Amla, Steyn return to Twenty20 internationals

Karachi: 12 fishermen trapped in deep sea rescued Posted: KARACHI (Dunya News) – According to details, 12 fishermen were trapped in deep sea near Ibrahim Haidri when their fishing boat developed some fault.Two other fishing boats rescued the trapped fishermen when Maritime Security personnel failed to respond on their SOS call.Talking to media after reaching Ibrahim Haidri, boat owner Muhammad Ismail said that they requested administration to send helicopter to recue fishermen but they did not listen.

Kerry in Afghanistan for urgent security talks Posted: KABUL (AP) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry flew to Afghanistan Friday for urgent talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai as an end of October deadline looms for completing a security deal that would allow American troops to remain in Afghanistan after the end of the NATO-led military mission next year.Kerrys unannounced visit to Kabul comes as talks on the Bilateral Security Agreement have foundered over issues of Afghan sovereignty despite a year of negotiations.The U.S. wants a deal by the end of the month, but the discussions have stalled over Karzais demand for American guarantees against future foreign intervention and U.S. demands for any post-2014 residual force to be able to conduct counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations.U.S. officials insist they are optimistic about a deal but the continuing deadlock leaves it doubtful that any agreement will be reached by months end. If no deal is signed there will be no U.S. forces in Afghanistan after 2014.Officials traveling with Kerry told reporters aboard the secretarys plane that the U.S. continues to believe the Oct. 31 deadline is doable and desirable and that failing to meet it would create significant problems.They said uncertainty caused by the lack of an agreement by the end of the month would make it more difficult to plan the next phases of withdrawal from Afghanistan and could erode the resolve of NATO allies that are considering leaving troops there for training.Without the United States on board, it is unlikely that NATO or any of its allies would keep troops in Afghanistan. Germany has already indicated it will not commit the 800 soldiers it has promised.Thats why were pressing, said one of the officials traveling with Kerry.However, the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly preview Kerrys discussions with Karzai, stressed that Kerry is not expecting to clinch an agreement during his visit.Instead, the trip, which Kerry and Karzai set up in an Oct. 5 phone call, is meant to build momentum for the negotiators who will continue their talks after Kerry departs, they said.The atmosphere surrounding the talks has been soured by recent angry and emotional comments from Karzai complaining about the conduct of NATO forces.Earlier this week, Karzai alleged that the U.S. and NATO inflicted suffering on the Afghan people and repeatedly violated his countrys sovereignty. The comments drew a sharp response from NATOs secretary-general who recalled how much the alliance has bled in Afghanistan.Nearly 3,390 members of the NATO coalition have been killed since the U.S. invasion, which marked its 12th anniversary on Oct. 7. They include at least 2,146 members of the U.S. military.There currently are an estimated 87,000 international troops in Afghanistan, including about 52,000 Americans.The U.S. wants to keep as many as 10,000 troops in the country to go after the remnants of al-Qaida, but if no agreement is signed, all U.S. troops would have to leave by Dec. 31, 2014.The agreement would give the U.S. a legal basis for having forces in Afghanistan after that date and also allow it to lease bases around the country. It would be an executive agreement and not a treaty, meaning the Senate would not have to ratify it.President Barack Obama told The Associated Press in an interview last week that he would consider keeping some American forces on the ground after the conflict formally ends next year, but acknowledged that doing so would require an agreement. He suggested that if no agreement can be reached, he would be comfortable with a full pullout of U.S. troops.Roughly 95 percent of the dozen-page agreement is complete and the rest is penciled in until the two sides can agree on language, U.S. officials say.The officials with Kerry said the positions of the two sides on the remaining issues are not incompatible. But they described the differences as complex and not easily overcome.Afghanistan wants American guarantees against future foreign intervention, a veiled reference to neighboring Pakistan. Afghanistan accuses its neighbor of harboring the Taliban and other extremists who enter Afghanistan and then cross back into Pakistan where they cannot be attacked by Afghan or U.S.-led international forces.The second sticking point is about the role and conduct of the counterterrorism force the U.S. wants to leave behind. Karzai has said the Afghan people cannot allow foreign troops to attack and kill Afghans on Afghan soil.Karzai is calling a meeting of Afghan tribal elders to advise him on whether to sign a security deal. But that conference will not be held until November, Afghan officials say.If they endorse the agreement, then Karzai has political cover to agree to it. He is keenly aware that previous leaders of his country historically have been punished for selling out to foreign interests and wants to make sure that any U.S.-Afghan agreement is not seen in that context. Karzai, who cannot run for a third term, is slated to step down at the end of next year the same time nearly all international troops are to have left the country.In addition to the security talks, Kerry will be seeking assurances from Karzai on preparations for the election to replace him, the officials said.

