All suspects accused of the attack on private television station Villa TV (VTV) during the unrest that swept across the capital Male following the reconvening of Parliament on March 19 has denied all charges. State had charged eight people over the attack on VTV today at the Criminal Court. The suspects include R. Maduvvaree, Fehiali, Ismail Hamdhan, R. Alifushi, Hameedhee Manzil, Ahmed Hameed, and Hussein Hameed, H. Ladhumaage Aaage, Ahmed Naeem, M. Nooruzeyru Hussain Shifau Jameel , AA. Feridhoo, Aazaadhuge Aanim Hassan, G. Haalam, Ahmed Muheen and registry number 7471, Mohamed Hameed.
State in Court detailed that suspects have been charged with pelting the VTV building and the military officers stationed outside with stones and instigating violence after gathering near the building on March 19.
After the suspects individually denied the charges, the State had used the opportunity given to present video and photographic evidence in addition to the accounts of some police, military and VTV employees present at the scene on the day of the crime.
The Judge presiding over the case said a session would be held tomorrow to decide on the detention of the suspects charged in the case.
If convicted, the suspects could face a sentence of three to seven years in prison.
VTV had come under a vicious attack where serious damage was inflicted to the building after Police had broken up the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) protest against the reconvening of Parliament.
VTV had labeled the incident, as a terrorist attack.
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Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Gasim calls for Speaker Shahid's resignation
Following the absence of Speaker of Parliament Abdulla Shahid in the sit-down which began today to facilitate a stable environment in order to recommence the presently suspended Parliament, Jumhoory Party leader and Maamigili constituency MP Gasim Ibrahim has called for the Speaker's resignation. The absence of Shahid in today’s discussions that had been proposed by the Speaker himself held at the President’s Office at 11.00 this morning, was pointed out as a potential sign of insincerity by Gasim. He further added that the move by Shahid also showed the lack of concern over the suspended Parliament sessions.
In addition to Gasim, MPs from opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), pro-government Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) and People’s Alliance (PA) participated in the sit-down today, while Vice-President Mohamed Waheed Deen represented President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik at the discussions.
In relation to the talks today, Gasim stressed that if the Speaker had any sincerity “he would have been here.†He added that even the Speaker did not have the authority to keep the Parliament suspended indefinitely.
Though a consensus was not reached today, discussions had taken place among the parties. MDP deputy Parliamentary group leader and Thoddoo constituency MP Ali Waheed representing the party in the talks revealed that the demands of the opposition have been put forth to the sit-down today.
Vice President Deen told the media later, that a reply to the conditions of MDP would be given after consulting with President Waheed.
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In addition to Gasim, MPs from opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), pro-government Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) and People’s Alliance (PA) participated in the sit-down today, while Vice-President Mohamed Waheed Deen represented President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik at the discussions.
In relation to the talks today, Gasim stressed that if the Speaker had any sincerity “he would have been here.†He added that even the Speaker did not have the authority to keep the Parliament suspended indefinitely.
Though a consensus was not reached today, discussions had taken place among the parties. MDP deputy Parliamentary group leader and Thoddoo constituency MP Ali Waheed representing the party in the talks revealed that the demands of the opposition have been put forth to the sit-down today.
Vice President Deen told the media later, that a reply to the conditions of MDP would be given after consulting with President Waheed.
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Case of MPs Hamid, Ibrahim Rasheed sent to PG
Police has sent the cases of Parliament Henveiru-South constituency MP Hamid Abdul Ghafoor and Maafannu-South constituency MP Ibrahim 'Bondey' Rasheed to the Prosecutor General's (PG) Office for prosecution. Official of the PG’s office stated that both, Hamid and Ibrahim Rasheed are being charged with the obstruction of police duties. In addition, police had also sent the case of Hamid’s refusal to provide a urine sample to the police, PG official said.
Maldives Police Services (MPS) detailed that Hamid’s case was sent to the PG on August 1 and Ibrahim Rasheed’s case was sent on August 6.
Police had previously sent Maafannu-North constituency MP Imthiyaz ‘Inthi’ Fahmy’s case of disobedience to the police, to the PG during June.
Inthi today said that the ‘coup’ government will charge MPs and the people with different accusations including obstruction of police work and terrorism.
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Maldives Police Services (MPS) detailed that Hamid’s case was sent to the PG on August 1 and Ibrahim Rasheed’s case was sent on August 6.
