Europe mulls sanctions against US over spying

Posted: BERLIN (AP) - The United States could lose access to an important law enforcement tool used to track terrorist money flows, German officials said Monday, as Europe weighs a response to allegations that the Americans spied on their closest European allies.Spain became the latest U.S. ally to demand answers after a Spanish newspaper reported that the National Security Agency monitored more than 60 million phone calls in that country during one month alone. The report Monday in the daily El Mundo came on the heels of allegations of massive NSA spying in France and Germany, including Chancellor Angela Merkel's own cellphone.With European leaders dissatisfied with the U.S. response so far, officials have been casting about for a way to pressure Washington to provide details of past surveillance and assurances that the practice will be curbed. The challenge is to send a strong message to Washington against wholesale spying on European citizens and institutions without further damage to the overall trans-Atlantic relationship.As possible leverage, German authorities cited last week's non-binding resolution by the European Parliament to suspend a post-9/11 agreement allowing the Americans access to bank transfer data to track the flow of terrorist money.German Justice Minister Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger said Monday she believed the Americans were using the information to gather economic intelligence apart from terrorism and that the deal, popularly known as the SWIFT agreement, should be suspended. That would represent a sharp rebuke to the United States from some of its closest partners.It really isn't enough to be outraged, she told rbb-Inforadio. This would be a signal that something can happen and make clear to the Americans that the (EU's) policy is changing.Suspending the agreement, officially known as the Terrorist Finance Tracking Program, would require approval by an overwhelming majority of the 28 European Union countries. The agreement allows access to funds transferred through the private, Belgium-based Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, which handles the movement of money between banks worldwide.The minister's comments follow days of vocal indignation in Berlin after German news weekly Der Spiegel reported the NSA had kept tabs on Merkel's phone calls since as early as 2002, three years before she became chancellor.Merkel said Friday that she was open to the idea of suspending the SWIFT agreement, saying she needed to look at this again more closely and weigh what we will lose for the security of our citizens and what we don't.Germany and other European governments have made clear they don't favor suspending the U.S.-EU trade talks which began last summer because both sides stand to gain so much through the proposed deal, especially against competition from China and other emerging markets.Still, the Europeans have said they will insist that the trade agreement includes stronger rules for protecting data as a result of the NSA allegations. Data protection laws in Europe are generally stronger than in the United States.It's obvious to us that we have to and will bring our European convictions regarding data protection, and protection of privacy and business information, into these negotiations, Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert told reporters in Berlin on Monday.In Washington, the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee chairman, Elmar Brok, told reporters that failure to resolve differences over data protection could threaten the trade talks. Brok, a member of Merkel's party who was in Washington to discuss the spy allegations, said the challenge was to strike a balance between security and personal freedom.We are fighting for the rights of our citizens, he said.The steady drumbeat of reports stemming from documents provided to various media by NSA leaker Edward Snowden has created a sense of urgency among European governments that, at the very least, they need to be seen in the eyes of their citizens to be doing something to stop the spying.At the same time, European leaders are anxious to avoid lasting damage in relations with their major ally. So far the issue has not hurt President Barack Obama politically within the United States because Republicans have blamed Snowden rather than the White House for the flap.In the latest allegation, the Spanish newspaper El Mundo published a document it said showed the NSA had eavesdropped on more than 60 million phone calls in Spain between Dec. 10, 2012 and Jan. 8, 2013. The U.S. ambassador to Spain was summoned to the Foreign Ministry for an explanation.Still, Florentino Portero, a political analyst at Madrid's Open University, said Spain's response to the allegations wasn't as strong as it could have been because of the country's ties with the U.S., especially intelligence sharing.The Spanish government doesn't want to create a crisis with the United States based on these leaks, he told The Associated Press.Madrid is wary of endangering the U.S. military presence in Spain at two bases, Portero said. The U.S. is boosting its presence there as part of a missile defense system, and both Spanish and American officials have stressed that this will give Spain an economic boost as it struggles with unemployment of 26 percent following years of recession.But Heather Conley, Europe director for Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, said that for Germany, at least, the situation appeared to have reached tipping point and for now other European countries were willing to follow Berlin's lead.German intelligence officials are to travel to Washington this week and expect something tangible to bring home, she said.If they leave empty-handed, we've got a big problem, Conley said.

