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ARY NEWS

Reuters

  • Taliban's Mullah Omar died of natural causes in Afghanistan, says son

    The dispute within the Taliban threatens a fledgling peace process with the Afghan government and may open the way for Islamic State to expand its toehold of influence.

    The Taliban in July officially confirmed Mullah Omar had been dead for more than two years, after the Afghan spy agency leaked the news. The next day, a hastily convened meeting appointed Omar’s deputy, Mullah Mansour, as leader.

    Many commanders and Omar’s family were unhappy with the appointment. Some question why Mansour concealed news of Omar’s death for two years. He said it was necessary to preserve unity amid the 2014 NATO withdrawal. Rumours have multiplied amid the splits.

    “I wanted to assure you that he died a natural death,” Omar’s eldest son, Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, said in an audio tape released on Sunday night and authenticated by Taliban sources.

    “He had been sick for some time but his condition deteriorated,” he said. “We made enquiries from the doctors, it seems he was suffering from HCV (Hepatitis C).

    “He stayed in Afghanistan even after the US-led invasion of Afghanistan. He died there and was laid to rest there.”

    The tape, Yaqoob’s first public audio statement, rejected the idea that his father had appointed a successor, in an apparent jab at Mansour.

    “He had not appointed any one as his successor,” he said.

    Mansour, a strong tactician backed by some of the most powerful field commanders, enjoys good relations with neighbouring Pakistan, which is often accused of backing the insurgency.

    The Afghan insurgents fear Pakistan wants to manipulate their movement for its own ends, worries Yaqoob referred to.

    “Our enemy is the U.S.-backed Afghan government,” he said. “There are some Islamic countries which are also standing alongside our enemies.”

    Some militias affiliated to the Taliban have already pledged allegiance to Islamic State, the group dominating Iraq and Syria.

    Yaqoob, 27, stopped short of claiming the leadership.

    “If unity can return with my death, I am willing to carry out suicide,” he said. “We are ready for whatever order the council gives us. We are ready to work in any capacity, whether on a high level or a lower level.”

  • Australia thrash England to win one-day series

    The result looked inevitable long before lunch, with England dismissed for 138 and captain Eoin Morgan retiring hurt after being hit on the head by a bouncer from Australia’s Mitchell Starc in the seventh over.

    With England winning the toss and opting to bat, Australia’s bowlers let rip and seized crucial early wickets — reducing the hosts to 22-3 and 72-6 before wrapping up the England innings in only 33 overs.

    Both England’s openers fell for four, Jason Roy given out lbw to Starc, although had he gone to the third umpire he may well have been reprieved. Alex Hales went shortly after, slicing a John Hastings delivery to point.

    Only Ben Stokes offered any real resilience but when he was lbw to Mitchell Marsh for 42, leaving England on 85-7, the hosts were already staring at a crushing defeat.

    Marsh also took the wickets of Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali and David Willey for a haul of four for 27.

    Adil Rashid hung around for 35 but England were all out before the scheduled interval.

    Australia, who had Aaron Finch 70 not out in a 109-run unbroken partnership with George Bailey, cruised to victory with more than half their overs to spare.

    Fielders rushed to help Morgan after he was struck on the back of the head, with Starc visibly shaken by the incident. The captain was replaced by Bairstow at the wicket while James Taylor assumed his role.

    “It was a nasty knock and I really hope his health and well-being is OK,” said Steve Smith after his first series win as full-time Australia captain.

    “This team’s been through a few tough things, none more than last summer and you never want to see anything like that happen out on the cricket field.

    “It was a tough couple of moments but I thought the boys put in a really good effort today.”

    Taylor said Morgan was groggy and being treated for concussion.

    Last November, Australian international Phillip Hughes died two days after being struck on the head by a ball while he was batting in a first-class state match in Sydney.

    “The way Morgy had to depart was unfortunate and I think that probably cost us,” said Taylor.

    “Then we lost clumps of wickets, which you can’t afford to do against the world champions”.

    Smith hailed his bowlers, with Marsh man of the match.

    “I think that’s one part of the series we haven’t done so well in the first four games, starting with the ball and we addressed that,” he said.

    “Today we were able to get out there and hit some good areas and let the wicket do the work. It was an early morning start and it was probably a good toss to lose in the end.”

