Tablighi congregation at Raiwind begins today

Posted: LAHORE (Online): Today, Thursday, marks the beginning of phase one to the global Tablighi congregation at Raiwind. The concluding prayer to the congregation shall be recited by 3rd November. Entire preparations for the congregation event have been fulfilled. Lahore Transport Company has taken over the responsibility to providing transportation to the participants to the congregation in alliance with the private transport operators. The transport availability as in accordance to the plan for the first phase is from 31st October to 3rd November. And for the second phase the transport facility shall be available to the participants from 7th November to 10th November. The transport would travel via Ferozepur Road, Canal Road and Multan Road before reaching Raiwind Saddar beginning from the railway station and general bus stand as per the devised plan. The shuttle service shall be run from Rasool Pura, Jiabhaga till Raiwind bypass.

No change in stance on drone attacks: Pervaiz Rashid Posted: ISLAMABAD (APP) - Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervaiz Rashid said on Wednesday that the government had not changed its stance on the issue of drone attacks. He said Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz during his recent visit to the United States had also raised the issue with President Barack Obama.Talking to reporters after the launching ceremony of projects/newsletter organized by the Forum of Pakistan Ombudsman, he said the nation was united on the issue of drone attacks and now the international community was also supporting its stance.He expressed the confidence that the government would succeed in halting the drone strikes soon.Replying to a question, the minister said the government was working on a plan to produce cheap electricity through coal and alternative resources and hoped that the power load-shedding would be overcome gradually.Work is underway to complete 6600 MW coal power project in Gadani, which will help improve power supply situation, besides reducing its price for the people, he added.Pervaiz Rashid said the present government had taken serious steps to tackle complex issues, which were ignored during the last five years. Efforts were being made way to ensure peace in Karachi, besides improving law and order situation in Balochistan, he added.Answering another question, the minister said the Prime Minister had also raised the issue of Dr Aafya Siddiqui’s release during his US visit, which was taken up by the previous governments.He said the government was making sincere efforts to revive the economy so as to give relief to the people.Pervaiz Rashid said the government believed in freedom and protection of the citizens as no citizen had been abducted or had gone missing during the last five months.He said the government would take all possible steps to save mega enterprises and national institutions and make them profitable.The minister siad that the country’s foreign policy was not an individual issue but was chalked out by the government.He said the Prime Minister had also raised the Kashmir issue in his address to the United Nations General Assembly. Pakistan’s stance on the Kashmir dispute is long-standing that it should be resolved according to the UN resolutions, he added.Replying to a question regarding the threat of PTI leaders to block the NATO supply route if drone attacks continued, the minister said, “Political leaders do issue such statements.”He said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had even failed to administer polio drops to children. The federal government is well aware of its responsibilities and performing its task in the best manner, he added.The minister said the issue of Dr Shakeel Afridi was not discussed during the Prime Minister’s visit. Whatever was discussed, had already been appeared in the media.Regrading trial of former President Pervez Musharraf under Article 6, he said a committee had been constiuted on the issue and a decision in this regard would be taken in the light of committee’s report.

US drone strike kills three in Miranshah Posted: MIRANSHAH (Dunya News) - A US drone strike targeting a compound in Zafar Town area of Miranshah on Thursday killed three people.The attack took place near Miranshah, the main town in the North Waziristan tribal district bordering Afghanistan.A US drone fired two missiles on a compound, hitting a part of the house and also a vehicle parked there, killing three people.Fire engulfed the vehicle soon after the attack, while local people were trying to recover the dead bodies and injured trapped beneath the rubble of the compound.The incident comes a week after Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif urged US President Barack Obama to stop drone strikes during a meeting in Washington.The Pakistani defence ministry Wednesday said 317 US drone strikes in the countrys tribal areas had killed 67 civilians and 2,160 militants in Pakistan since 2008.US drone attacks are deeply unpopular in Pakistan, but Washington sees them as a vital tool in the fight against militants in the lawless tribal areas along the border with Afghanistan.The Pakistani government has repeatedly protested against drone strikes as a violation of its sovereignty.But privately officials have been reported as saying the attacks can be useful in removing militants from the country.