Blast heard near Yemen US Embassy; attack denied Posted: ADEN (AP) - Yemeni security officials said that an explosion followed by what sounded like heavy gunfire had been heard near the U.S. Embassy in the capital Sanaa late Monday, but government spokesmen later said that the blast was fireworks from a wedding procession.The State Department also issued a statement saying it had no indication that reports of an attack on or near the U.S. Embassy in Yemen were accurate.The reports came amid what appeared to be a security alert in the Yemeni capital, where the local branch of al-Qaida periodically stages high-profile attacks. Extra security troops could be seen deployed since Sunday and motorcycles were absent from main streets. They had been banned during past alerts to prevent them from being used to carry bombs.Two security officials in Yemen told The Associated Press by phone that the explosion occurred near the embassy, followed by the sounds of gunfire. One said troops had sealed off the area. They spoke anonymously as they were not authorized to talk to media.But Mohammed al-Mawri, an official at the Yemeni Interior Minister's office, said the blast was fireworks from a wedding procession. A Yemeni Embassy spokesman in Washington, Mohammed Albasha, gave the same account and said police detained individuals who lit them.Wedding guests sometimes fire guns into the air in celebration in Yemen, but that would be unusual in the area near the embassy, a heavily secured, upscale part of the capital home to several other diplomatic facilities and a hotel used by U.S. officials.The Yemeni government is fighting a war against al-Qaida's local branch, considered by Washington to be one of the world's most dangerous offshoots of the terror network.The U.S. and Britain evacuated diplomatic staff from Sanaa in August after learning of a threatened attack that prompted Washington to close temporarily 19 diplomatic posts in the Middle East and Africa.

Australian forces to quit Afghanistan by Christmas Posted: SYDNEY (AFP) - Prime Minister Tony Abbott declared the end of Australia's bitter-sweet war in Afghanistan during a surprise visit to the country, with 1,000 troops set to return home for Christmas.Abbott flew to the Australian Defence Force (ADF) mission in Uruzgan province to make the announcement, an official statement said Tuesday.Sweet because hundreds of soldiers will be home for Christmas. Bitter because not all Australian families have had their sons, fathers and partners return, he said at Australia's main base at Tarin Kot on Monday.Our mission in Afghanistan has been critical to our national security, added Abbott's statement.We have worked to ensure Afghanistan does not again become a safe haven for terrorists and have worked with our allies to make the world a safer place.People have paid a high price. We have lost 40 of our best.More than 20,000 Australians have served in Afghanistan, with 40 killed in action and 260 wounded since 2001 when Australia joined close ally the United States to fight the Taliban and Al-Qaeda.Abbott reaffirmed Australia's commitment to support Afghanistan in the future, notably with training for the Afghan National Security Forces and development assistance. Several hundred Australians will continue to serve in non-combat roles in Afghanistan.

Morsi rejects authority of Egypt court due to try him Posted: CAIRO (AFP) - Egypt's ousted president Mohamed Morsi has rejected the authority of the court that is due to try him next week for incitement to murder, his supporters said Monday.Morsi, an Islamist hailing from the Muslim Brotherhood who was Egypt's first freely elected leader, was ousted by the military on July 3 amid massive protests against his year-long rule.He is due to stand trial with 14 others on November 4 for incitement to murder in connection with deadly clashes between his supporters and opponents outside the presidential palace in December 2012.No lawyers will be defending president Mohamed Morsi, neither Egyptians nor foreigners, because the president does not recognise the trial or any action and processes that result from the coup, the Anti-Coup Alliance, led by the Muslim Brotherhood, said in a statement.The group said a team of Egyptian lawyers would be attending the trial with Morsi, but only to observe proceedings, not to defend him.It said its statement was prompted by false reports in pro-military media outlets saying the Muslim Brotherhood had appointed lawyers from Turkey and Qatar to represent Morsi.The group called on international human rights activists and lawyers to attend the trial to see firsthand the trampling of justice.