  • Hingis, Mirza end perfect U.S. Open with doubles title

    Hingis, the Swiss former-world number one and her Indian partner Mirza, tore through the doubles tournament without dropping a set to claim back-to-back grand slams after their victory at Wimbledon.

    It has been a productive and busy visit to New York for Hingis who also captured the U.S. Open mixed doubles title with India’s Leander Paes.

    Having only joined forces in March, Mirza and Hingis have enjoyed a successful partnership reaching six finals in 12 events and winning two majors.

    After easily taking the first set Hingis and Mirza broke to open the second and apart from a late wobble were never really threatened by the Australian Dellacqua and Kazakhstan’s Shvedova.

    For Hingis it was her second U.S. Open doubles title coming 17-years after she won her first in 1998 with Jana Novotna.

  • Djokovic tops rival Federer to win U.S. Open title

    The victory gave Djokovic three of the year’s four grand slam titles with a loss to Stan Wawrinka in the French Open final his only blemish.

    It was the 10th career major for Djokovic but only his second U.S. Open.

    The 28-year-old Serb had known more frustration than success on the Flushing Meadows hardcourts having previously reached the final five times and lifting the trophy just once in 2011.

    It was more grand slam misery for the 34-year-old Swiss who, for the second consecutive grand slam, reached the final only to be denied an 18th title by Djokovic.

    Federer and Djokovic finally took to the court after a three-hour rain delay and were slow to find their rhythm and footing, particularly the top-seeded Serb, who crashed to the surface in the opening set badly scraping his arm and leg.

    But the unflappable Djokovic quickly regained his composure and footing.

    Federer, broken just twice the entire tournament, was living dangerously from the start by facing three break points in the opening game but managing to save all three.

    The Swiss, however, could not fight off another three break chances on his next service game as Djokovic made the breakthrough to go up 2-1.

    Federer broke back immediately but the Serb would quickly regain the advantage with yet another break to move ahead 4-3 then held serve to take the opening set from a shaky Federer.

    The second set was a test of wills as Federer, with the crowd squarely in his corner, went toe-to-toe with a defiant Djokovic, the tug-of-war highlighted by a tense 15-minute 10th game with that Djokovic held to level at 5-5.

    But it was Federer ending the set with a big fist pump after breaking Djokovic with a stinging crosscourt winner that brought to the capacity crowd to its feet.

    The effort, however, appeared to take something out of Federer as Djokovic, sensing his chance, claimed the crucial break at 5-4 to take control.

    Djokovic kept up the pressure with a break to open the fourth and then again to go up 5-2 to put the U.S. Open within his grasp.

    But Federer would not go down without a fight, digging into his reserves the Swiss would break and hold serve to cut the deficit to 5-4 and put the crowd in full roar.

    With Djokovic again serving for the match, Federer would get three more break chances but this time the Serb would not falter and clinched the title when Federer’s return sailed long.

  • Mayweather beats Berto in farewell, ends 49-0

    Mayweather, 38, easily outboxed his younger opponent over the 12 rounds to retain his WBC and WBA welterweight titles and improve his perfect career record to 49-0, matching the benchmark set by former heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano.

    Five-division world champion Mayweather dominated most of the exchanges in the MGM Grand Garden Arena with his lightning jabs, control of space and agile movement about the ring to finish well ahead on all three judges’ scorecards.

    Berto, a 30-1 underdog against one of the best defensive fighters of all time, dropped to 30-4 as he suffered his fourth loss in his last seven fights.

    “Andre Berto has heart, a tremendous chin, he wouldn’t lay down,” Mayweather said in a ringside interview after sinking to his knees after the final bell sounded before looking up at the rafters as the fans snapped pictures with their cell phones.

    “It was a good fight. I knew he would be a tough competitor. Experience played a major role tonight. He is a very athletic boxer. What can I say? I was the better man tonight.”

    Asked if he might be tempted to come back for a 50th fight, Mayweather replied: “My career is over. It’s official. I’m financially secure and I’m in good health.

    “You’ve got to know when it’s time to hang it up, so I think it’s about time for me to hang it up. I’m close to 40 years old, I’ve been in this sport 19 years, been world champion for 18 years, I’ve broken all records.