Pakistan: 3 percent of drone deaths were civilians Posted: ISLAMABAD (AP) - The Pakistani government said Wednesday that 3 percent of 2,227 people killed in U.S. drone strikes since 2008 were civilians, a surprisingly low figure that sparked criticism from groups that have investigated death tolls from the attacks.The number, which was provided by the Ministry of Defense to the Senate, is much lower than past government calculations and estimates by independent organizations that have gone as high as 300. The ministry said 317 drone strikes have killed 2,160 Islamic militants and 67 civilians since 2008.The attacks, which mainly target suspected Islamic militants near the northwestern border with Afghanistan, are widely unpopular in Pakistan because they are viewed as violating the countrys sovereignty and killing too many civilians. The Pakistani government regularly criticizes the drone program in public, even though it is known to have secretly supported at least some of the strikes in the past.Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif pressed President Barack Obama to end the attacks in a visit to the White House last week, but the U.S. considers the attacks vital to its battle against al-Qaida and the Taliban and gave no indication it was willing to abandon them.Defense Ministry officials could not be reached for comment, and the statement posted on the Senates website did not give any indication why the number was so much lower than past government calculations and outside estimates.A U.N. expert investigating drone strikes, Ben Emmerson, said earlier this month that the Pakistani Foreign Ministry told him that at least 400 civilians have been killed by the attacks in the country since they started in 2004.Emmerson called on the government to explain the apparent discrepancy, saying the figures provided by the Foreign Ministry since 2004 indicated a much higher percentage of civilian casualties.If the true figures for civilian deaths are significantly lower, then it is important that this should now be made clear, and the apparent discrepancy explained, Emmerson said in an email.The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, based in London, has estimated that drones have killed at least 300 civilians in Pakistan since 2008, while the Washington-based New America Foundation put the figure at 185. These estimates are often compiled based on media reports about the attacks.Pakistans overall death toll is lower than some other totals, although not to the same degree as its figure for civilians. The New America Foundation registered 2,651 people killed in the same period, while the Long War Journal website has 2,493.The danger of traveling to the remote tribal region targeted by the strikes makes it difficult to compile an accurate number of civilian casualties.The U.S. rarely speaks publicly about the CIA-run drone program in Pakistan because it is classified. But some American officials have insisted that the strikes have killed very few civilians and that estimates from the Pakistani government and independent organizations are exaggerated.Amnesty International called on the U.S. to investigate reports of civilians killed and wounded by drone strikes in Pakistan in a report released earlier this month that provided new details about the alleged victims of the attacks, including a 68-year-old woman killed while farming with her grandchildren.Mamana Bibis grandchildren told the London-based rights group that she was killed by missile fire on Oct. 24, 2012, as she was collecting vegetables in a family field in the North Waziristan tribal area, a major militant sanctuary near the Afghan border. Bibis relatives testified before members of the U.S. Congress on Tuesday.The Amnesty report also cited witnesses as saying that a volley of missiles hit a tent where 18 men with no links to militant groups were eating after work, then a second struck those who came to help the wounded on July 6, 2012 in North Waziristan. Pakistani intelligence officials at the time identified the dead as suspected militants.In its latest statement, the Pakistani government said 21 civilians were killed in 2008, nine in 2009, two in 2010 and 35 in 2011. But it insisted no civilians have been killed since then.Amnesty researcher Mustafa Qadri said he was skeptical about the government figures because it conflicted with their research and indicated a failure of the state to adequately investigate alleged civilian casualties.The London-based human rights group, Reprieve, called the governments civilian casualty figures inaccurate, based on higher numbers it said were submitted to the Peshawar High Court by the top official in North Waziristan earlier this year.An Associated Press study in early 2012 of 10 of the deadliest drone strikes in North Waziristan over the preceding 18 months found that of at least 194 people killed in the attacks, about 70 percent at least 138 were militants. The remaining 56 were either civilians or tribal police, and 38 of them were killed in a single strike.The Interior Ministry also said Wednesday that terrorist attacks have killed 12,404 people and wounded 26,881 others since 2002, although these figures were disputed by some senators. The government has been battling an insurgency by the Pakistani Taliban, which seeks to topple the countrys democratic system and impose Islamic law. It was not clear if the figure involved only attacks on civilians, or also attacks on security forces.A roadside bomb killed five soldiers and wounded three others Wednesday in the South Waziristan tribal area, the Pakistani Talibans main sanctuary before the army conducted a large ground offensive in 2009, said military officials. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity in line with military policy.Also Wednesday, a bomb exploded in a market in southwestern Pakistan, killing two people and wounding at least 20 others, said police official Ahmad Raza. The attack occurred in Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province. The province is home to both Islamic militants and separatists who have waged a low-level insurgency against the government for decades.