Death toll from storm hitting Europe rises to 13 Posted: LONDON (AP) - The death toll from a severe storm that ripped across Britain and onto mainland Europe has risen to 13, with the U.K. and Germany hit the hardest.Hurricane-force gusts have knocked down trees, flooded low areas, left hundreds of thousands without power and snarled transportation networks across the region.U.K. officials reported at least five deaths. Four people were killed Monday in Germany, adding to two deaths at sea off the German coast Sunday.Danish media says one man was killed by a flying brick just north of Copenhagen, and Amsterdam police said a woman there was killed by a falling tree.

Cilic makes winning comeback at Paris Masters Posted: PARIS (AP) - In his first match since his return from a four-month ban for a positive doping test, Marin Cilic beat Dutch qualifier Igor Sijsling 5-7, 6-1, 6-4 Monday to reach the second round of the Paris Masters.The Croatian served 21 aces and hit 42 winners to only 17 for Sijsling, who double-faulted to give Cilic a 4-3 lead in the deciding set.All the players, they know me and they were really happy to see me and they were really happy that this is over for me, Cilic said. Everybody knows it was like honest mistakes, and it can happen to really anyone. I'm of course definitely against doping, against the players who are cheating, and I would say that there should be some more seminars for the players to be more aware about these things that can happen.Cilic tested positive for a banned stimulant in May but claimed he ingested it inadvertently though a glucose tablet bought at a pharmacy.The International Tennis Federation found traces of nikethamide in Cilic's urine sample from a tournament in Munich, where he lost in the second round to fellow Croat Ivan Dodig.Nikethamide is prohibited in competition but can be used out of competition. Cilic said he had ingested the tablets five days before his match.When notified in June by the ITF of the positive test, Cilic accepted a provisional suspension and withdrew from a second-round match at Wimbledon, citing a knee injury.Cilic reached a career-high No. 9 ranking in February 2010. His ranking has dropped to 41st from 12th at Wimbledon.In September, the ITF hit Cilic with a nine-month ban back-dated to May 1.I would definitely say it was the worst time of my life to experience this as a player, Cilic said. It was extremely difficult situations where people were even calling me a doping player and a cheater.The governing body's anti-doping tribunal later said Cilic hid behind the excuse of a knee injury to withdraw from his second-round match against Kenny de Schepper at Wimbledon and avoid negative publicity after failing a doping test.My lawyers were put under pressure at that time and told me I have to pull out, Cilic said on Monday.Cilic challenged his suspension at the Court of Arbitration for Sport and sought to prove he was not a cheat while the ITF appealed the verdict of its own independent tribunal and requested a two-year ban.Last Friday, the court reduced Cilic's suspension from nine to four months, allowing him to compete at the Paris Masters.I just don't know who I have to believe anymore. I feel like everybody lies, even the institutions, Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga said Monday. I feel like even those who are testing us don't always say the truth.Also Monday, Spaniards Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco won their first-round matches, too.Lopez outlasted Bernard Tomic of Australia 6-4, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (1). Lopez failed to serve out the match at 5-4 in the second set but he recovered in the tiebreaker of the third by winning the last six points.Verdasco edged Ernests Gulbis of Latvia 7-6 (3), 7-6 (5) despite blowing a 3-0 lead in the second set and converting only one of 11 break points.Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany, Lukas Rosol of the Czech Republic, Dutch qualifier Robin Haase and Colombian qualifier Santiago Giraldo also advanced to the second round.Kohlschreiber dismissed Andreas Seppi of Italy 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, Rosol beat Jeremy Chardy of France 6-3, 6-4, Haase defeated Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan 7-6 (8), 6-3, and Giraldo edged French wild card Adrian Mannarino 6-3, 2-6, 6-4.

