new developments or international recognition that the uae has received for its
improving human rights track record especially in the field of labour said the
foreign ministry statement
the uae faces many of the challenges related to human rights with openness
and determination and realises that more work needs to be done
however the hrw report fails to portray an accurate and balanced picture and
in turn this approach has undermined the relevance and credibility of the
report
football palermo and napoli compound juve misery
milan jan afp
victories for palermo and napoli in serie on sunday compounded juventus loss
in falling at home to as roma the day before
juve eighth loss in matches ensured they failed to climb back into the top
four and with napoli win at livorno the turin giants now trail the
champions league places by four points
and with palermo cruising to home win over fiorentina juve dropped to
sixth as their miserable season in which they crashed out of the champions
league group stages in december continues to go from bad to worse
napoli th serie game without defeat coach walter mazzarri has not lost
league match since taking over from sacked former italy boss roberto donadoni in
october ensured they remain on course for top four finish
argentine forward german denis had goal ruled out for marginal offside
decision in the first half but the visitors still turned around at the break
goal to the good
that was thanks to stunning marco van basten style back post volley from
cristian maggio in first half injury time meeting luca cigarini cross with as
sweet strike as he has ever produced
livorno were awarded second half penalty for what television replays suggested
was clear dive as martin bergvold went down in the box three steps after the
lightest brush of contact with michele pazienza
however justice was done as cristiano lucarelli penalty was kicked away by
goalkeeper morgan de sanctis before the striker hurried follow up went both
high and wide
cigarini then curled home free kick in injury time after goalkeeper alfonso di
lucia was sent off for handling outside his area and defender davide marchini
had to go between the sticks as livorno had used up their three substitutes
in sicily palermo remained in the champions league hunt with thrashing of one
of their nearest rivals fiorentina
young uruguayan striker abel hernandez opened the scoring heading home after
fabrizio miccoli shot crashed back off the bar
the year old then nutmegged french goalkeeper sebastien frey for his second
before igor budan volley sealed the victory in the second period
it could have been worse for juve as cagliari would also have overtaken them had
they won at rock bottom siena but they were held to draw in match both
teams finished with men
bologna came from behind to beat bari and move four points clear of the
relegation zone but lazio held at home to chievo and udinese beaten
at home by sampdoria both remain hovering precariously just above it
the big game of the day later in the evening is the eagerly anticipated derby
between the top two in serie inter and ac milan
coup allegations raise tension ahead of sri lanka vote
colombo jan afp
sri lanka opposition accused the ruling regime sunday of plotting coup in
anticipation of being voted out heightening tension ahead of the island first
peace time presidential poll
the allegations raised the prospect of street protests and potentially violent
power struggle in the country first election since tamil tiger rebels were
defeated last year ending their year fight for independence
the ruling party led by president mahinda rajapakse denied the charges by
opposition candidate sarath fonseka and said it expected to win fairly in
tuesday contest against the former army chief
campaigning throughout by rajapakse and fonseka former allies who defeated
the tigers in military campaign dogged by war crime allegations has been
bitter and personal
in the face of inevitable defeat the rajapakse regime according to reliable
information seems to be conspiring to thwart the democratic process said
mangala samaraweera former foreign minister and backer of fonseka
at press conference called by fonseka he and his allies pointed to alleged
orders to the army troop movements plans to impede the election commissioner
and preparations to disrupt the media as evidence of coup plot
security sources confirmed to afp that several key army commanders and senior
police official had been transferred from their usual positions but none of the
other claims could be immediately verified
the government denied any intention to subvert the electoral process
the opposition is making baseless allegations to justify their defeat
rajapakse spokesman chandrapala liyanage said we will have peaceful