UN: US says it doesn't, and won't, spy on UN Posted: UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The United Nations said Wednesday it has received assurances from the U.S. government that U.N. communications networks are not and will not be monitored by American intelligence agencies. But chief U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky would not comment on whether the world body had been monitored in the past, as reported recently by the German magazine Der Spiegel.Nesirky said the United Nations had been in contact with Washington about the reports that surfaced two months ago and has received a U.S. guarantee of no current or future eavesdropping.Back in August when these reports first surfaced, we said we would be in touch with the relevant authorities, he said. And I can tell you that we were indeed in touch with the U.S. authorities. I understand that the U.S. authorities have given assurance that the United Nations communications are not and will not be monitored.Nesirky would not elaborate on whether spying had taken place and declined to answer related questions. For emphasis, he held up a piece of paper that said: No comment.A U.S. official told The Associated Press that The United States is not conducting electronic surveillance targeting the United Nations headquarters in New York. The official, who was not authorized to be named, spoke on condition of anonymity.It was not clear whether foreign U.N. missions in New York could be monitored by U.S. intelligence agencies.Former U.S. Ambassador John Bolton, who held the post at the United Nations from 2005-2006, would not comment on what may or may not have gone on in the past because hes no longer in government.That said, it seems to me that the United Nations and everybody walking through the U.N. building are perfectly legitimate intelligence targets, and I think any decision by any president to say we are not going to eavesdrop on U.N. headquarters is a mistake, he told the AP.Theres nothing in the U.S. Constitution that says you may not eavesdrop on the U.N., Bolton said. Silence and a deeply emphasized No comment is how you should deal with all these intelligence questions.Der Spiegel reported that documents it obtained from U.S. leaker Edward Snowden show the National Security Agency secretly monitored the U.N.s internal video conferencing system by decrypting it last year.Der Spiegel quoted an NSA document as saying that within three weeks, the number of decoded communications had increased from 12 to 458. Der Spiegel also reported that the NSA installed bugs in the European Unions office building in Washington and infiltrated the EUs computer network.The United Nations lodged objections. U.N. spokesman Farhan Haq said in August that international treaties protect U.N. offices and all diplomatic missions from interference, spying and eavesdropping.The inviolability of diplomatic missions, including the United Nations, has been well-established in international law, and therefore all states are expected to act accordingly, Nesirky said Wednesday.The 1961 Vienna Convention regulates diplomatic issues and status among nations and international organizations. Among other things, it says a host country cannot search diplomatic premises or seize its documents or property. It also says the host government must permit and protect free communication between the diplomats of the mission and their home country.However, wiretapping and eavesdropping have been used for decades, most dramatically between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

Iraq seeking new US aid after pushes out troops Posted: WASHINGTON (AP) - Nearly two years after the U.S. military left the country, Iraq is now asking for more American weapons, training and manpower to fight a bloody resurgence of Al Qaeda.Violence in Iraq has risen in recent months to levels comparable to the darkest days of the nations civil war.Iraqs request will be discussed during a White House meeting Friday between Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and President Barack Obama.Officials say al-Maliki is expected to ask for new assistance to bolster Iraqs military and battle Al Qaeda.That could be speeding up the delivery of U.S. weapons and improving national intelligence systems. Iraqi officials have not ruled out asking the U.S. to send military special forces or additional CIA advisers to help train and assist counterterror troops.