Iraq: 2 bombings kill 6 people Posted: BAGHDAD (AP) - Bomb attacks at a car dealership and an outdoor market on Friday killed six people and wounded 20 others near and north of the Iraqi capital, officials said Friday, the latest attacks in a growing surge of violence.Police officials said the first attack took place in the afternoon when a bomb went off at the car dealership in Baghdads mainly Shiite southeastern suburb of Nahrwan, killing three people and wounding nine others.More than 5,000 people have been killed in Iraq since violent attacks began accelerating in April following a deadly security crackdown against a Sunni protest camp in Hawija town.Shortly after sunset, a bomb exploded near an outdoor market in the mixed town of Tuz Khormato, killing three shoppers killed and wounding 11 others, town police chief Col. Hussein Ali Rasheed, said.Tuz Khormato, a frequent flashpoint for violence, sits in a band of territory contested by Arabs, Kurds and Turkomen about 200 kilometers (130 miles) north of Baghdad.Medical officials in nearby hospitals confirmed the casualty figures for both attacks. All officials provided details of the violence on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to release information.

Another migrant ship capsizes off Italy; 50 dead Posted: VALLETTA (AFP) - Around 50 migrants, including a dozen children, died on Friday when their boat sank between Malta and Sicily, the Italian news agency Ansa reported.The agency said 150 of the boats passengers were rescued by a Maltese ship and another 50 were saved by the Italian navy, a week after a similar incident off the Italian island of Lampedusa killed more than 300 refugees.The operation is in progress. The navigational conditions are difficult, with strong wind, a Maltese navy spokesman told AFP, saying rescue boats and helicopters had been sent to the site around 110 kilometres (70 miles) south of Malta and 100 kilometres south of Lampedusa.Initial reports suggested the boat sank between Malta and Sicily.The migrants alerted the authorities using a satellite phone when the boat got into difficulty in Maltese waters close to the Italian island of Lampedusa.The boat capsized after those aboard attempted to catch the attention of a military aircraft surveying it by collecting at one end of the vessel, the Maltese navy said.Malta dispatched rescue ships and helicopters to help those aboard the stricken boat, and diverted commercial vessels from the area, while Italy sent helicopters and two naval vessels.On Friday morning, Italian divers found another body from the refugee shipwreck last week off the coast of the island of Lampedusa, further raising the death toll in the tragedy that has cost more than 300 lives.Only 155 survivors were rescued out of an estimated 500 people, most of them Eritreans and Somalis, on the boat which departed from Libya.The disaster has shown up the European Unions asylum policy, which has been criticised for being overly restrictive and forcing refugees to resort to desperate measures to reach Europe.Italy rescued more than 500 migrants in the Strait of Sicily in the early hours of Friday as part of several coastguard operations.EU Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso was heckled by activists and local residents when he visited Lampedusa on Tuesday.The remote island is Italys southernmost point and closer to the African continent than to the rest of the country.Italy has appealed to EU states for help in coping with the thousands that are washing up on its shores every month, and wants migration to be put on the agenda of summit talks in Brussels at the end of the month.The Commission has meanwhile urged EU states to pledge planes, ships and funds for the budget-cut Frontex border guard service to mount a big search and rescue effort across the Mediterranean.Immigration charities estimate that between 17,000 and 20,000 migrants have died at sea trying to reach Europe over the past 20 years, often crossing on rickety fishing boats or rubber dinghies.