election and all indications are that the president is comfortably ahead
however the president suffered major defection on sunday when the matriarch
of his party pledged support for fonseka
took the decision to end four years of silence as am deeply concerned
about the violence intimidation and corruption chandrika kumaratunga told
reporters and urged her supporters to vote for fonseka
kumaratunga is key member of the sri lanka freedom party slfp the main
constituent in the ruling coalition
in the run up to the poll police say at least four people have been killed and
hundreds wounded in clashes between the factions the house of an influential
opposition figure was bombed on friday
rajapakse nationalist from the majority sinhalese ethnic group called
tuesday vote after only four years of his six year mandate in bid to
harness groundswell of support after the victory over the tigers
fonseka political novice whose popularity and influence also rose with
the military victory dashed rajapakse hopes of an easy ride back to power by
deciding to run as an opposition candidate
the retired four star general accused the president of sidelining him after the
war and making false accusations that he was plotting coup
both men remain dogged by allegations of war crimes and whoever eventually
triumphs will have to contend with pressure from the united nations and western
nations to submit to probe
the united nations says tamil civilians may have died in the final months
of the fighting though the government denies this independent journalists were
not given access to the war zone
the un estimates people were killed in the conflict since
the minority tamils on whose behalf the tigers waged their war of suicide
bombings and assassinations might swing the final result if the two candidates
split the sinhalese vote equally
tamils could decide the next president said political analyst victor ivan of
the ravaya weekly in colombo
rajapakse was also widely criticised by european countries the us and the un
for holding tamil civilians in restricted camps until the end of last
year
opposition leader ranil wickremesinghe said they would take to the streets in
protest if the government acted against the will of the people
black eyed peas pooped in awards mix up
cannes france jan afp
us hip hop band the black eyed peas were mistakenly declared best international
group at france top music awards before the prize was given to the real
winners the german band tokio hotel
choreographer kamel ouali who was presenting the prizes late saturday at the
nrj awards in cannes told the audience the us band had won but few minutes
later returned to the stage to say he had made mistake
last year katy perry was mistakenly given the trophy for best international song
when it should have gone to rihanna
more bodies found in nigerian village elder
jos nigeria jan afp
twenty eight more bodies were on sunday found in central nigerian village
following muslim christian clashes that have left hundreds dead the kuru karama
village head told afp
we found more bodies today in pit in bush on the western outskirt of the
village they were badly decomposed but they have been buried umar baza said
on telephone
this brings to the total number of people dug out of wells and pits after
the clashes in kuru karama an old mining village about kilometres miles
from jos the capital of plateau state
global rights watchdog human rights watch hrw and baza said separately on
saturday that victims of the clashes had been recovered from pits and wells
in the old mining village
the latest figure brings the total unofficial number of casualties from the four
days of fighting in and around jos to according statistics supplied by
medical and aid workers religious and community leaders
hrw spokesman eric guttschuss quoting figures from muslim officials told afp
on saturday from washington that of those killed were muslims
plateau state police spokesman mohammed lerama on sunday urged residents to
provide the police with any information that would lead to the arrest of
fleeing murderers
he did not give details
alpine skiing world cup slalom results
kitzbuehel austria jan afp
men world cup slalom results on sunday
felix neureuther ger
julien lizeroux fra
giuliano razzoli ita
benjamin raich aut
michael janyk can
marcel hirscher aut
ivica kostelic cro
mattias hargin swe
steve missillier fra
mario matt aut
julien cousineau can
brad spence can
cristian deville ita
trevor white can
naoki yuasa jpn
anton lahdenper swe
silvan zurbriggen sui
wolfgang rl aut
bernard vajdic slo
lars elton myhre nor
kilian albrecht bul
manfred lgg ita
ted ligety usa
thomas mermillod blondin fra
alexandre anselmet fra
reinfried herbst aut
nolan kasper usa
