civilians, and 73 on the Israeli side, mostly soldiers.

35 dead, hundreds wounded as multiple bombings rock Kabul

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KABUL (AFP) - Multiple bombings rocked Kabul Friday, killing at least 35 people and wounding hundreds more in the first major attacks in the Afghan capital since the announcement of Taliban leader Mullah Omars death.The explosions, which devastated buildings and overwhelmed hospitals with casualties, mark the deadliest day in Kabul since the end of the NATO combat mission in December.In the first attack, a powerful truck bomb tore through the centre of Kabul just after midnight on Friday, killing 15 civilians and wounding 240 others.Less than 24 hours later, at least 20 Afghan cadets were killed when a suicide attacker dressed in police uniform blew himself up at the entrance of Kabul Police Academy.The Taliban distanced themselves from the first bombing that struck near a Kabul military base -- as they usually do in attacks that result in a large number of civilian casualties.But the insurgents were quick to claim responsibility for the second attack, which marks a serious breach of security at a premier training institute for Afghan security forces.Explosions and gunfire also erupted close to the airport on Friday evening, apparently targeting an area near foreign coalition bases, but there were no immediate reports of casualties.Military jets were heard flying over the centre of Kabul shortly after the explosions.The carnage underscores the volatile security situation in Afghanistan amid a faltering peace process with the Taliban as Afghan forces face their first summer fighting season without full NATO support.Fridays bombings are the first major attacks after Mullah Akhtar Mansour was last week named as the new Taliban chief in an acrimonious power transition after the insurgents confirmed the death of longtime leader Mullah Omar.Observers say the escalating violence demonstrates Mullah Mansours attempt to boost his image among Taliban cadres and drive attention away from internal divisions over his leadership.The new wave of attacks is a tactic by the Talibans new leadership to show they are capable, potent and operational, said security analyst Abdul Hadi Khaled.The demise of Mullah Omar divided the movement and affected the moral of their ground fighters. Hitting Kabul with a wave of powerful attacks is a way of showcasing their strength.Fatal academy bombingOn Friday evening, a suicide attacker dressed in police uniform blew himself up at the entrance of Kabul Police Academy, killing at least 20 Afghan cadets who were returning after their two-day weekend.The bomber managed to place himself in a queue as police trainees were waiting to be searched before entering the academy, said a senior Afghan intelligence official, requesting anonymity.The attacker was wearing police uniform... when he detonated his explosives, 20 cadets were killed and 20 more were wounded, the official told AFP.Anguished relatives of cadets gathered near the academy, which was cordoned off by heavily-armed security officials as ambulances with wailing sirens rushed to the scene.Another police official confirmed that toll while a third senior security source told AFP that 25 cadets were killed.The academy in west Kabul is a premier training institution for police forces in Afghanistan, with between 2,000 and 3,000 cadets graduating every year.Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Taliban -- who were toppled from power in the 2001 US invasion of Afghanistan -- told AFP the insurgent group was behind the attack.Less than 24 hours earlierEarlier Friday, a truck packed with explosives detonated near an army base in the neighbourhood of Shah Shaheed, rattling homes across the city, ripping off the facades of buildings and leaving scattered piles of rubble.The force of the explosion just after midnight created an enormous crater in the road, around 10 metres (30 feet) deep, and destroyed the boundary wall of the base, although no military casualties were reported.The death toll from the attack... has risen to 15, deputy presidential spokesman Sayed Zafar Hashemi told AFP, adding that 240 people have been wounded -- including women and children.The health ministry said the number of wounded could run even higher, with most suffering injuries from flying glass.Kabul Police Chief General Abdul Rahman Rahimi said officials were searching for anyone trapped under the mangled concrete debris.Soldiers erected a security cordon around the military base close to Shah Shaheed, a largely middle-class civilian residential area with no major foreign presence.The wounded were overwhelming city hospitals, officials said, with reports emerging of blood shortages and urgent appeals for donors circulating on social media.