Shooting, bombings in Iraq kill at least 24 Posted: BAGHDAD (AP) - Shooting and bombings, including two separate overnight suicide attacks targeting Iraqi government forces and an allied militia, killed at least 24 people, officials said on Wednesday.The deadliest of the attacks took place late Tuesday in the town of Tarmiyah, north of Baghdad. Two suicide bombers detonated their explosives-laden belts among a group of soldiers and Sahwa militiamen gathered in the orchard of a local Sahwa leader, killing 12, a police officer said.To maximize casualties, the suicide bombers blew themselves up in sequence: the first detonating among the group and the second at the gate of the compound as people tried to flee, the officer said. The dead included nine soldiers, one a brigade commander, and three militiamen, while 23 were wounded, he said.A former insurgent stronghold, Tarmiya is located about 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of Baghdad.The Sahwa movement, also known as the Awakening Council, was formed by U.S. forces in 2007 to help fight the insurgents during the height of Iraqi war. Ever since, it has been a target for Sunni hard-liners who consider them traitors.In a village outside the northern city of Mosul, a suicide bomber rammed his car into a checkpoint leading to a police station late Tuesday, killing three police officers and four civilians, another police officer said. When an ambulance rushed to the scene, gunmen opened fire on its crew, killing one and wounding three, he said. Mosul is located about 360 kilometers (225 miles) northwest of Baghdad.In Wednesdays violence, a bomb exploded near an outdoor market in the afternoon in Baghdads western suburbs of Abu Ghraib, killing three shoppers and wounding nine, officials said.Also, police said gunmen shot dead an interior ministry employee in a drive-by shooting in northern Baghdad.Medical officials confirmed the casualty figures for the attacks. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to talk to media.Violence has spiked in Iraq since April, with the pace of killing reaching levels unseen since 2008. Tuesdays attacks bring the death across the country so far this this month to 595, according to an Associated Press count.

UN resolution would condemn Syria rights abuses Posted: UNITED NATIONS (AP) - A draft U.N. resolution initiated by Saudi Arabia would strongly condemn widespread and systematic gross violations of human rights by the Syrian government and any abuses by anti-government armed groups.Saudi Arabia, which backs rebels fighting to overthrow President Bashar Assad, has strongly criticized the Security Councils failure to resolve Syrias civil war and other conflicts, citing this as one reason for rejecting a seat on the U.N.s most powerful body earlier this month.U.N. diplomats said the draft resolution, obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press, is expected to be submitted to the human rights committee of the less powerful but much larger General Assembly by Fridays deadline. The committee is expected to discuss it next week and vote on it in late November. If approved, it is virtually certain to be adopted by the 193-member General Assembly in December.Unlike Security Council resolutions, General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, but they do reflect world opinion and carry moral and political weight.The draft resolution is highly critical of the Assad government, expressing outrage at the continuing escalation of violence that has killed more than 100,000 people in 2 1/2 years of fighting and alarm at the regimes failure to protect its people.It blames Syrian authorities for a wide range of human rights abuses including the indiscriminate use of ballistic missiles and cluster munitions; the killing and persecution of protesters, human rights defenders and journalists; attacks on schools and hospitals; and torture, sexual violence and rape in detention.The draft strongly condemns the use of chemical weapons in Syria and strongly points to their use by the Syrian government in an Aug. 21 poison gas attack that killed hundreds of civilians in the Damascus suburb of Al-Ghouta.It notes that the Arab League and the Organization of the Islamic Conference have held the Syrian government fully responsible for the Al-Ghouta attacks, and calls on the Security Council to take the necessary measures against all those responsible for the chemical weapons attack to ensure accountability.Diplomats said the resolutions strong demand for accountability and an end to impunity could be a problem for some countries when it comes to a vote, because of the precedent it could set.The draft also expresses grave concern at the spread of extremism and extremist groups.It strongly condemns all foreign fighters in Syria, singling out those fighting for the government, especially Hezbollah militants from neighboring Lebanon.Their involvement further exacerbates the deteriorating human rights and humanitarian situation, which has a serious negative impact on the region, it says.Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey are providing arms, money and logistical support to the rebels. The Saudis and other Sunni Arab governments are eager to counter their regional rival Iran, which supports Hezbollah and has thrown its weight behind Assad.The draft calls for an end to all violence, including terrorist acts and intimidation that may foment sectarian tensions.It also demands an end to all human rights abuses, the immediate release of all detainees and immediate steps by the Syrian government to expand humanitarian relief operations.The draft supports a new Geneva peace conference aimed at establishing a transitional government and the Syrian peoples aspirations for a peaceful, democratic and pluralistic society ... in which there is no room for sectarianism or discrimination on ethnic, religious, linguistic, gender or any other grounds.