Champions League prize money to rise in 2015-18 Posted: ZURICH (AP) - Champions League clubs' share of billion-dollar annual prize money is set to rise through 2018 as their need for income increases in the Financial Fair Play era.The agency marketing Champions League rights on behalf of UEFA said Monday that clubs will be happy with their increase when the next deals kick in.Switzerland-based TEAM Marketing is currently selling broadcast and sponsorship deals for the 2015-18 seasons, which follow existing three-year deals worth 1.34 billion euros ($1.85 billion) annually.It is a fantastic time '15 to '18, we will generate growth and we will see happy clubs with the results, TEAM director Martin Wagner told The Associated Press in an interview. The clubs are expecting growth and we will manage that.The 32 clubs playing in this season's Champions League will share at least 900 million euros ($1.24 billion) in UEFA prize money.Last season, Juventus was the biggest earner getting 65.3 million euros (then $86.3 million) from UEFA despite being eliminated in the quarterfinal. Each club is paid an entry fee for reaching the group stage, plus results bonuses through the competition and a share of their national broadcasting deal.Champions League income is key for elite clubs trying to meet UEFA's Financial Fair Play rules which regulate spending and require clubs to approach break-even on their football income. In the most serious cases, clubs face being barred from the Champions League.Missing out is increasingly risky for broadcasters and clubs.The unique model of the Champions League is it's the mass (audience), you get the numbers, Wagner said on the sidelines of the International Football Arena conference.Wagner told delegates at FIFA headquarters that a global average audience of at least 170 million watched Bayern Munich beat German rival Borussia Dortmund in the final last May the biggest rating for a sports event in 2013.Everybody needs premium content, Wagner said, adding that the Champions League is unique to have for sponsors who need to connect with consumers.Wagner predicted enormous growth potential in the China, India and the United States, where Fox holds the 2012-15 rights. Some European markets including Britain would have strong competition between pay-TV broadcasters.What you get now, you have in the future, Wagner said of broadcasters' sports-led business model. Bidders like Sky, they need to do the job now because then they have the so-called inertia benefit, meaning people are then reluctant to change to other systems.The 2015-18 deals will likely be the last when a winning bid gets the broadcast rights across all digital platforms.The bidders know that something is coming, Wagner said, predicting big change driven by social media and young fans. All the companies who try to sell devices will be strong bidders in future.Change should also be lucrative for UEFA and clubs, with screen technologies such as virtual advertising set to revolutionize everything, Wagner said.You can put your message regionally, you can target your groups better, so this will generate more income, he said.

Squash: Ashour suffers early scare in world title defence Posted: MANCHESTER (AFP) - Ramy Ashour, the strongest favourite to retain the world squash championship in two decades, began his title defence with a scare during which he almost went two games down.The brilliantly gifted Egyptian has gone 45 matches unbeaten but slipped to a game and 8-10 down to Laurens Jan Anjema, the former top ten Dutchman, before winning his 46th by 10-12, 13-11, 11-3, 11-4.Two tight little front court rallies on those two critical points in the second game got Ashour back to 10-all; had his control failed him on either occasion he would have been left with a mountain to climb.The world champion fled from the arena after his fright, eventually to be cornered by only one journalist who elicited a brief description of his predicament.LJ (Laurens Jan) played very well - but it's always like that. I have not had any player who didn't play well against me for two or three years, Ashour said.So that's how it is. Every player plays his best against me, which is kind of hard for me, but at the same time it motivates me.This was though rather more than a match in which an outsider played well.Not long ago Anjema was in the world's top ten, only falling from the leading 16 because he wanted to go away and change a few things.To face so able a competitor in the opening encounter while trying to justify a special billing and also accustoming oneself to new conditions was inherently risky.Anjema hit the ball to good lines, cut it off well, and was dangerous when sensing a sniff of an opening. He knew which rallies to play out long as well, but from midway in the third game he seemed to lose some spring in his legs.Nevertheless his run from 6-8 in the second game to hold two game balls at 10-8 was extraordinarily dangerous, bringing a hum of surprise from the crowd, and scream and some yells from Ashour.But instead of panicking the modern era's most gifted wielder of a racket conjured a perfect counter-drop to Anjema's backhand attempt to reach 9-10, and then pulled off a gambler's cross court drop to reach parity.He's one of the greats, for sure, Anjema said.He plays with a nonchalance which even Jahangir or Jansher Khan didn't have. And he invents new shots.I guess we'll never know what might have happened if I had gone two games up. But he is one of the kind who lifts himself in that situation.Earlier Ashour's compatriot, Amr Shabana, the four times former world champion, started with an 11-6, 11-7, 11-7 win over Adrian Grant, a former top ten Englishman, while Ashour's predecessor as world champion Nick Matthew, started with an 11-5, 11-4, 11-4 win over Zahed Mohamed, an Egyptian qualifier.