Iran disagreement shakes Democratic party politics

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - The White House responded with ill-disguised anger Friday to news that Chuck Schumer, a key Democratic ally in the Senate, will oppose the landmark nuclear deal with Iran.In a statement -- purposely announced at the same time as the blockbuster Republican presidential debate Thursday -- Schumer said planned inspections of Irans nuclear sites were not intrusive enough and would allow it to become a threshold nuclear state.The loss of Congresss most influential Jewish member is a blow to President Barack Obama, who is trying to rally enough votes in the Senate to protect the agreement from being overturned.It makes the deal much more vulnerable both now in terms of congressional support but also with next president who will have to follow through, said Julian Zelizer of Princeton University.White House spokesman Josh Earnest described Schumers decision as disappointing but not particularly surprising.But the civil tone belied seething resentment among Obama allies.It is resentment that could have a lasting impact on who leads the Democratic Party in the Senate after current leader Harry Reid retires in 2016.Senator Schumer siding with the GOP against Obama, (Hillary) Clinton, and most Democrats will make it hard for him to lead the Dems in 16, said Dan Pfeiffer, a long-time Obama senior advisor who left the administration in March.Last strawWhile allies, Schumer and Obama have disagreed on several major issues over the years.Schumer voted for the war in Iraq, suggested Obamas signature healthcare reform was a mistake and now opposes the Iran deal.That was the last straw for some.Chuck Schumer, who said it was a mistake to pass Obamacare, now comes out again the Iran Deal. This is our next Senate leader? asked Jon Favreau, a former Obama speechwriter.Schumers former roommate, Senator Dick Durbin had also been in the running to take the coveted top Democratic spot in the Senate.He may now see an opening to press his case.Depending on the outcome of the 2016 election the person holding that post will either run Senate business as the majority leader -- if the Democrats regain the majority -- or lead the opposition if they do not.Previous holders of the post include Lyndon Johnson, who went on to become president.The White House said it was up to Senate Democrats to decide their leader, but dropped heavy hints about what they thought of Schumers actions.I certainly wouldnt be surprised if there are individual members of the Senate Democratic caucus that will consider the voting record of those who say they would like to lead the caucus, said Earnest.Earnest also made several references to Schumers backing for the 2003 invasion of Iraq.The New York Times, Schumers home-state newspaper was more scathing, saying he had cast his lot with Republican presidential candidates.Action group MoveOn.org fumed, saying they would withhold $10 million in contributions to candidates who undermine Obamas diplomacy with Iran.The ill, Zelizer said, will could cost him considerable support among Senate Democrats who understand this is political blow to the administration.There was, however, some praise for Schumer.Hardline Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz praised Schumers bravery and urged him to lead the charge against the deal.It is an endorsement that even a besieged Schumer could perhaps do without.

Jailed FARC rebels call for amnesty in Colombia

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BOGOTA (AFP) - Any peace deal to end Colombias five-decade guerrilla war must include an amnesty for imprisoned FARC rebels, two of them told AFP in a rare interview from jail.The issue is one of the most delicate at peace talks in Cuba between President Juan Manuel Santoss government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).The talks, which opened in November 2012, are seen as the best chance yet to end a war that has killed more than 200,000 people and uprooted six million.But to succeed, they will have to find a way to balance the desire for justice with the need to move on from a messy conflict in which human rights groups say atrocities have been committed on all sides.Everyone -- first and foremost the Colombian governments forces -- has made mistakes, said Luis Marulanda, 44, who was captured in 2001 when the Marxist rebels raided a police station.If the armed forces arent going to be punished, we cant be punished either, or our leaders.Some 3,300 captured rebels are serving time at 142 prisons across Colombia, according to a government report compiled for the peace talks.Their fate is one of the agenda items on the road map for the Havana talks.But despite urgent appeals from FARC negotiators to begin discussing the issue, there have so far been no official statements.Marulanda said Colombia needs the FARCs commanders to play a part in building the countrys future rather than languish in jail for events in the past.They are leaders, they are the ones we really need in the journey that will only just begin when a peace deal is signed, said the clean-cut former fighter, who joined Front 57 of the FARCs Ivan Rios Bloc in 1994.They know the country and the historic problems of Colombian society, he added.If there is a peace process, we have to forgive and forget.Among the agreements already reached at the peace talks, which have made halting progress in several areas but have yet to yield a final deal, is one providing for the political participation of former rebels after the conflict.Other optionsMarulanda -- no relation to late FARC leader Manuel Sureshot Marulanda -- spoke from La Picota prison in Bogota, which holds inmates from across the spectrum of the South American countrys tangled conflict: leftist guerrillas, right-wing paramilitaries, drug traffickers and politicians linked to the various armed groups.Another FARC member held at the prison, Diego Restrepo, said peace negotiators should think outside the box to settle the question of justice in ways that will be acceptable to both sides.To reconcile and rebuild after these nearly 52 years of conflict, we have to look at other options besides prison bars, said the 42-year-old rebel, who fought under the nom de guerre Mateo Ramirez for Front 45 of the FARCs Eastern Bloc before being captured in an ambush on Good Friday in 2002.We would have no problem with house arrest or being sent to work on farms, he said.Founded in 1964 in the aftermath of a peasant uprising, the FARC today has an estimated 8,000 fighters. It is the largest rebel group still active in Colombia.