Police had previously sent Maafannu-North constituency MP Imthiyaz ‘Inthi’ Fahmy’s case of disobedience to the police, to the PG during June.
Inthi today said that the ‘coup’ government will charge MPs and the people with different accusations including obstruction of police work and terrorism.
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Indian police arrest protesting yoga guru
Indian police on Monday arrested famed TV yoga guru and anti-corruption campaigner Baba Ramdev as he attempted to lead a procession of thousands of supporters to parliament. Ramdev, an eccentric saffron-robed holy man with a yoga empire that spans the globe, began a protest in New Delhi last Thursday demanding the government do more to repatriate illicit money stashed by Indians in foreign accounts.
Police parked buses and erected barricades across the route taken by Ramdev and his supporters, many of whom had come from his home town of Haridwar in the foothills of the Himalayas.
"Oust Congress -- save the country," Ramdev declared to supporters.
Ramdev and activist Anna Hazare have made joint efforts to mobilise Indians to fight corruption, following a string of major scandals that have tarnished the Congress-led government of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Hazare, a former army driver who models his appearance on independence leader Mahatma Gandhi, led a huge protest movement in 2011 but his popularity and ability to tap into public anger have since waned.
Ramdev, whose current protest has been largely ignored by the government -- unlike in 2011 when senior ministers held meetings with him -- said he had wanted to march to parliament to have the voice of his supporters heard by lawmakers.
Ramdev and other arrested protesters were transported to a stadium in the centre of New Delhi as thousands of supporters crowded the streets, shouting "hail mother India".
They followed the guru to the stadium barely a kilometre from where he was arrested, creating a big traffic jam in one of New Delhi's busiest office districts.
Initially police had planned to hold Ramdev in a stadium on the outskirts of the capital. But shifting him there proved impossible "due to the traffic jam and monsoon showers", police spokesman Rajan Bhagat told AFP.
Police said late Monday they were releasing the guru and his supporters but they refused to leave the stadium, claiming that the protest had taken a "decisive turn," according to local media reports.
Ramdev's refusal to quit the stadium was causing worries for authorities who were putting in place tight security arrangements for India's Independence Day celebrations on Wednesday.
India's ruling Congress party, meanwhile, charged that Ramdev was being used by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the country's main opposition.
"The country has seen today that the masks have fallen and the real faces have been revealed," Congress spokesman Janardhan Dwivedi said after BJP president Nitin Gadkari delivered a speech of support at Ramdev's rally.
"The BJP president has gone there and they (Ramdev's supporters) say they have no relationship with political parties. I am saying the masks are off," he said.
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Police parked buses and erected barricades across the route taken by Ramdev and his supporters, many of whom had come from his home town of Haridwar in the foothills of the Himalayas.
"Oust Congress -- save the country," Ramdev declared to supporters.
Ramdev and activist Anna Hazare have made joint efforts to mobilise Indians to fight corruption, following a string of major scandals that have tarnished the Congress-led government of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Hazare, a former army driver who models his appearance on independence leader Mahatma Gandhi, led a huge protest movement in 2011 but his popularity and ability to tap into public anger have since waned.
Ramdev, whose current protest has been largely ignored by the government -- unlike in 2011 when senior ministers held meetings with him -- said he had wanted to march to parliament to have the voice of his supporters heard by lawmakers.
Ramdev and other arrested protesters were transported to a stadium in the centre of New Delhi as thousands of supporters crowded the streets, shouting "hail mother India".
They followed the guru to the stadium barely a kilometre from where he was arrested, creating a big traffic jam in one of New Delhi's busiest office districts.
Initially police had planned to hold Ramdev in a stadium on the outskirts of the capital. But shifting him there proved impossible "due to the traffic jam and monsoon showers", police spokesman Rajan Bhagat told AFP.
Police said late Monday they were releasing the guru and his supporters but they refused to leave the stadium, claiming that the protest had taken a "decisive turn," according to local media reports.
Ramdev's refusal to quit the stadium was causing worries for authorities who were putting in place tight security arrangements for India's Independence Day celebrations on Wednesday.
India's ruling Congress party, meanwhile, charged that Ramdev was being used by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the country's main opposition.
"The country has seen today that the masks have fallen and the real faces have been revealed," Congress spokesman Janardhan Dwivedi said after BJP president Nitin Gadkari delivered a speech of support at Ramdev's rally.