21 killed in truck, tanker crash in Zimbabwe Posted: HARARE (AP) - Zimbabwe state radio says 21 people headed to a funeral died when their open truck collided with a tanker carrying ethanol fuel in southeastern Zimbabwe.The state-run Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corp. reported Wednesday that the truck ferrying mourners side-swiped a tanker carrying the highly flammable ethanol spirit distilled from sugar. It said the collision happened in the sugar plantation district of Chisumbanje, about 460 kilometers (285 miles) from the capital, Harare.State radio said the tanker exploded and most of the 21 passengers were burned beyond recognition in the fire. The coffin on the truck headed to the burial was also incinerated.Road accidents, common in Zimbabwe, are blamed on overcrowding of vehicles, poor roads, speeding, poor maintenance and shortages of tires and essential spare parts in the troubled economy.

Federer beats Anderson at Paris Masters Posted: PARIS (AP) - Top-seeded Rafael Nadal didnt play his best tennis Wednesday but still found a way to reach the third round of the Paris Masters, while Roger Federer qualified for the ATP Finals for a 12th straight year.Nadal beat Marcel Granollers 7-5, 7-5 in an all-Spanish meeting and Federer defeated Kevin Anderson of South Africa 6-4, 6-4.I didnt play well tonight, Nadal said. Something that can happen after two weeks without playing and after a long time without playing on this kind of surface.Nadal broke for a 6-5 lead in each set and clinched the victory when Granollers sent a forehand wide. The match stats pointed to a narrow margin of victory, with Nadal hitting 20 winners to 15 for Granollers and making 23 unforced errors compared to 22 for his opponent.The rhythm of my legs tonight was poor, Nadal said. Im slower than usual, and a lot of mistakes, easy mistakes.Nadal was playing at the Paris Masters for the first time since 2009. He missed the tournament for the past three years because of injuries or fatigue.The victories in days that you are not playing well have much more value than the victories on days that you play well, Nadal said.The U.S. Open champion is seeking a record sixth Masters title in a single season. He will next play last years runner-up, Jerzy Janowicz of Poland.Nadal unseated Novak Djokovic atop the rankings by reaching the final of the China Open in October. He now has a 30-2 record on hard courts this year.Federer has had a rough season by his own high standards, losing in the second round at Wimbledon and in the fourth round at the U.S. Open to drop to No. 6 in the rankings.Anderson shanked a forehand to drop serve in the opening game and Federer hit a forehand winner to take the first set.The fifth-seeded Swiss then took a 5-1 lead in the second set and held off a late charge from Anderson to clinch the victory when the South Africans backhand sailed wide.Defending champion David Ferrer, Juan Martin del Potro and Stanislas Wawrinka also moved into the third round.Ferrer of Spain overcame Lukas Rosol of the Czech Republic 6-0, 2-6, 6-3, and Del Potro beat Marin Cilic of Croatia 6-4, 7-6 (3).Cilic was playing only his second match since the end of his four-month ban for a positive doping test, while del Potro entered the Paris Masters following titles at the Swiss Indoors and Japan Open, plus a runner-up finish at the Shanghai Masters.Del Potro capitalized on a backhand error from Cilic to break for 5-4 in the opening set. The fourth-seeded Argentine then took a 6-2 lead in the tiebreaker and clinched the victory on another backhand error from Cilic.Meanwhile, Wawrinka defeated Feliciano Lopez of Spain 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 to stay in the race for the two remaining ATP Finals spots. In the final set, the seventh-seeded Swiss broke Lopez in the second game and did not face any break points.John Isner, Nicolas Almagro, Gilles Simon, Grigor Dimitrov and Philipp Kohlschreiber also won their second-round matches.Isner of the United States outlasted Polish qualifier Michal Przysiezny 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-3.A semifinalist two years ago, Isner broke for 3-1 in the last set when Przysiezny netted a routine volley. The American hit 27 aces and 47 winners. Isner will next face second-seeded Djokovic.Simon edged wild card Nicolas Mahut 6-4, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (3) in an all-French meeting, Almagro of Spain beat Ivan Dodig of Croatia 6-4, 6-3, BulgariasDimitrov overcame Fabio Fognini of Italy 6-3, 5-7, 6-2, and Kohlschreiber cruised past Tommy Haas 6-2, 6-2 in an all-German match.