    “There’s nothing left to prove in the sport of boxing,” said Mayweather, who has made more than $700 million during his stellar career.

    Back in the ring for the first time since May when he beat Manny Pacquiao in a ‘mega-fight’ that became the richest bout in boxing, Mayweather landed 232 of 410 punches thrown while Berto connected with just 83 of 495.

    Mayweather also dominated the jabs count, connecting with 83 of 191 compared to his opponent’s paltry 39 of 301.

  • Iran says finds unexpectedly high uranium reserve

    The comments cast doubt on previous assessments from some Western analysts who said the country had a low supply and would sooner or later would need to import uranium, the raw material needed for its nuclear program.

    Any indication Iran could become more self-sufficient will be closely watched by world powers, which reached a landmark deal with Tehran in July over its program. They had feared the nuclear activities were aimed at acquiring the capability to produce atomic weapons – something denied by Tehran.

    “I cannot announce (the level of) Iran’s uranium mine reserves. The important thing is that before aerial prospecting for uranium ores we were not too optimistic, but the new discoveries have made us confident about our reserves,” Iranian nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA.

    Salehi said uranium exploration had covered almost two-thirds of Iran and would be complete in the next four years.

    Uranium can be used for civilian power production and scientific purposes, but is also a key ingredient in nuclear weapons.

    The July deal between Iran and world powers will lift international sanctions on Iran in exchange for at least a decade of curbs on the country’s nuclear activity.

    After decades of efforts, Iran – which has consistently said its program is for peaceful purposes – has achieved a full nuclear fuel cycle, ranging from the extraction of uranium ore to enrichment and production of fuel rods for nuclear reactors.

    Sanctions on companies taking part in Iran’s uranium mining industry will be lifted when the agreement is implemented.

    Salehi said uranium extraction was set to begin at a new mine in the central province of Yazd, according to IRNA.

    Some Western analysts have previously said that Iran was close to exhausting its supply of yellowcake – or raw uranium – and that mining it domestically was not cost-efficient.

    A report published in 2013 by U.S. think-tanks Carnegie Endowment and the Federation of American Scientists said the scarcity and low quality of Iran’s uranium resources compelled it “to rely on external sources of natural and processed uranium”.

    It added: “Despite the Iranian leadership’s assertions to the contrary, Iran’s estimated uranium endowments are nowhere near sufficient to supply its planned nuclear program.”

    Iran has repeatedly denied overseas media reports that it has tried to import uranium from countries like Kazakhstan and Zimbabwe.

  • Sprint's plan for new iPhone trumps other U.S. carriers

    Sprint Corp’s offer for the 16 GB iPhone 6S with a basic data, calling and text plan costs between $3 and $10.50 less per month than a competing offer from the other three top U.S. carriers.

    The competition in the U.S. wireless industry is fierce and the launch of the newest iPhone iteration on Wednesday is a chance for carriers to lure customers away from their rivals.

    But, Apple Inc served up a curve ball by offering its own financing scheme for an unlocked iPhone, which gives a customer the liberty to switch between carriers, rather than be tied down by a contract with one carrier.

    However, Sprint’s plan works out to be cheaper, on a per month basis, than even buying the iPhone from Apple and going for the cheapest wireless plan on offer.

    Sprint is charging $22 per month for the 16 GB iPhone 6S, under a 21-month lease. That along with a basic talk, text and data plan, worth $45, will cost a customer $67 per month.

    A T-Mobile US Inc plan similar to Sprint’s will cost about $70 per month – $20 for the phone with an 18-month agreement and $50 for a basic wireless plan.

    Sprint and T-Mobile usually offer cheaper plans to lure customers from Verizon Communications Inc and AT&T Inc, the top two U.S. wireless companies, which analysts say have better networks.

    Verizon’s plan costs about $77.08 per month, $27.08 for the iPhone over two years and $50 for a wireless plan.

    AT&T’s plan, Next12, costs about $77.50 per month, $32.50 for a 20-month phone contract and $45 for a wireless plan.

    Under Apple’s offer, the iPhone 6S will cost $32.41 per month. Paired with a basic $45 wireless plan, among the cheapest available, the phone would cost $77.41 per month.

    And what when a new iPhone is launched?

    Sprint allows users to upgrade every time a new iPhone is launched, which typically happens once every year, and charges an activation fee.