"The BJP president has gone there and they (Ramdev's supporters) say they have no relationship with political parties. I am saying the masks are off," he said.
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Afghan policeman fires on NATO allies, wounds 2: officials
An Afghan policeman wounded at least two foreign soldiers when he opened fire on troops from the US-led NATO mission on Monday, officials said, adding to a spike in such attacks. The shooting took place in Achin, a remote district in the eastern province of Nangarhar, local police chief Abdullah Azim Stanikzai told AFP. NATO confirmed the incident but gave no details.
The majority of NATO troops in Nangarhar are American.
The shooter escaped unhurt but an Afghan intelligence officer was wounded when coalition soldiers returned fire, Stanikzai added.
Seven soldiers of the US-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) lost their lives over four days last week when Afghan forces turned weapons on their NATO allies.
According to NATO, 37 of its soldiers have died in 27 such attacks so far this year, up from 21 incidents and 35 deaths in all of 2011.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for Monday's attack and said the gunman was with the militia. "He's a brave Afghan. He's with us," Mujahid told AFP by telephone.
Stanikzai said the policeman had just returned from leave.
"He was on vacation but had just returned to duty. He grabbed a weapon from a colleague and opened fire," he added. He said a hunt to arrest him was under way.
An ISAF spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Hagen Messer, said "a man wearing civilian clothes fired at ISAF-ANSF troops", using the acronym for Afghan security forces.
"The shooter was a member of the Afghan uniform police," Messer said, confirming the injuries.
Although the Taliban often claim credit, Afghan and Western officials say most attacks are motivated by cultural differences between troops fighting the Taliban side by side.
Known as "green on blue", there has been a dramatic spike in such attacks in recent months.
On Friday, two such incidents killed six Americans in the southern province of Helmand. One of the shooters was a man in police uniform and the other a civilian staff member on a joint Afghan-NATO base.
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The majority of NATO troops in Nangarhar are American.
The shooter escaped unhurt but an Afghan intelligence officer was wounded when coalition soldiers returned fire, Stanikzai added.
Seven soldiers of the US-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) lost their lives over four days last week when Afghan forces turned weapons on their NATO allies.
According to NATO, 37 of its soldiers have died in 27 such attacks so far this year, up from 21 incidents and 35 deaths in all of 2011.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for Monday's attack and said the gunman was with the militia. "He's a brave Afghan. He's with us," Mujahid told AFP by telephone.
Stanikzai said the policeman had just returned from leave.
"He was on vacation but had just returned to duty. He grabbed a weapon from a colleague and opened fire," he added. He said a hunt to arrest him was under way.
An ISAF spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Hagen Messer, said "a man wearing civilian clothes fired at ISAF-ANSF troops", using the acronym for Afghan security forces.
"The shooter was a member of the Afghan uniform police," Messer said, confirming the injuries.
Although the Taliban often claim credit, Afghan and Western officials say most attacks are motivated by cultural differences between troops fighting the Taliban side by side.
Known as "green on blue", there has been a dramatic spike in such attacks in recent months.
On Friday, two such incidents killed six Americans in the southern province of Helmand. One of the shooters was a man in police uniform and the other a civilian staff member on a joint Afghan-NATO base.
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Olympic flag arrives in Rio, host of 2016 Games
The Olympic flag arrived in Rio de Janeiro, which will host the 2016 Summer Games -- a challenge which authorities in Brazil say the city is prepared to conquer. Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes stepped off a plane carrying the flag, accompanied by Carlos Arthur Nuzman, president of the 2016 Games Organizing Committee and Rio Governor Sergio Cabral, an AFP correspondent at the airport saw.
"The arrival of the Olympic flag marks a period of transformation in the city," Paes told reporters. "This is a unique opportunity for Brazil -- a time of great celebration."
Also on board the plane were Brazilian athletes -- some with medals around their necks -- who competed in the London Games, which ended on Sunday in a blaze of music, fireworks and light.
"Arriving in Rio with the flag was a privilege for us, the athletes," said Robert Scheidt, who won bronze in Olympic sailing's Star competition with Bruno Prada.
"There is room for much improvement (in terms of the number of medals won) here in Rio," Scheidt added.
Brazil won a total of 17 medals in London -- three gold, five silver and nine bronze.
Hosting the Games will be a huge challenge for a city notorious for its traffic chaos, poor infrastructure and shanty town violence, but authorities say Rio -- which also hosts the 2014 World Cup -- will rise to the occasion.