Golf: LPGA welcomes 16-year-old Ko as member Posted: LOS ANGELES (AFP) - New Zealand teenager Lydia Ko has been granted full membership on the US LPGA Tour starting in 2014, commissioner Michael Whan said Monday.Whan said he had reviewed Ko's petition and agreed to waive the usual requirement that players must be 18 years old to gain full member status.This decision ensures that Lydia can attend all of our LPGA rookie development sessions that take place in the early part of the year, Whan said.The 16-year-old sensation has won the Canadian Women's Open each of the past two seasons, her victory in 2012 making her the youngest winner in LPGA history at 15 years, four months and two days old.Ko, who announced her decision to turn pro last month, has already won four professional events as an amateur.In addition to her Canadian women's Open titles she won the 2013 New Zealand Women's Open as well as the 2012 Bing Lee Samsung Women's NSW Open.Ko also finished second at the Evian Championship, designated a fifth LPGA major this year and has soared to fifth in the women's world golf rankings.I am very excited to become a member on the LPGA Tour, the bespectacled teenager, who won't turn 17 until April, said in a statement.It has always been my dream goal to play on the LPGA, and play against the world's best players. I know that becoming a member is not only performing well, but to deal with responsibilities very well.Women's golf is growing day by day and I would love to be able to inspire other girls to take up the game, and go for it.I believe this is only the start to my career and I have many new things to learn along the way. I am so grateful to get the opportunity to play with the players I look up to and respect. I can't wait to start the season early next year.While LPGA policy stipulates a minimum age of 18 for members, players between the ages of 15 and 18 can petition for that to be waived.The last player to petition the commissioner and have her petition accepted was Lexi Thompson, who was also 16 at the time she petitioned the commissioner.Ko plans to compete in her first event as a professional at the LPGA's season-ending CME Group Titleholders in Naples, Florida November 21-24.Her Canadian Open victory earned her a place in the field.

NYC Marathon returns after Boston attack Posted: NEW YORK (AP) - The New York City Marathon's security budget has doubled to about $1 million after the bombings at this year's race in Boston.Sunday's event comes after last year's marathon was called off because of damage from Superstorm Sandy. Organizer New York Road Runners had a deficit of about $4 million in 2012 because of the cancellation. Insurance didn't cover all the costs because NYRR decided to offer the option of a refund to runners, many of whom had already traveled to New York before the announcement.Entrants will be given a ribbon they can wear Sunday to honor the Boston victims.

Oil prices rise on new Libyan production worries Posted: NEW YORK CITY (AFP) - Oil prices rose Monday as traders kept a wary eye on Libyan crude production, where new labor unrest threatened supplies from the OPEC member.New York's main contract, West Texas Intermediate for delivery in December, closed at $98.68 a barrel, a gain of 83 cents from Friday.Brent North Sea crude for December, the European benchmark, soared $2.68 to settle at $109.61 a barrel in London trade.Libyan crude production was disrupted several months ago after labor unrest forced terminals to shut, slashing crude output to under 100,000 barrels per day. Before the shutdowns, Libya was producing between 1.5 million and 1.6 million barrels of crude oil per day.Production had increased in recent weeks, but an uptick in protests has raised concerns about exports from the country amid near-daily attacks and bombings that some say are pointing to a second civil war.We are continuing to process the news from Libya where there is a renewed shutdown on the production due to protests, said John Kilduff of Again Capital.It looked like it was improving, and now it looks like we are leaning towards zero (production) again. The market is going to miss those barrels.Libya was definitely the main thing driving the prices higher today, he added.Lackluster US economic data for September limited US oil price gains, Kilduff said. Pending home sales fell more than expected under pressure from higher interest rates, according to the National Association of Realtors. US industrial production picked up 0.6 percent but that was due partly to utilities cranking up to meet weather shifts, including an early cold snap in the West.The snapshots of the US economy lent support to market expectations that the Federal Reserve will keep its massive monetary stimulus unchanged at the end of a two-day meeting Wednesday.