UN Council approves Syria disarmament plan Posted: UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - The UN Security Council on Friday formally approved a first joint mission with the Nobel Peace Prize winning global chemical arms watchdog to destroy Syrias weapons.The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the UN have a team of 60 experts and support staff in Syria destroying Syrias production facilities while the countrys civil war rages on.The 15-member Security Council sent a letter to Ban on Friday backing his plan to fully eradication of Syrias banned chemical arms.Ban was to name Sigrid Kaag of the Netherlands as head of the joint mission, UN sources said. Kaag is a UN assistant secretary general working at the UN Development Program.The Security Councils formal backing was given just as it was announced that the OPCW had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.This recognition occurs nearly 100 years after the first chemical attack -- and 50 days after the appalling use of chemical weapons in Syria. Far from being a relic of the past, chemical weapons remain a clear and present danger, Ban said in a tribute to the OPCW.Ban said in a draft plan sent to the Security Council that up to 100 experts will be needed to destroy Syrias sarin, mustard gas and other chemical weapons by the middle of 2014.He has warned they will have to operate in unprecedented danger because of a civil war that has left well over 100,000 dead.The mission will have bases in Damascus and Cyprus, where most inspectors will stay unless they are on site visits.A chemical weapons attack in Damascus on August 21, which left hundreds dead, sparked an international crisis that led to threats of a US military strike against Syrian government targets.The Security Council passed a resolution on September 27 backing a Russia-US plan to destroy President Bashar al-Assads chemical weapons which ended the military threat.The team has been doubled to about 60 people in recent days, the UN said Friday.The team has made good progress in verifying the information submitted by the Syrian government, said a UN statement.At the end of the first 10 days of operations on the ground the verification teams have inspected three sites and plans are underway for further site visits, said the statement.As OPCW has received initial and supplementary information from Syria on its chemical weapons program, the advance team is now in the process of verifying that information.It has also overseen the destruction by Syria of some of its munitions stockpile, as well as some of its chemical weapons production equipment.

UN alarmed at polio threat in Sudan border region Posted: UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The U.N. Security Council is expressing alarm at the imminent threat of the spread of polio through Sudans violence-wracked South Kordofan and Blue Nile states and the continuing outbreak of polio in the Horn of Africa.The U.N. humanitarian office has reported that the threat affects more than 165,000 children in the two Sudanese states due to a lack of immunization in the border area in more than two years, the Security Council said in a statement Friday.The SPLM-North, a rebel group backed by South Sudan, has been fighting government forces in South Kordofan and Blue Nile.The Security Council called on Sudans government and the SPLM-North to urgently overcome differences over technical plans so that a two-week polio vaccination campaign can begin on schedule on Nov. 5.