Halep, Stosur, Pavlyuchenkova win in straight sets Posted: SOFIA (AP) - Simona Halep, Samantha Stosur and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova were straight-sets winners at the season-ending WTA Tournament of Champions on Wednesday.Top-seeded Halep defeated seventh-seeded Alize Cornet of France 6-4, 6-4, with a second consecutive round-robin win in the Serdika group easing her way to the semifinals. The Romanians last match of the group stage will be against Ukraines Elina Svitolina, who replaced injured Maria Kirilenko.Former U.S. Open champion Stosur swept to an impressive 6-3, 6-3 victory over fifth-seeded Russian Elena Vesnina in the Sredets group, needing only 38 minutes to seal the opening set. Vesnina took a surprise 3-0 lead in the second set before Stosur stormed back to take the match. In Wednesdays last match, Russias Pavlyuchenkova defeated Svitolina 6-2, 6-4.

Football: Bale, Ronaldo star as Real hammer Sevilla Posted: MADRID (AFP) - Gareth Bale scored twice and Cristiano Ronaldo notched a hat-trick as Real Madrid thrashed Sevilla 7-3 on Wednesday in their league clash.Bale was making his first start at the Santiago Bernabeu and made an immediate impact as he put the hosts 2-0 up within half an hour.Ronaldo then added a third, but Sevilla fought back through an Ivan Rakitic penalty and Carlos Bacca.Bale then set up Karim Benzema and Ronaldo to put Real 5-2 ahead before Rakitic replied once more with a stunning strike for Sevilla, although he was to blot his copybook by missing a penalty later.Ronaldo went on to complete his hat-trick and Benzema rounded off the scoring after Sevilla had been reduced to 10 men when Stephane Mbia was sent-off with 14 minutes remaining.Real boss Carlo Ancelotti had made four changes to the side that lost 2-1 to Barcelona at the weekend with Benzema restored to the number nine role between Ronaldo and Bale in attack.And the Frenchman proved his worth in the move for the opener as he raced onto Iscos pass before cutting the ball back for Bale to fire high into the net on his favoured left foot.Benzema then teed up Bale twice more as the Welshman was firstly denied by a smart save from Beto before blasting inches over from 20 yards.Bale was credited with his second of the evening on 27 minutes when his free-kick took a huge deflection off the arm of Alberto Moreno and looped into the net past the helpless Beto.Five minutes later it was 3-0 when Isco was unnecessarily dragged down inside the area by Fernando Navarro.Ronaldo stepped up to fire home and celebrated with a military salute in a mocking response to Sepp Blatters description of him as a commander last week.Yet, Sevilla were back in the game before half-time when firstly Sergio Ramos was harshly penalised for a push on Diogo Figueiras and Rakitic converted the resulting penalty.And two minutes later Vitolo ghosted past Alvaro Arbeloa on the right and squared for Bacca to roll into an empty net.Sevilla could even have been level just after the break when Jairo was denied by DIego Lopez when clean through on goal.However, seconds later a trademark Madrid break saw Ronaldo feed Bale and his cut-back was calmly slotted home by Benzema for his first goal in eight games.Bale then provided his second assist of the evening seven minutes later as his low cross was swept home by Ronaldo.Even at 5-2 the action was far from over as Bale was lucky to escape a booking when he threw himself to the ground looking for a penalty moments later.And with the Real crowd still infuriated by the referees decision not to award a penalty for that incident, Rakitic curled in a wonderful effort from outside the box to make it 5-3.Xabi Alonso was then introduced by Ancelotti for his first appearance of the season following groin and foot injuries.Ronaldo made the game safe when he sealed his hat-trick with a deflected effort from the edge of the area.Rakitic, though, should have completed hat-trick of his own when Ronaldo was penalised for a foul on Figueiras just inside the area, but the Croat ballooned his second spot-kick well over the bar.The visitors were reduced to 10 men shortly after when Mbia was shown a second yellow card after clashing with Luka Modric.And Benzema rounded off a wild night when he headed home Marcelos cross 11 minutes from time.