Several foreigners held, at least seven killed in Mali hotel siege

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BAMAKO (AFP) - Several hostages, including a number of foreigners, were caught in a standoff in central Mali Friday after gunmen stormed a hotel during a shootout with soldiers in which at least five troops and two attackers were killed, the government said.A Ukrainian hostage managed to escape from the four or five terrorists who were still barricaded inside the hotel in Sevare, telling soldiers that he had been with three South Africans and a Russian when the shooting began.At around 7 am (0700 GMT), a terrorist attack was carried out at the Byblos hotel in Sevare, where a part of the (UN mission) MINUSMA staff is staying, the government said in a statement sent to AFP Friday evening, in the first official comment on the attack.The statement gave a provisional toll of five dead, two injured on the Malian army side and two killed on the insurgent side. Seven suspects had been detained, it added.A military source had earlier said at least eight people had been killed with three bodies lying in front of the hotel next to a burned-out minibus.One of the attackers was wearing an explosives belt, the source added.MINUSMA said a member of MINUSMAs associate international staff was killed in the terrorist attack, without giving the victims nationality.The UN mission said the initial target of the attack was a Malian military site.The attackers, who were repulsed by the Malian forces, then holed up in a hotel.The clashes between the attackers and Malian security forces continued throughout the morning and sporadic fire continues at the hotel and in the neighbourhood, MINUSMA added.The UN mission said it had sent a Malian rapid response team from the capital Bamako -- 620 kilometres to the south (385 miles) -- and also reinforced the security of Sevare-Mopti airport.Is is unclear who the foreigners being held are, though the governments of Russia and Ukraine confirmed earlier they each had a national among the hostages.A spokesman for the Russian embassy in Mali told RIA Novosti state news agency that the Russian hostage was an employee of UTAir, an aviation company which works with the UN mission MINUSMA.The diplomat said it was unclear whether the hostages were being held at gunpoint or if the attackers were merely sheltering there.French President Francois Hollande said French citizens could also possibly be caught up in the attack, while South Africa said it was aware of the situation.The hotel is popular with both foreign visitors and troops.No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, which comes as Mali battles a resurgence in jihadist violence, two years after a French-led offensive routed three Islamist factions from most parts of the country.Situated only a few kilometres from the regional capital Mopti, Sevare is a key staging post on the road to Malis desert north which fell to extremists in 2012.Town in lockdownThis hostage-taking is part of the terrorist strategy that Mali and the international community are mobilised against, Malian Communications Minister Choguel Kokalla Maiga told France 24 television.The army has completely sealed off the area and the town is in lockdown. They have asked people to stay at home, a local official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.Sporadic shooting was still heard around the hotel at around 1500 GMT.Speaking as he welcomed home a Frenchwoman held hostage for nearly six months in Yemen, Hollande said that in Mali an operation is underway which could possibly involve French nationals and called on French citizens in danger zones to take the greatest precautions.France has over 1,000 soldiers in northern Mali as part of an regional anti-terrorist operation.MINUSMA said it was liaising with the French forces about the response to the Sevare attack.It was the third assault in just a week in Mali, which is still struggling to restore stability despite a landmark peace deal agreed in June to end years of unrest and ethnic divisions.A number of foreigners have been kidnapped by militants in Mali in recent years, at least two of whom are still being held hostage by Al-Qaedas front group in the region AQIM.AQIM and two allied Islamist groups seized control of Malis north in 2012 before being ousted by French and Malian forces in January 2013.The insurgents have continued to mount sporadic attacks from their bases in the desert, mainly in the north.But the attacks have spread since the beginning of the year to the centre of the country and in June to the south near the borders with Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso.