On Tuesday, the Olympic flag will be flown to Brasilia for a ceremony attended by President Dilma Rousseff and on Wednesday, Paes will carry it through Rio's northern Alemao complex of shanties -- known here as favelas -- as well as through the western district of Realengo, officials said.
On Sunday, Paes received the Olympic flag from London Mayor Boris Johnson during the ceremony that marked the close of the London Games and the countdown to the 2016 Summer Games, which will be the first held in South America.
On Monday, Brazilian deputy sports minister Luis Fernandes said in London that the 2016 Games would galvanize projects already in place across South America's largest country as well as in Rio, a city of 6.5 million people.
The plans in Rio include the extension of a metro line to the western Barra da Tijuca district. Four express lanes for buses and cars are also under construction.
"The Olympics are an opportunity to invest a huge quantity of funds in infrastructure, an amount that would normally take 15 or 20 years to invest," Fernandes told a press conference in London.
"The Olympics give us an opportunity to concentrate resources to build this infrastructure a bit sooner," he added.
Brazilian Olympic Committee officials and Rio city authorities insist everything will be ready. Some of the venues will be used for the World Cup, but the Olympic Village and other event sites still must be built.
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"The arrival of the Olympic flag marks a period of transformation in the city," Paes told reporters. "This is a unique opportunity for Brazil -- a time of great celebration."
Also on board the plane were Brazilian athletes -- some with medals around their necks -- who competed in the London Games, which ended on Sunday in a blaze of music, fireworks and light.
"Arriving in Rio with the flag was a privilege for us, the athletes," said Robert Scheidt, who won bronze in Olympic sailing's Star competition with Bruno Prada.
"There is room for much improvement (in terms of the number of medals won) here in Rio," Scheidt added.
Brazil won a total of 17 medals in London -- three gold, five silver and nine bronze.
Hosting the Games will be a huge challenge for a city notorious for its traffic chaos, poor infrastructure and shanty town violence, but authorities say Rio -- which also hosts the 2014 World Cup -- will rise to the occasion.
On Tuesday, the Olympic flag will be flown to Brasilia for a ceremony attended by President Dilma Rousseff and on Wednesday, Paes will carry it through Rio's northern Alemao complex of shanties -- known here as favelas -- as well as through the western district of Realengo, officials said.
On Sunday, Paes received the Olympic flag from London Mayor Boris Johnson during the ceremony that marked the close of the London Games and the countdown to the 2016 Summer Games, which will be the first held in South America.
On Monday, Brazilian deputy sports minister Luis Fernandes said in London that the 2016 Games would galvanize projects already in place across South America's largest country as well as in Rio, a city of 6.5 million people.
The plans in Rio include the extension of a metro line to the western Barra da Tijuca district. Four express lanes for buses and cars are also under construction.
"The Olympics are an opportunity to invest a huge quantity of funds in infrastructure, an amount that would normally take 15 or 20 years to invest," Fernandes told a press conference in London.
"The Olympics give us an opportunity to concentrate resources to build this infrastructure a bit sooner," he added.
Brazilian Olympic Committee officials and Rio city authorities insist everything will be ready. Some of the venues will be used for the World Cup, but the Olympic Village and other event sites still must be built.
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DRC judoka, coaches, missing - ministry
A judoka and three coaches from the Democratic Republic of Congo's Olympic delegation have gone missing after leaving the Athletes' Village at the London Games, the country's sports ministry said on Monday. Cedric Mandembo, who competed in the +100kg category, boxing coach Blaise Bekwa, athletics coach Guy Nkita and judo coach Ibula Masengo have not been seen since the Games came to a close on Sunday evening, the source said, requesting anonymity.
The country's 12-strong delegation to the Games is due back in Kinshasa on Thursday.
An informed source in the capital said national boxing coach Bekwa disappeared from the Athletes' Village on Friday while Nkita, national athletics technical director, had left the area just after Ilunga Mande pulled out of the men's marathon. Masengo was reported to have disappeared Saturday night while Mandembo was said to have disappeared just after the closing ceremony on Sunday evening.
Asked about the disappearances, the minister of sport and youth, Baudoin Banza Mukalay, said: "I don't know... I left London this morning. Yesterday (Sunday) I was with officials before the closing ceremony.
"They gave me a report that everything was going well."