Rock-steady S. Africa face unpredictable Pakistan Posted: ABU DHABI (AFP) - World number one South Africa will hold most of the aces against an erratic and unpredictable Pakistan when the teams open a two-Test series from Monday.Graeme Smiths Proteas have dominated the five-day format and are unbeaten in a Test series since losing to Sri Lanka in 2006.Their record against sub-continent teams is particularly impressive as they have lost only four out of their last 20 Tests against such opposition and just once in an away series.South Africa have beaten Pakistan in 11 of their 21 Tests, losing only three and drawing the remaining seven.Pakistans only series win came way back in 2003 on home ground.Smiths men routed Pakistan 3-0 when the two teams met in South Africa earlier this year, exposing their rivals fragile batting through pacemen Dale Steyn (20 wickets) and Vernon Philander (15).Even the dusty and dry pitches of the United Arab Emirates, where Pakistan have been forced to play their home matches since the 2009 terror attack on a Sri Lankan team bus, hold no fears for the South Africans.They drew a two-Test series in the UAE in 2010 with Jacques Kallis hitting successive hundreds, AB de Villiers notching South Africas then highest score of 278 not out and Smith and Hashim Amla also scoring centuries.They blunted Saeed Ajmal so well that Pakistan were forced to leave out the ace spinner after he got only three wickets in the first Test in Dubai.Smith, who returns to international cricket following an ankle injury in March, believes his side are ready for all possibilities.We expect the wickets to spin, we expect the worst in that regard, and know that how we handle Ajmal could be the key, said Smith.Pakistan have also named left-arm spinners Abdur Rehman and Zulfiqar Babar, who may make his Test debut at 34, if they play three spinners.Pakistan have only won one of their last eight Tests since Dav Whatmore took over as coach last year and have slipped to sixth in the Test rankings after an embarrassing defeat against Zimbabwe last month.But Misbah-ul Haqs men can take solace from their 3-0 rout of then world number one England in the UAE last year.If Pakistan wants to repeat that triumph their sloppy batting needs a huge improvement and senior players like Misbah and Younis Khan must continue taking the responsibility.Pakistan were shot out for their lowest Test score of 49 at Johannesburg in February this year and failed to dominate a novice Zimbabwe attack.Pakistans pre-series build up was also chaotic as they delayed announcing their squad and then named only 12 players, picking the remaining three from the tour match against South Africa which ended on Thursday.Their top-order could be easy prey for the South African pacemen -- out of three openers, only Khurram Manzoor has played Tests (nine), while Ahmed Shehzad and Shan Masood have yet to play the longer version of the game.South Africa (from): Graeme Smith (capt), Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Imran Tahir, Jacques Kallis, Rory Kleinveldt, Morne Morkel, Alviro Petersen, Robin Peterson, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Thami Tsolekile.Pakistan (from): Khurram Manzoor, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Umar Amin, Adnan Akmal, Saeed Ajmal, Zulfiqar Babar, Abdur Rehman, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Irfan, Rahat Ali, Asad Shafiq, Shan Masood, Ahmed Shehzad.

Germany, Belgium, Switzerland reach World Cup Posted: PARIS (AFP) - Three-time champions Germany, Belgium and Switzerland reached the World Cup finals on Friday as England, Russia and Bosnia-Herzegovina edged closer to Brazil.Germany booked their place with a convincing 3-0 win over the Republic of Ireland in Cologne to move to 25 points in Group C.Belgium beat Croatia 2-1 in Zagreb to top Group A and make the finals for the first time since 2002.Switzerland, meanwhile, reached the finals for the third time after a 2-1 win over Albania in Tirana to assure them of top spot in Group E.The three join Italy and Netherlands who had already made sure of qualification.Goals by Real Madrids Sami Khedira, Chelseas Andre Schuerrle and Arsenals Mesut Ozil confirmed Germanys place in Brazil.Second-placed Swedens 2-1 win at home to Austria left Germany five points clear ahead of their final qualifier against the Swedes in Stockholm on Tuesday.All in all, weve done well in qualifying. The team have done their duty with eight wins out of nine games, said Germany coach Joachim Loew.On-loan Everton striker Romelu Lukaku scored the two first-half goals that took Belgium through.Lukaku found the target in the 16th and 38th minutes with Niko Kranjcar hitting a late consolation for Croatia who must now hope to make the finals via the play-offs.Belgium can be very proud of this team. We are going to Brazil and will try and have a great tournament, said Belgiums Manchester United star Marouane Fellaini.Second-half goals from Xherdan Shaqiri and Michael Lang gave Ottmar Hitzfelds Switzerland victory in Tirana and an unassailable 21 points at the top of Group E.It was a which left one famous Swiss fan over-joyed.Switzerland made it to the World Cup, how happy am I on a scale 1-10? About a 25. Great effort and congratulations, tweeted tennis ace Roger Federer.Tottenhams Andros Townsend crowned his international debut with a fine goal as England beat Montenegro 4-1 to close in on an automatic place in Brazil.Wayne Rooney broke the deadlock early in the second half and a calamitous own goal from Branko Boskovic doubled the hosts lead, before Dejan Damjanovic replied for the visitors.Townsend restored Englands two-goal cushion with 11 minutes to play, however, driving home right-footed from 25 yards before an injury-time penalty from Daniel Sturridge completed the scoring.England will approach their final game at home to Poland on Tuesday needing another win to secure a berth in Brazil.They lead Group H by a point from Ukraine, who beat Poland 1-0 in Kharkiv.Russia, coached by Fabio Capello, cruised to a 4-0 win in Luxembourg to open a four-point lead over Portugal in Group F.Alexander Samedov, Viktor Faizukin, Denis Glushakov and Alexander Kerzhakov all scored to put Russia on 21 points.Second-placed Portugal take on Israel later on Friday.Bosnia-Herzegovina, who have never made a major finals, saw off whipping boys Liechtenstein 4-1 with Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko scoring twice.They lead Group G on goal difference from Greece who edged Slovakia 1-0.The Netherlands swamped Hungary 8-1 in Amsterdam with Robin van Persie grabbing a hat-trick.The Dutch have 25 points from nine games.Denmarks play-off hopes suffered a blow after a late equaliser by Alberto Aquilani helped Italy secure a 2-2 draw in Copenhagen that maintained their unbeaten record in Group B.Italy, who qualified for Brazil with two games to spare, are on 21 points from nine games while Bulgaria, in second, and Denmark are both eight points adrift.The Czech Republic sit in fourth, only one further point behind, meaning there is all to play for in the final round of qualifiers on Tuesday when Denmark host Malta and the Czechs visit Bulgaria.Defending champions Spain are locked on 14 points with France in Group I.They face Belarus in Mallorca where a win combined with a draw against Georgia next Tuesday will be enough for Vicente del Bosques men.The nine group winners qualify for the finals while the eight best runners-up will play off for the remaining four spots.