Typhoon Soudelor makes landfall in Taiwan

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TAIPEI (AFP) - Typhoon Soudelor made landfall in Taiwan in the early hours of Saturday, ripping up trees and tearing down billboards as it battered the island with fierce winds and torrential rain.An eight-year-old girl and her mother had already become the first casualties after they were swept out to sea and died as the storm approached.There were no immediate confirmed reports of further deaths early Saturday but local media said a man had been killed overnight by a falling commercial sign in the coastal town of Suao.Thousands have been evacuated, with 1,300 now in 43 temporary shelters across the island. All schools and workplaces will shut Saturday as the storm passes across central Taiwan.The typhoon made landfall in the town of Hsiulin in eastern Hualien county at 4:40 am Saturday (2040 GMT Friday).In nearby Hualien city trees were uprooted and a giant billboard ripped from a building while motorbikes were scattered across the streets, thrown around by the wind.(It is) moving northwest, bringing heavy rains and fierce winds to the whole island, although gradually losing its strength, the Central Weather Bureau said Saturday.By Saturday morning Tatung Township in eastern Yilan had seen the most rain, with more than a metre (40 inches) falling since Thursday.The strongest winds were in Suao, where gusts reached 237 kilometres per hour (147 miles per hour), the weather bureau said.Local media reported that more than 60,000 homes were without electricity.At least 80 international flights have been cancelled and high-speed rail services were halted.A total of more than 4,000 people have been evacuated, including 2,000 tourists who were pulled out of the popular outlying Green Island and Orchid Island.Many of those evacuated are from remote mountain villages in the east, where troops moved out residents Friday and helped secure their homes.Search for missing girlBilled as the biggest typhoon of the year earlier in the week, Soudelor has since weakened.Although authorities had warned it might strengthen before it hit the island, wind speeds near its centre remained at 173 kilometres per hour (108 mph) as it made landfall.Soudelor -- named after a legendary Micronesian chief -- is currently described as a moderate typhoon by the weather bureau -- the second highest category.Hong Kong Observatory had rated Soudelor as a super typhoon earlier in the week as it reached maximum sustained wind speeds of 230 kilometres an hour.As the storm approached towering waves pounded the east coast, where the young girl and her mother were swept out to sea in Yilan county on Thursday.The dead girls twin was also missing in the same incident, while another nine-year-old girl was injured but survived.The group went to the beach but were swept out to sea by strong waves, a spokesman for the fire bureau in Yilan County told AFP.It was a mother, her twins, and a friends daughter. The adult and her daughter had already lost their heartbeat when brought to shore. The other child was conscious.He added that the search for the missing girl would continue Saturday.The defence ministry said it had readied 100 shelters that could accommodate more than 45,000 people while around 35,000 soldiers were on standby for disaster relief.More than 32,000 fishing boats returned to port Friday in Chinas densely populated Fujian province, authorities said, after they were ordered back ahead of Soudelors forecast landfall on Saturday night.The storm is expected to bring heavy downpours and strong winds, Chinas National Meteorological Centre said in a statement.Residents would be evacuated according to the weather conditions, the provincial flood control office added.

Karachi: Development Authority seals Sindbad amusement park

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – Karachi Development Authority (KDA) on Friday sealed famous Sindbad recreational area. The facility was sealed on the orders of Commissioner of Karachi. Citizens on the visit to the recreational area were stopped from going inside. According to KDA, the administration had built the recreational facility on reserved land and was being used for commercial purposes.According to the officials, the plot was taken on a 10 year lease the duration of which had expired. According to the KDA sources the plot was seized on the basis of ongoing crackdown against unlawful land seizing mafia.

Nowshera: Citizens severely protest against load shedding for long hours

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NOWSHERA (Dunya News) – Citizens on Friday severly protested against load shedding for long hours. Protestors wielding sticks and rods attacked a grid station in Rashkai area of Mardan. Protestors vandalized and damaged machinery and burnt records. Police has registered cases against 800 people and took 60 individuals into custody. GT road was opened after talks between police officials and people of the village.According to the details, protestors also broke windows of cars parked in the premises of the grid station. Initial estimate suggests that the attack by protestors caused damages to the grid station worth Rs. 2.5 billion.Spokesperson for the Ministry of Water and Electricity stated that electricity supply was suspended for several hours in Mardan, Malakand, Swabi and Swat due to the attack on the grid station.