According to Mukalay, the Congolese delegation is due back in Kinshasa before Wednesday.
The country's four athletes did not shine at the Games: Mandembo lost his first fight after only 49 seconds; Ilunga Sankuru finished 14th out of 15 in the women's 1500m; while boxer Mwamba Meji lost on a referee's decision.
Marathon runner Ilunga Mande pulled out two kilometres from the finish.
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The country's 12-strong delegation to the Games is due back in Kinshasa on Thursday.
An informed source in the capital said national boxing coach Bekwa disappeared from the Athletes' Village on Friday while Nkita, national athletics technical director, had left the area just after Ilunga Mande pulled out of the men's marathon. Masengo was reported to have disappeared Saturday night while Mandembo was said to have disappeared just after the closing ceremony on Sunday evening.
Asked about the disappearances, the minister of sport and youth, Baudoin Banza Mukalay, said: "I don't know... I left London this morning. Yesterday (Sunday) I was with officials before the closing ceremony.
"They gave me a report that everything was going well."
According to Mukalay, the Congolese delegation is due back in Kinshasa before Wednesday.
The country's four athletes did not shine at the Games: Mandembo lost his first fight after only 49 seconds; Ilunga Sankuru finished 14th out of 15 in the women's 1500m; while boxer Mwamba Meji lost on a referee's decision.
Marathon runner Ilunga Mande pulled out two kilometres from the finish.
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London basks in Olympic glory despite doping case
The London Olympics lost its first medallist to a doping scandal on Monday as Belarus shot-putter Nadezhda Ostapchuk was stripped of gold a day after the Games closed in a blaze of music and colour. Thousands of athletes began a mass exodus from London and turned their thoughts to Rio de Janeiro in 2016, as Britain basked in the adulation for a Games that electrified billions of viewers around the globe.
London's Heathrow Airport said it was expecting the busiest day of the Games on Monday with 6,000 athletes travelling through a special Games terminal and another 11,000 officials and media due to leave through normal channels.
Many would be leaving with little sleep after a glittering closing ceremony featuring The Who, the Spice Girls, George Michael and Brazilian football legend Pele entertaining a crowd of 80,000 at the Olympic Stadium.
But 31-year-old Ostapchuk waved goodbye not just to the Games but also to her women's shot put title after the International Olympic Committee said she had tested positive for the anabolic steroid metenolone.
Ostapchuk, the 2005 world champion, took a surprise gold medal with a throw of 21.36m, but urine samples provided the day before the competition and immediately after it both tested positive, the IOC said.
The gold medal will now go to Valerie Adams of New Zealand, with Russia's Yevgeniya Kolodko taking silver and Lijiao Gong of China bronze.
The news failed to dampen the mood in Britain though, with London Mayor Boris Johnson saying that for him and many other Londoners the Games had been "the most extraordinary event we can remember in our lifetimes".
Olympics chief Sebastian Coe, speaking at the same press conference as Johnson, said he hoped there would be a long-term boost for British sport.
"These British moments, those international moments that we've seen in those venues, will do more than anything else to inspire young people to take up sport," Coe said.
During two weeks of sporting spectacle record-breaking Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt and US swimmer Michael Phelps lit up the Olympic Park in east London.
Heptathlete Jessica Ennis led an unexpectedly high number of British champions who kept fans' excitement at fever pitch.
The United States topped the medals table with 46 golds, eight ahead of China, while Britain had 29 -- their best since 1904. It was the first Games where every team had at least one female competitor.
The closing ceremony also saw the Olympic flag handed over to the mayor of Rio, a symbolic transfer which launches the four-year countdown to the 2016 Games.
Rio gave a taste of what to expect with a swinging samba section in a ceremony that included Pele and carnival-style dancers.
IOC President Jacques Rogge, speaking during the closing ceremony, praised the Games as "happy and glorious" -- a reference to the lyrics of Britain's national anthem "God Save the Queen".
After 16 full days of competition, 302 Olympic titles were handed out and 46 world records broken.
More than seven million fans came out to watch Olympic events, and Bolt's 200m win generated a staggering 80,000 tweets a minute.
Prime Minister David Cameron received congratulations from US President Barack Obama, who called him to praise the organisation of the Games and the performance of the British team.
Cameron said the Games had reflected the best of Britain's multi-cultural complexion, taking the example of Mo Farah, who won a rare 5,000m and 10,000m double.