England beat Montenegro 4-1 in qualifier Posted: LONDON (AP) - Heading into the final round of matches in Group H, England has a one-point lead over Ukraine, which beat Poland 1-0. While England hosts Poland on Tuesday, Ukraine plays bottom-place San Marino.Englands gamble on Andros Townsend paid off as the winger capped an impressive debut by scoring.England came to life in the second half at Wembley Stadium when Wayne Rooney put the hosts in front. Montenegros Branko Boskovic turned the ball into his own net to make it 2-0.Dejan Damjanovic pulled one back for Montenegro with a neat deflection, but Townsend then scored and Daniel Sturridge connected from the penalty spot in stoppage time.England manager Roy Hodgson pulled a surprise by putting Townsend in the starting lineup for his first cap. Four months ago, Townsend withdrew from the squad for the European Under-21 championship before receiving a one-month ban and a fine of $27,000 for breaching betting rules.But a strong start to the season with Tottenham saw Townsend force his way into consideration for the team.From the start Friday, the 22-year-old Townsend used his pace down the right side to trouble the Montenegro defense.England was facing a goalkeeper who, like Townsend, recently served a ban for breaching rules. Vukasin Poleksics two-year suspension was for failing to report that match-fixers approached him before a Champions League match.Townsend ensured England made the perfect start to the second half, charging down the right wing and sending a cross that wasnt cleared.Welbecks shot was stopped, but Rooney put in the rebound in the 49th minute.It was the Manchester United strikers sixth goal in five qualifiers.A backheel from Sturridge in the 62nd minute released Welbeck on the left flank, and his cross was inexplicably sent into the net by Boskovic when under no pressure.England seemed to be cruising when Montenegro pulled one back. Against the run of play, Damjanovic turned Fatos Beqirajs shot beyond keeper Joe Hart in the 72nd.But the two-goal lead was restored six minutes later. Townsend picked up the ball near halfway line and ran through the defense before sending a swerving shot in off the right post.Sturridges penalty kick concluded the scoring.