City beat Newcastle 2-0 in League Cup Posted: LONDON (AP) - Alvaro Negredo and Edin Dzeko scored in extra time to send Manchester City to the quarterfinals of the League Cup with a 2-0 win at Newcastle on Wednesday.Newcastle dominated in the early stages but City weathered the storm and then raised its game in extra time. Negredo broke the deadlock from close range after a simple move in the 99th minute before Dzeko took the ball round goalkeeper Tim Krul to seal the victory in the 105th.In the nights other fourth round match, Tottenham and Hull were level at 2-2 after extra time with the game going into a penalty shootout.

Cycling: Hesjedal admits to doping in dark past Posted: PARIS (AFP) - Canadas 2012 Tour of Italy champion Ryder Hesjedal admitted on Wednesday to having taken performance enhancing drugs 10 years ago after choosing the wrong path.The 32-year-old -- who turned professional in 2005 -- released a statement through his Garmin team responding to claims that he took doping products made in former rider Michael Rasmussens autobiography, which was published on Wednesday.Rasmussen, a serial doper who pulled out of the 2007 Tour de France while leading because he had missed several doping tests before the race, claimed that he had helped teach Hesjedal and two Canadian team-mates who were then competing in mountainbike racing to inject EPO in 2003.Hesjedal held his hands up to the allegations but insisted that was in a different era and he was clean now.I have loved and lived this sport but more than a decade ago, I chose the wrong path, said Hesjedal, who has ridden for Garmin since 2008.And even though those mistakes happened more than 10 years ago, and they were short-lived, it does not change the fact that I made them and I have lived with that and been sorry for it ever since.To everyone in my life, inside and outside the sport - to those that have supported me and my dreams - including my friends, my family, the media, fans, my peers, sponsors - to riders who didnt make the same choices as me all those years ago, I sincerely apologize for my part in the dark past of the sport. I will always be sorry, added Hesjedal, who has won stages on all three Grand Tours.Rasmussen, who was King of the Mountains on the Tour de France in 2005 and 2006 but has since admitted he doped from 1998-2010, recounted in detail the visit of Hesjedal.It soon became evident that the three Canadian mountain bikers, Seamus McGrath, Chris Sheppard and Ryder Hesjedal, had seen the light, he wrote.A good result in the World Cup (2003, ed.) could send them to the Olympics in Athens in 2004.They moved into my basement in August, before I went to the Vuelta a Espana, and right after I had done the Meisterschaft von Zurich. They stayed there for around two weeks.I trained with them in the Dolomites and taught them how to perform vitamin injections, and how to take EPO and Synacthen (cortisone).

Oil falls after another increase in US supplies Posted: NEW YORK (AP) - The price of oil fell more than $1 a barrel Wednesday as the U.S. government reported another big increase in crude oil supplies.Benchmark U.S. crude for December delivery dropped $1.10 to $97.10 a barrel at midday on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract dropped 48 cents on Tuesday and is down about 4 percent in October.An Energy Department report released Wednesday for the week ended Oct. 25 showed an increase of 4.1 million barrels in crude oil stocks. Over five weeks, supplies have risen by more than 25 million barrels.Analysts surveyed by Platts, the energy information arm of McGraw-Hill Cos., expected supplies to rise 3.5 million barrels last week.The market is also waiting for Wednesdays outcome of a two-day Federal Reserve policy meeting. The Fed is expected to reinforce expectations that it wont begin reducing its mammoth monetary stimulus until next year.Brent crude, a benchmark for international crude also used by U.S. refineries, slipped 19 cents to $108.82 on the ICE Exchange in London.