"Over the past couple of weeks, we have looked in the mirror and we like what we have seen as a country," Cameron said.
Around 5,000 fans gathered in Leeds, northern England, to give a hero's welcome to three local medallists.
Triathlon winner Alistair Brownlee, his bronze-winning brother Jonathan and cycling road race silver medalist Lizzie Armitstead greeted Union Jack waving crowds before attending a reception in the city centre.
Farah came to Britain at age eight after spending his early years in Somalia and Djibouti.
Britain's newspapers on Monday reflected the country's newfound pride but also betrayed a tinge of sadness that the Games were over.
"Thanks, it's been a blast," said the Daily Telegraph over a picture of the giant Union Jack that covered the floor of the Olympic stadium during the closing ceremony, while the Guardian bade "Goodbye to the Glorious Games".
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London's Heathrow Airport said it was expecting the busiest day of the Games on Monday with 6,000 athletes travelling through a special Games terminal and another 11,000 officials and media due to leave through normal channels.
Many would be leaving with little sleep after a glittering closing ceremony featuring The Who, the Spice Girls, George Michael and Brazilian football legend Pele entertaining a crowd of 80,000 at the Olympic Stadium.
But 31-year-old Ostapchuk waved goodbye not just to the Games but also to her women's shot put title after the International Olympic Committee said she had tested positive for the anabolic steroid metenolone.
Ostapchuk, the 2005 world champion, took a surprise gold medal with a throw of 21.36m, but urine samples provided the day before the competition and immediately after it both tested positive, the IOC said.
The gold medal will now go to Valerie Adams of New Zealand, with Russia's Yevgeniya Kolodko taking silver and Lijiao Gong of China bronze.
The news failed to dampen the mood in Britain though, with London Mayor Boris Johnson saying that for him and many other Londoners the Games had been "the most extraordinary event we can remember in our lifetimes".
Olympics chief Sebastian Coe, speaking at the same press conference as Johnson, said he hoped there would be a long-term boost for British sport.
"These British moments, those international moments that we've seen in those venues, will do more than anything else to inspire young people to take up sport," Coe said.
During two weeks of sporting spectacle record-breaking Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt and US swimmer Michael Phelps lit up the Olympic Park in east London.
Heptathlete Jessica Ennis led an unexpectedly high number of British champions who kept fans' excitement at fever pitch.
The United States topped the medals table with 46 golds, eight ahead of China, while Britain had 29 -- their best since 1904. It was the first Games where every team had at least one female competitor.
The closing ceremony also saw the Olympic flag handed over to the mayor of Rio, a symbolic transfer which launches the four-year countdown to the 2016 Games.
Rio gave a taste of what to expect with a swinging samba section in a ceremony that included Pele and carnival-style dancers.
IOC President Jacques Rogge, speaking during the closing ceremony, praised the Games as "happy and glorious" -- a reference to the lyrics of Britain's national anthem "God Save the Queen".
After 16 full days of competition, 302 Olympic titles were handed out and 46 world records broken.
More than seven million fans came out to watch Olympic events, and Bolt's 200m win generated a staggering 80,000 tweets a minute.
Prime Minister David Cameron received congratulations from US President Barack Obama, who called him to praise the organisation of the Games and the performance of the British team.
Cameron said the Games had reflected the best of Britain's multi-cultural complexion, taking the example of Mo Farah, who won a rare 5,000m and 10,000m double.
"Over the past couple of weeks, we have looked in the mirror and we like what we have seen as a country," Cameron said.
Around 5,000 fans gathered in Leeds, northern England, to give a hero's welcome to three local medallists.
Triathlon winner Alistair Brownlee, his bronze-winning brother Jonathan and cycling road race silver medalist Lizzie Armitstead greeted Union Jack waving crowds before attending a reception in the city centre.
Farah came to Britain at age eight after spending his early years in Somalia and Djibouti.
Britain's newspapers on Monday reflected the country's newfound pride but also betrayed a tinge of sadness that the Games were over.
"Thanks, it's been a blast," said the Daily Telegraph over a picture of the giant Union Jack that covered the floor of the Olympic stadium during the closing ceremony, while the Guardian bade "Goodbye to the Glorious Games".