Russia beat Luxembourg, stays on track for WCup Posted: LISBON, Portugal (AP) - Russia virtually assured its qualification for the World Cup with a 4-0 rout of Luxembourg on Friday that gave Fabio Capellos team a three-point lead at the top of Group F after Israel grabbed a late equalizer for a 1-1 draw against Portugal.Portugal could still pull level with Russia in next weeks last qualifiers but the Russians have scored seven more goals than the Portuguese, giving them the decisive edge.The draw in Lisbon ensured Portugal at least a place in the playoff between the best eight second-place teams in the nine European qualifying groups.Bulgarias 2-1 defeat against Armenia in Group B meant Portugal has enough points for a playoff berth.Russia powered past Luxembourg with first-half goals from Alexander Samedov, Victor Faizulin and Denis Glushakov. Alexander Kerzhakov got another in the 73rd.We have played a very good match, on high speed and with great desire, Russia coach Fabio Capello said. Weve reached our goal.Portugal, a 2012 European Championship semifinalist, failed to impress against Israel in what has been a lackluster qualifying campaign, with Cristiano Ronaldo producing a muted performance in the Portuguese capital.A blunder by goalkeeper Rui Patricio cost Portugal victory as his 85th-minute clearance went straight to Ben Basat, who canceled out Ricardo Costas 27th-minute strike.The game was tense to the end as a below-par Portuguese team held onto its slender lead.Portugals qualification bid went off track earlier in the campaign with a 1-1 home draw against Northern Ireland and a 3-3- draw in Israel, and Fridays lukewarm match was reminiscent of those displays.The Portuguese defense was depleted by the absence of three regular starters, but its attack was the weakest point and the team struggled to find its rhythm going forward.

Top-seeded Kerber, Ivanovic reach Linz semifinals Posted: LINZ (AP) - Top-seeded Angelique Kerber defeated Patricia Mayr-Achleitner of Austria 6-3, 6-1 in the quarterfinals of the Generali Ladies on Friday to secure the final spot in the season-ending WTA Championships.Qualifying for Istanbul is a great achievement, Kerber said. Its the reward for my consistency though Ive had my ups and downs and a couple of injuries this year.The 10th-ranked German next plays fourth-seeded Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain, while two-time former champion Ana Ivanovic will take on Stefanie Voegele of Switzerland. The 58th-ranked Voegere reached the last four by upsetting second-seeded Sloane Stephens 6-7 (3), 6-4, 7-5.Kerber saved a break point while trailing Mayr-Achleitner 3-2 in the opening set. She then won nine straight games to lead 6-3, 5-0 before closing out the victory on her first match point.I was a bit nervous at the start and Patricia played really well, Kerber said. Then I settled and felt more relaxed.Ivanovic defeated seventh-seeded Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia 6-2, 6-4. The third-seeded Serb, who won the event in 2008 and 10, was 3-0 down in the second set before reeling off four straight games.The former top-ranked Ivanovic is yet to reach a final this season.Earlier, Voegele won the last five games to complete her comeback against the 12th-ranked Stephens.To come back from 2-5 in the final set is incredible, said Voegele, who reached her third semifinal of the season. I told myself to keep on fighting and I am proud that I was able to win.Suarez Navarro beat fifth-seeded Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium 6-1, 6-3 to reach her fourth semifinal of the season and first on hardcourt. Suarez Navarro won the first eight points of the match and held serve throughout.

Golf: Trio share lead in Portugal Posted: LISBON (AFP) - English duo Paul Waring and David Lynn shared a second round lead with South African Hennie Otto at the Portugal Masters in Vilamoura on Friday.Still struggling with a virus which hampered him during last weeks Seve Trophy, Lynn had shared a seven-way lead overnight and held his advantage with a second straight 65 following four birdies and an eagle.Playing in the same group, Waring and Otto recorded 14 birdies and one eagle between them to each finish 12 under par.Waring, playing on a medical exemption after an operation on a serious wrist injury, shot an eight-under par 63 and Otto a 64.I am not going to put too much pressure on myself, Ive had a medical (exemption) all year so its nice to get back into a proper category for next year, said Waring, who is currently 86th on the Race to Dubai.Austrias Bernd Wiesberger completed a 65 to lie one shot off the lead on 11 under alongside Scotlands Chris Doak, who had five birdies and an eagle for 64.Im very pleased, said the 35-year-old Doak, who is 112th on the Race to Dubai with only the top 110 after next weeks Perth International keeping their full playing privileges for next season.South African Justin Walters was a further shot back after at round of 63.