dnf nd leg christoph dreier aut andre myhrer swe filip trejbal cze
dnf st leg manfred pranger aut georg streitberger aut aksel lund svindal
nor jens byggmark swe marc berthod sui
overall world cup standings after events
benjamin raich aut pts
carlo janka sui
didier cuche sui
aksel lund svindal nor
ivica kostelic cro
michael walchhofer aut
julien lizeroux fra
didier fago sui
silvan zurbriggen sui
ted ligety usa
world cup slalom events after events
julien lizeroux fra pts
reinfried herbst aut
ivica kostelic ita
benjamin raich aut
giuliano razzoli ita
world cup super combined standings after of events
benjamin raich aut pts winner of minor globe
carlo janka sui
iviva kostelic cro
silvan zurbriggen sui
bode miller usa
french warship arrives off haiti with aid
port au prince jan afp
french navy amphibious assault ship equipped with two landing craft four
helicopters and onboard operating theatres was due off haiti on sunday to
offload humanitarian aid
french officials said ambassador didier le bret and the haitian first lady
elizabeth preval were due to visit the warship later in the day as it dropped
anchor in the bay off the earthquake devastated capital port au prince
the crew of siroco tonne foudre class warship will spend four days
offloading tonnes of aid and equipment for rescue teams including
mechanical diggers to clear the rubble left by thousands of ruined homes
on january haiti was hit by catastrophic earthquake that left at least
people dead and another million struggling to survive in makeshift camps
dotted around the capital and surrounding region
an international military coalition dominated by the united states has swung
into action to assist the united nations coordinated relief effort
alpine skiing world cup slalom results
kitzbuehel austria jan afp
men world cup slalom results on sunday
felix neureuther ger
julien lizeroux fra
giuliano razzoli ita
benjamin raich aut
michael janyk can
marcel hirscher aut
ivica kostelic cro
mattias hargin swe
steve missillier fra
mario matt aut
julien cousineau can
brad spence can
cristian deville ita
trevor white can
naoki yuasa jpn
anton lahdenper swe
silvan zurbriggen sui
wolfgang rl aut
bernard vajdic slo
lars elton myhre nor
kilian albrecht bul
manfred lgg ita
ted ligety usa
thomas mermillod blondin fra
alexandre anselmet fra
reinfried herbst aut
nolan kasper usa
dnf nd leg christoph dreier aut andre myhrer swe filip trejbal cze
dnf st leg manfred pranger aut georg streitberger aut aksel lund svindal
nor jens byggmark swe marc berthod sui
overall world cup standings after events
benjamin raich aut pts
carlo janka sui
didier cuche sui
aksel lund svindal nor
ivica kostelic cro
michael walchhofer aut
julien lizeroux fra
didier fago sui
silvan zurbriggen sui
ted ligety usa
world cup slalom events after events
julien lizeroux fra pts
reinfried herbst aut
ivica kostelic ita
benjamin raich aut
giuliano razzoli ita
world cup super combined standings after of events
benjamin raich aut pts winner of minor globe
carlo janka sui
iviva kostelic cro
silvan zurbriggen sui
bode miller usa
football italian serie results
rome jan afp
italian serie results ahead of sunday late match
bologna gimenez bari barreto
genoa palacio crespo atalanta
lazio stendardo chievo pellissier
livorno napoli maggio cigarini
palermo hernandez budan fiorentina
siena calaio cagliari matri pen
udinese di natale pen isla sampdoria pazzini pen pozzi
semioli
playing later
inter milan ac milan
saturday
catania mascara martinez morimoto parma
juventus del piero as roma totti pen riise
afghan president heads for turkey germany
kabul jan afp
afghan president hamid karzai left for turkey and germany on sunday ahead of an
international conference in london on finding ways to help his country his
office said
the us backed leader will meet turkish politicians and his pakistani counterpart
asif ali zardari during tripartite meeting between ankara islamabad and
kabul his office said in statement
the president will meet asif ali zardari the pakistani president over
effective ways of fighting terrorism the statement said
on tuesday karzai will visit germany where he is scheduled to hold talks with
chancellor angela merkel on wednesday before heading to london for the
international conference on afghanistan the statement said
karzai foreign interior finance and education ministers as well as his spy
chief were accompanying him on the trips it added
britain is to host the international conference on afghanistan on thursday in
bid to thrash out conditions for achieving the international community goals
in the country
at the london gathering afghanistan will present its development programme
which includes newly initiated peace scheme with the taliban insurgents