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European teams warm up for World Cup qualifying
World champions Spain return to action this week in their first match since retaining their European title, as countries gear up for the start of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup. La Roja, currently number one in the FIFA world rankings, take on Puerto Rico, who are 137 places below them, in Bayamon on Wednesday, with Vicente del Bosque opting to rest Barcelona veterans Xavi Hernandez and Carles Puyol.
Also omitted from the 19-man squad is 23-year-old winger Jordi Alba, who is rested after his inclusion in Spain's Olympic football side.
Spain were in outstanding form when they beat Italy 4-0 in the Euro 2012 final on July 1 and the Azzurri are looking to pick themselves up from that disappointment with a positive warm-up against England.
The match in the Swiss capital, Bern, is a re-run of the Euro 2012 quarter-final, which Italy won 4-2 on penalties, but they will be without Manchester City forward Mario Balotelli, who has conjunctivitis.
Balotelli was one of the stars of the tournament in Poland and Ukraine, scoring three times, including twice in the semi-final against Germany. He was also absent from the English champions' 3-2 win over Chelsea in the Community Shield on Sunday.
Roy Hodgson had named a young side for the fixture, leaving John Terry, Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard out as they prepare for the start of the Premier League on Saturday.
But the England manager faces an injury dilemma, with Arsenal's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (ankle), goalkeeper Joe Hart (back) and Daniel Sturridge (toe) all sidelined.
Elsewhere, beaten Euro 2012 semi-finalists Germany play Argentina in Frankfurt, with coach Joachim Loew also choosing to rest key players like Philipp Lahm and Bastian Schweinsteiger.
Loew has also left out goalkeeper Tim Wiese, Per Mertesacker in defence and Lukas Podolski up front from the 22 who went to Euro 2012.
First-choice goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has also withdrawn after picking up an injury in last weekend's Super Cup, which his side Bayern Munich won 2-1, taking revenge on Borussia Dortmund who last season beat them to the Bundesliga title and German Cup.
Miroslav Klose is the only acknowledged centre-forward, in the absence of Mario Gomez, who is recovering from a heel operation.
For the Argentinians, Benfica's Enzo Perez has been called up to replace injured Newell's Old Boys winger Maxi Rodriguez (knee).
France play Uruguay in the northern city of Le Havre, in Didier Deschamps' first match in charge.
World Cup 1998 winner Deschamps has left out Yann M'Vila and Hatem Ben Arfa because of disciplinary issues at Euro 2012, while Samir Nasri and Jeremy Menez are serving suspensions for misconduct.
The former Marseille manager has called up Paris Saint-Germain's Christophe Jallet, Real Madrid's Raphael Varane and Etienne Capoue of Toulouse for the first time.
Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, of Ligue 1 champions Montpellier makes a return but there was no place for Chelsea midfielder Florent Malouda, Newcastle United midfielder Yohan Cabaye, Valencia's Adil Rami and Philippe Mexes of AC Milan.
In other matches, former England boss Fabio Capello takes charge of Russia for the first time in their game against Ivory Coast in Moscow and has included controversial captain Andrei Arshavin.
Russia crashed out of Euro 2012 at the group stage and Arshavin found himself on the receiving end of a wave of criticism for dismissing the team's below-par performance as a problem for the fans rather than the players.
Another manager returning to international action is Louis van Gaal, who took over from Bert van Marwijk as Dutch coach after the Oranje's disappointing Euro 2012 campaign in which they lost all their matches.
The Dutch play Marc Wilmot's Belgium in Brussels.
World Cup 2014 hosts Brazil, who do not have to qualify, take on Sweden in Solna.
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Also omitted from the 19-man squad is 23-year-old winger Jordi Alba, who is rested after his inclusion in Spain's Olympic football side.
Spain were in outstanding form when they beat Italy 4-0 in the Euro 2012 final on July 1 and the Azzurri are looking to pick themselves up from that disappointment with a positive warm-up against England.
The match in the Swiss capital, Bern, is a re-run of the Euro 2012 quarter-final, which Italy won 4-2 on penalties, but they will be without Manchester City forward Mario Balotelli, who has conjunctivitis.
Balotelli was one of the stars of the tournament in Poland and Ukraine, scoring three times, including twice in the semi-final against Germany. He was also absent from the English champions' 3-2 win over Chelsea in the Community Shield on Sunday.
Roy Hodgson had named a young side for the fixture, leaving John Terry, Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard out as they prepare for the start of the Premier League on Saturday.