Dollar pauses from recent declines as Fed meeting looms Posted: NEW YORK CITY (AFP) - The dollar Monday took a break from recent declines, strengthening against other major currencies even as analysts eyed the prospect for more greenback weakness later this week.At 2200 GMT, the euro traded at $1.3787, down from $1.3801 Friday.The dollar also advanced against the yen, buying 97.66 of the Japanese currency compared with 97.38. The euro rose to 134.67 yen from 134.44.The dollar has been trading near a two-year low against the euro in recent sessions and a one-year low against the Swiss franc.The dollar weakness stems from confidence the US Federal Reserve will maintain its easy-money $85 billion per-month bond-buying program for a while longer. Prior to the Fed's September meeting, many analysts had expected the Fed to trim back the program in 2013. Analysts expect the Fed will wind up its two-day policy meeting Wednesday again leaving the program unchanged. Many analysts expect there will be no taper until at least early 2014. Despite Monday's dollar strength, our broader bias remains for further modest weakness in the US dollar from current levels given the Fed's continued easy stance, said Nick Bennenbroek, head of currency strategy at Wells Fargo Securities.Kathy Lien, managing director at BK Asset Management, warned that Tuesday's US retail sales report could signal further dollar weakness. While the Fed is not expected to shift its monetary policy, the central bank could downgrade its description of the economy, which would be enough to send the greenback to fresh lows, Lien said.The British pound dipped to $1.6141 from $1.6155.The dollar advanced to 0.8957 Swiss franc from 0.8920.

Pakistan, South Africa in talks over return series Posted: CAPE TOWN (AP) - The Pakistan Cricket Board is in early talks with its South African counterpart over a short return series immediately after the teams' current contest in the United Arab Emirates, a PCB official said on Monday.A hastily-arranged Pakistan tour, likely starting in late November, would help South Africa fill the gaps in its home calendar after India demanded its end-of-year trip was shortened, denying South African fans and Cricket South Africa the initially planned three tests, seven one-day internationals and two Twenty20 games.India will now visit top-ranked test team South Africa for just two tests and three one-day internationals, probably in December although the exact dates of its re-scheduled tour have not yet been announced.PCB spokesman Nadeem Sarwar told The Associated Press that talks were at a very initial stage over Pakistan now touring for not more than two weeks and making use of the gap the Pakistanis have in their schedule ahead of a series against Sri Lanka starting on Dec. 11.Cricket South Africa confirmed in email correspondence that it was exploring alternatives to make up for the lost games against India.We are not in a position to make any official announcements yet but hope to do so in the near future, CSA said.India's rejection of CSA's planned itinerary further soured relations between those two cricket boards, once close friends. The rejected schedule was seen as India's way of making clear its displeasure with CSA for appointing Haroon Lorgat as its chief executive, a former International Cricket Council boss who had a history of run-ins with the Board of Control for Cricket in India.India's decision to curtail its tour means CSA will only host five international games instead of 12 on that tour and incur significant financial losses, which it wants to offset with another short series.South Africa and Pakistan drew their recent test series 1-1 in U.A.E. and will play five ODIs and two T20 games from Wednesday. The countries also met in a series in South Africa at the start of the year.

Govt not to take extra-judicial step over Shakil Afridi issue: PM Posted: LONDON (Web Desk) - Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday said that the issue of Shakeel Afridi was sub-judice and the Court would give its ruling.Talking to newsmen after his arrival in London, the PM said that his government would not take any extra-judicial step over the issue of Shakeel AfridiHe said Pakistan has the prerogative to take its own decisions and it should exercise its right.Nawaz Sharif said that the drone attacks were against sovereignty of Pakistan and during his meeting with US President Barack Obama, he had very candidly and openly discussed the issue.The PM, who is in London to attend 9th Meeting of the World Islamic Forum, said that peace was fast restoring in the port city of Karachi, adding, Insh’allah, it would be restored fully.

Security forces kill nine terrorists in Miranshah Posted: MIRANSHAH (Web Desk) - Nine terrorists were killed in a retaliatory attack by the security forces on terrorists who attacked a security check here on Monday.According to military sources, three soldiers were injured due to blast of an IED planted on the roadside by the terrorists on Tank-Tandolar road in South Waziristan.