    T-Mobile allows a free upgrade at any time, while AT&T offers the option of a free upgrade after 12 months.

    Verizon’s plan also permits an upgrade at any time, but requires customers to pay off the remaining cost of the iPhone.

    Still, there are advantages in opting for Apple’s financing plan.

    Apple’s scheme includes AppleCare+, a warranty program that provides two years of hardware protection, instead of the standard one year, as well as coverage for two incidents in cases of accidental damage.

  • Germany will back sharing bank risk only responsibility shared as well

    The ministers were discussing a deposit guarantee plan, an idea backed by the European Commission. It wants to propose steps toward a deposit insurance and reinsurance scheme in October, Commission Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis said.

    The deposit guarantee would be the third and final element of the EU’s banking union. However, Germany opposes the idea, fearing funds it has built up to protect its savers would be used to guarantee deposits in other, less prudent European countries.

    In a paper prepared for the meeting in Luxembourg, Berlin said that before such a scheme could be introduced, the two existing elements of the banking union — a single supervisor for euro zone banks and a single resolution mechanism — should be fully implemented and tested.

    Germany also proposed a scheme for sovereign debt restructuring and some changes to existing laws that would require a change in the EU treaty — a lengthy and risky process.

    EU ministers seemed to have adopted the German approach, which could push the creation of the EU deposit guarantee well into the future.

    “There is a readiness to go toward a deposit guarantee system that is more European, but this has to be seen in a sequence,” Pierre Gramegna, the finance minister of Luxembourg which holds the rotating EU presidency, told a news conference.

    “It is all about when the risk-sharing is going to happen. When we see there is more responsibility … the time will be right to discuss an EU level deposit system,” he said. “The door is not closed, but it is a question of timing.”

    The 19 countries sharing the euro have already agreed the first two pillars of the banking union. Those are a single bank supervisor and a Single Resolution Mechanism for winding up failed banks.

    Costs are to be covered from a dedicated fund, the Single Resolution Fund. The fund is to become operational from January and will be financed from annual contributions from banks.

    But it will only reach its target size of 55 billion euros after seven years. Most euro zone governments agree the fund should get a credit line from the euro zone bailout fund, the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), an idea Germany opposes.

    Even with German consent, such a credit line would require a change of the ESM treaty, which now allows the ESM to lend only to governments, not to institutions.

    Such a treaty change would be difficult by the end of the year, so ministers are considering using the ESM at a later stage. Before that, more money would be provided through national credit lines to national resolution-fund units that make up the bigger fund.

  • Paes, Hingis win third mixed major with U.S. Open triumph

    The Australian Open and Wimbledon champions came back from 4-1 down in the championship tiebreak to storm to victory with a 6-4 3-6 10-7 win over Americans Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Sam Querrey.

    Hingis and Paes became the first duo to capture three major mixed titles in the same year since Margaret Court and Marty Riessen achieved the feat in 1969.

    The triumph earned 42-year-old Paes a ninth mixed doubles trophy and 17th grand slam title while Hingis took her overall grand slam tally to 19 (five singles, 10 women’s doubles and four mixed).

    “I just love to play tennis and I am fortunate to have Leander as my partner,” Hingis told reporters.

    Paes added: “Martina is a legend on and off the court. She’s my best friend. She’s just fantastic.”

    Hingis could add to her haul over the weekend when she teams up with another Indian, Sania Mirza, in the women’s doubles final.

  • Naismith hat-trick gives Everton victory over Chelsea

    The result left the champions with four points from their opening five matches after their worse start to a season since 1988. Everton moved up to third in the table before the later matches.

    Naismith replaced the injured Mo Besic and headed Everton in front in the 17th minute to complete a 19-pass move that cut Chelsea to ribbons.

    The Scotland forward doubled Everton’s lead five minutes later before Nemanja Matic brought Chelsea back into the game with a superb 25-metre strike.

    Chelsea failed to build on that goal, however, and Naismith wrapped up the points for the home side with another well-worked goal after 83 minutes, shooting wide of keeper Asmir Begovic who was replacing the injured Thibaut Courtois.

    Leaders Manchester City visit second-placed Crystal Palace, Arsenal entertain Stoke City and Manchester United host Liverpool among games later on Saturday.