turkey has traditionally enjoyed close ties with both afghanistan and pakistan
and hopes to use monday meeting in istanbul to boost its role as mediator
between the two countries whose relations have been strained in recent years
karzai had difficult relationship with zardari predecessor pervez musharraf
with each blaming the other for persistent security problems along the
countries shared border
football dutch league results
the hague jan afp
dutch league results on sunday
ajax az alkmaar
fc groningen fc twente
sparta rotterdam ado den haag
vvv venlo feyenoord
played saturday
heracles almelo vitesse arnhem
sc heerenveen willem ii
roda jc fc utrecht
rkc waalwijk nac breda
played friday
psv eindhoven nec nijmegen
standings points played
psv eindhoven fc twente ajax feyenoord
heracles almelo fc utrecht az alkmaar nac breda
fc groningen vvv venlo vitesse arnhem
sc heerenveen roda jc sparta rotterdam nec
nijmegen ad den haag willem ii rkc waalwijk
alpine skiing world cup slalom results
kitzbuehel austria jan afp
mne world cup slalom results on sunday
felix neureuther ger
julien lizeroux fra
giuliano razzoli ita
benjamin raich aut
michael janyk can
marcel hirscher aut
ivica kostelic cro
mattias hargin swe
steve missillier fra
mario matt aut
julien cousineau can
brad spence can
cristian deville ita
trevor white can
naoki yuasa jpn
anton lahdenper swe
silvan zurbriggen sui
wolfgang rl aut
bernard vajdic slo
lars elton myhre nor
kilian albrecht bul
manfred lgg ita
ted ligety usa
thomas mermillod blondin fra
alexandre anselmet fra
reinfried herbst aut
nolan kasper usa
dnf nd leg christoph dreier aut andre myhrer swe filip trejbal cze
dnf st leg manfred pranger aut georg streitberger aut aksel lund svindal
nor jens byggmark swe marc berthod sui
berlusconi lawyer calls corruption trial ridiculous
rome jan afp
embattled prime minister silvio berlusconi lawyer defended italy leader in
national newspaper sunday denouncing charges in case involving his media
empire as ridiculous and unfounded
niccolo ghedini also deputy for berlusconi centre right people of liberty
party told corriere della sera the suspicion of breach of trust by the prime
minister was contradicted by the facts documents testimonies
prosecutors in milan on friday announced the end of the investigation into
mediatrade rti acquisition of rights to broadcast films move that is
normally followed by request for court case
mediatrade rti is part of berlusconi media empire
group of including berlusconi his son us film producer frank agrama and
two people from hong kong are suspected of inflating the price paid to
paramount and other studios and using the money to create slush fund
berlusconi is suspected of breach of trust while his friend fedele
confalonieri the head of mediaset subsidiary of berlusconi holding company
fininvest is suspected of tax fraud
according to the lawyer there is nothing that proves illegal connections
between mediaset or berlusconi and agrama accounts
the inquiry began in with raid on rti and the seizure of million
dollars million euros from the swiss bank accounts of hong kong based
company belonging to agrama
ghedini categorically rejected the suspicions stressing that the prime
minister did not get penny
berlusconi is currently on trial in two other cases
ghedini dismissed there was any coincidence with recent draft law that would
set two year limit on all trials with the same term applying to the two
subsequent appeals limiting the full legal process to six years
the italian press predicts berlusconi could benefit from the project to shorten
legal trials
football van nistelrooy drops holland hint
hamburg germany jan afp
dutch striker ruud van nistelrooy said he has joined bundesliga side hamburg in
bid to win back his place in the holland team before this summer world cup
in south africa
the year old made his last appearance in the orange shirt of holland after
his side were beaten in the quarter finals by russia at euro but has
hinted he would like to play for the netherlands again
want to deliver the goods in the shirt of hamburg and to win things with this
team said the dutch star who signed from real madrid on saturday on the
club website
hope the dutch selectors will contact me again so can take part in the
world cup
the hot shot forward scored goals for holland in matches but announced
his retirement for second time following euro after disagreement with
then coach marco van basten
but hamburg have pulled off something of coup by signing the dutch striker and
the former manchester united star said he was eager to join
the bundesliga has always interested me and is one of the reasons why
accepted hamburg offer said van basten
in my opinion this is one of the best leagues in the world alongside spain and