IS kidnaps civilians in Syria, mass executions in Iraq

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BEIRUT (AFP) - The Islamic State group kidnapped 230 civilians in central Syria and officials said Friday it had executed more than 2,000 people in northern Iraqs Mosul region alone since last year.A year after a US-led coalition launched an air campaign to destroy IS and the caliphate it proclaimed straddling the two Arab countries, the jihadist group has kept up its atrocities.Daesh kidnapped at least 230 people, including at least 60 Christians, during a sweep through Al-Qaryatain, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, using an Arabic acronym for IS.Amnesty International condemned the abductions as highlighting the dreadful plight of civilians caught up in the more than four-year-old Syrian conflict that has cost over 240,000 lives.Al-Qaryatain lies at the crossroads between IS territory in the eastern countryside of Homs and areas further west in the Qalamun area bordering Lebanon.It had a pre-war population of 18,000, including Sunni Muslims and around 2,000 Syriac Catholics and Orthodox Christians.Few Christians remained following the IS offensive in the region but the town was always seen as a symbol of harmonious religious coexistence.During the 7th century Arab invasions, the towns Christian population decided that half of every family would convert to Islam to protect the other half, a Qaryatain-born woman told AFP.This is why residents often have the same name even though they belong to different faiths, she said.She recalled an oecumenical mass celebrating the renovation of a 6th century church in 2009 that was attended by the local imam.Father Jacques Mourad and Father Paolo DallOglio, two champions of Muslim-Christian friendship who have been kidnapped by IS, also took part in that mass, she said.In neighbouring Iraq, it was almost exactly a year ago that an IS offensive east of Mosul forced tens of thousands of Christians to flee their homes.- Mosul executions -The exodus, the first anniversary of which clerics marked Thursday with a symbolic prayer near the frontline with IS, is considered the worst disaster to befall one of the oldest Christian communities in the world.The northern Iraqi region was home to many of the countrys other minorities, such as the Yazidis, Shabak and Kakai.Some of the Sunnis who stayed on in Mosul, Iraqs second city, have also paid a heavy price, with the promised government operation to liberate the city still on the drawing board.Officials said IS had executed more than 2,000 people who challenged its extremist interpretation of Islam since it conquered the city on June 10 last year.Security and medical sources in and around Mosul told AFP a list of 2,070 names had been handed to the Mosul branch of the health ministry demanding death certificates be issued.Parliament speaker Salim al-Juburi confirmed the execution of more than 2,000 innocent citizens at the hands of the terrorist Daesh organisation.We are appalled to hear that the health ministry has been provided those lists of 2,070 people killed in cold blood by Daesh, said the Civil Gathering for Reform, a local rights organisation said.Among those listed on the IS order were policemen, former army officers, local officials, lawyers, journalists, doctors, rights activists. The names show that many women were also slain.IS has made no secret of its campaign of executions against those refusing to submit to its rule or even simply suspected of secretly working against them.- Fears for Croatian hostage -It has carried out several public executions, including by decapitation, firing squad, stoning or in at least one known case by pushing the accused off a high building.Backed by the US-led 60-nation coalition, Baghdad and the autonomous Kurdistan region have clawed back some of the land lost to IS last year.Despite the thousands of air strikes against it, the jihadist ideology of IS has spread, with franchises mushrooming across the Middle East and beyond.The groups branch in Egypt kidnapped a Croatian man near Cairo and released a video this week threatening to execute him unless the Egyptian government released jailed Muslim women by Friday.Regional and global efforts have so far failed to break the back of the organisation led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.The United States and Turkey, long accused of abetting jihadist expansion, recently agreed on an IS-free zone in northern Syria.The plans implementation remains unclear but Washington has billed it as a potential breakthrough.Speaking to columnists in the White House on Wednesday, US President Barack Obama said hope was growing of a political settlement in Syria.Russia and Iran, the main backers of Syrias embattled President Bashar al-Assad, were beginning to realise that the trend lines are not good for the regime, he said.Irans Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, whose country finds itself on the same side in opposing IS, on Wednesday also spoke of a possible political solution.Now many of the players consider resorting to and focusing on a political solution as the most appropriate way to solve the Syrian crisis, he said.

Posted by IMRAN ALI SOOMRO (DARVESH) at 8/08/2015 07:22:00 AM

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