Oil near $102 on forecast for rising oil supplies Posted: NEW YORK (AP) - Oil retreated to $102 a barrel Friday on a forecast for an increase in global crude supplies next year.U.S. benchmark crude for November delivery fell 99 cents to close at $102.02 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. With three down days out of five, oil finished the week with a loss of $1.82 a barrel, or 1.8 percent.Brent, the benchmark for international crudes, fell 52 cents to $111.28 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London.In its latest quarterly oil market report, the International Energy Agency predicted strong growth in non-OPEC supplies of crude oil.The Paris-based IEA said that the United States would overtake Russia next year as the largest non-OPEC producer of liquid fuels, a category that includes other fuels on top of crude oil.Non-OPEC supply growth is now projected at an average 1.7 million barrels a day for 2014, the IEA said. This would be the highest annual growth since the 1970s. The US's place in the driver's seat of growth is also a throwback to decades past.The IEA also minimally increased its forecast for crude demand growth in 2014 by 90,000 barrels a day to 92.1 million barrels a day.Traders also watched the latest turns in the debt debate in Washington. The price of oil has swung back and forth for days as lawmakers try to resolve an impasse that left the government partially closed and the markets worries about the U.S. defaulting on its debt for the first time.There was no agreement as of Friday afternoon.Failure to raise the U.S. borrowing limit could result in a default on government bond interest payments, undermining the credibility of assets prized as collateral by banks worldwide and crucial to the functioning of the financial system.

Dollar up against most currencies on Washington talks Posted: NEW YORK CITY (AFP) - The dollar advanced against most major currencies Friday, as foreign exchange markets digested apparent progress in talks to stave off a US debt default and end the US government shutdown.The euro rose against the dollar, trading at $1.3546 near 2300 GMT, up from $1.3520 Thursday.But the dollar rose to 98.59 Japanese yen from 98.15.The dollar was also up against the British pound and the Swiss franc.The euro gained on the yen, trading at 133.55 from 132.70.Talks continued Friday between President Barack Obama and congressional Republicans to extend the US borrowing authority by an October 17 deadline and re-open the government shuttered since October 1.While there was no deal by Friday evening, both sides have described the talks as making progress towards averting a US debt default.Although the equity markets have rallied strongly on apparent progress to reach a compromise, currency markets have taken a more subdued response.Underlying sentiment toward the buck may continue to dither since the proposed debt fix in Washington may only be a temporary solution, which could see another political impasse come back to haunt the dollar in a matter of weeks, said Joe Manimbo, senior market analyst at Western Union Business Solutions.Kathy Lien, analyst at BK Asset Management, predicted the dollar would rally if Congress agrees on temporary funding measures.However if they continue to bump heads and reject each others proposals, the dollar will remain under pressure as investors position for the possibility of default, Lien said.Among other currencies, the pound slipped to $1.5954 from $1.5966.The dollar advanced to 0.9121 Swiss franc from 0.9114.

Amla, Steyn return to Twenty20 internationals Posted: JOHANNESBURG (AFP) - Test stars Hashim Amla and Dale Steyn will return to the South African Twenty20 squad for two matches against Pakistan at the end of the current tour to the United Arab Emirates, Cricket South Africa announced on Friday.Batsman Amla has not played for the Twenty20 side since the World Twenty20 tournament in Sri Lanka last year, while fast bowler Steyn missed South Africas most recent 20 overs series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka.Amla and Steyn replace Farhaan Behardien and Rory Kleinveldt from the South African squad which beat Sri Lanka away in August.Twelve of the 15 players will be playing in a five-match one-day international series ahead of the Twenty20 games, which will be played in Dubai on November 13 and 15.The three additional players are Henry Davids, Aaron Phangiso and David Wiese, who will replace Robin Peterson, Vernon Philander and Graeme Smith from the previously announced one-day squad.South African squad: Faf du Plessis (captain), Hashim Amla, Henry Davids, Quinton de Kock, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, Ryan McLaren, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Aaron Phangiso, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, David Wiese.