england
van nistelrooy has signed contract until june and hamburg are reported to
have spent million euros million us dollars on bringing the dutchman to
the club
he joins three other dutchmen joris mathijsen eljero elia and romeo castelen
in the hamburg squad and van nistelrooy said he had spoken to former hamburg
captain and real team mate rafael van der vaart about hamburg
spoke to rafael and joris about hamburg and they both said what good club
it was they all advised me to go there said van nistelrooy
the tall striker has earned glittering reputation for scoring goals wherever
he plays
he has already been crowned the best striker in holland having scored goals
for eindhoven between and england having scored goals for
manchester united between and spain having netted goals for real
between and
there is still some uncertainty about how he will perform for hamburg after knee
surgery in november and he has only played minutes of football for real
this season
may need bit of time to recover my fitness but hope to prove myself to
my team mates as soon as possible he said
obama confident of repeat fed term for bernanke adviser
washington jan afp
federal reserve chairman ben bernanke will garner enough votes to win us senate
confirmation for second term despite opposition from key democrats president
barack obama top adviser said sunday
the president is very confident that the chairman will be confirmed said
adviser david axelrod who praised bernanke handling of the global economic
meltdown
chairman bernanke offered very strong and steady leadership during this crisis
without which we may have slipped into the abyss and we are still in
fragile state although the economy is growing axelrod told cnn state of
the union television program
the white house aide voiced praise of bernanke stewardship of us monetary
policy and said he needs another term as the country banker to ensure that
nascent economic recovery continues on track
there is great deal of concern relative to the financial sector and
understand that we need his leadership axelrod said
president barack obama administration has been scrambling to save his
beleaguered fed nominee first installed by obama predecessor george bush
in february in the face of opposition from members his own democratic
party
two senior senate democrats barbara boxer and russell feingold announced
friday they would vote against bernanke after his first term ends on january
all told as many as senators are thought to oppose bernanke criticizing him
for being too closely allied with wall street
senator john mccain obama republican rival in the presidential race
said he was leaning against supporting bernanke claiming that his policies
were partially responsible for the meltdown that we experienced
chairman bernanke was in charge when we hit the iceberg mccain told cbs
program face the nation
ramped up democratic opposition to second term for bernanke underscores
major populist shift in the political landscape since republicans won stunning
upset last week in the massachusetts election for us senate seat ending the
seat democratic supermajority in the chamber
but analysts have warned that tossing out bernanke could trigger renewed turmoil
in financial markets
time magazine named bernanke its person of the year in december
crediting him with helping guide the united states through financial turmoil
football arsenal roughed up by stoke goal hero fuller
stoke england jan afp
ricardo fuller was the scourge of arsenal as stoke finally ended their long wait
for an fa cup triumph over the gunners with win in the fourth round on
sunday
fuller scored twice to punish wenger decision to field an inexperienced side
at the britannia stadium and hand the potters their first victory over arsenal
in this competition in eight attempts stretching back to
jamaican forward fuller took only seconds to stun the visitors and although
denilson levelled the stoke star nodded in th minute goal to guide tony
pulis men through to the fifth round with dean whitehead late third
completing memorable day
the last meeting of these side at the britannia little over year ago was
something of shock to arsenal as stoke bloodied their noses with defeat
while last season bruising encounter created controversy stoke supporters of
an older persuasion are probably still harbouring the painful memories of
and when arsenal beat them in successive fa cup semi finals
wenger has made no secret of his need to lift some silverware after five years
without trophy but his team selection was very similar to youth team with
out captain cesc fabregas and denilson surviving from the side that beat bolton
on wednesday
jay emmanuel thomas made his debut while francis coquelin carlos vela and