But the England manager faces an injury dilemma, with Arsenal's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (ankle), goalkeeper Joe Hart (back) and Daniel Sturridge (toe) all sidelined.
Elsewhere, beaten Euro 2012 semi-finalists Germany play Argentina in Frankfurt, with coach Joachim Loew also choosing to rest key players like Philipp Lahm and Bastian Schweinsteiger.
Loew has also left out goalkeeper Tim Wiese, Per Mertesacker in defence and Lukas Podolski up front from the 22 who went to Euro 2012.
First-choice goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has also withdrawn after picking up an injury in last weekend's Super Cup, which his side Bayern Munich won 2-1, taking revenge on Borussia Dortmund who last season beat them to the Bundesliga title and German Cup.
Miroslav Klose is the only acknowledged centre-forward, in the absence of Mario Gomez, who is recovering from a heel operation.
For the Argentinians, Benfica's Enzo Perez has been called up to replace injured Newell's Old Boys winger Maxi Rodriguez (knee).
France play Uruguay in the northern city of Le Havre, in Didier Deschamps' first match in charge.
World Cup 1998 winner Deschamps has left out Yann M'Vila and Hatem Ben Arfa because of disciplinary issues at Euro 2012, while Samir Nasri and Jeremy Menez are serving suspensions for misconduct.
The former Marseille manager has called up Paris Saint-Germain's Christophe Jallet, Real Madrid's Raphael Varane and Etienne Capoue of Toulouse for the first time.
Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, of Ligue 1 champions Montpellier makes a return but there was no place for Chelsea midfielder Florent Malouda, Newcastle United midfielder Yohan Cabaye, Valencia's Adil Rami and Philippe Mexes of AC Milan.
In other matches, former England boss Fabio Capello takes charge of Russia for the first time in their game against Ivory Coast in Moscow and has included controversial captain Andrei Arshavin.
Russia crashed out of Euro 2012 at the group stage and Arshavin found himself on the receiving end of a wave of criticism for dismissing the team's below-par performance as a problem for the fans rather than the players.
Another manager returning to international action is Louis van Gaal, who took over from Bert van Marwijk as Dutch coach after the Oranje's disappointing Euro 2012 campaign in which they lost all their matches.
The Dutch play Marc Wilmot's Belgium in Brussels.
World Cup 2014 hosts Brazil, who do not have to qualify, take on Sweden in Solna.
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Nasheed vows to bring offenders to justice after CNI report
Former President Mohamed Nasheed last night vowed not to return home after the report of the Commission of National Inquiry (CNI) set up to probe the circumstances surrounding the transfer of power is issued, until the offenders are brought to justice. Speaking during the ceremony held last night to commemorate August 12-13 better known as ‘Black Friday’, Nasheed pledged to continue his efforts till true independence is established in the Maldives.
“I assure you that Inshah Allah I will not relent in my efforts to instill true independence in the Maldives. We will rise. We will emerge. Inshah Allah I will restore the rule for the people,†Nasheed said.
Nasheed further reaffirmed that the downfall of his government was clear as day and the ‘coup’ had been witnessed by all. He stressed that no matter what the final verdict of the CNI’s report maybe, it would definitely find that members of the police and the military had acted outside the laws and regulations and repeatedly vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Despite his strong statement, Nasheed did point out that the majority of the Police and military officers were good and were striving to reform the institutions. He added that he would work with the patriotic officers of the Police and military. The former President also highlighted the importance of a security force that is not feared by the people.
MDP had stated that August 12-13 is celebrated to mark the brutal treatment of protesters against the 30-year regime of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom on the very dates in 2004, and the the party’s website included that former President Nasheed had been treated very brutally by the Police on the first anniversary of Black Friday following his arrest while sitting peacefully at the Republic Square marking the day.
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“I assure you that Inshah Allah I will not relent in my efforts to instill true independence in the Maldives. We will rise. We will emerge. Inshah Allah I will restore the rule for the people,†Nasheed said.
Nasheed further reaffirmed that the downfall of his government was clear as day and the ‘coup’ had been witnessed by all. He stressed that no matter what the final verdict of the CNI’s report maybe, it would definitely find that members of the police and the military had acted outside the laws and regulations and repeatedly vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Despite his strong statement, Nasheed did point out that the majority of the Police and military officers were good and were striving to reform the institutions. He added that he would work with the patriotic officers of the Police and military. The former President also highlighted the importance of a security force that is not feared by the people.
MDP had stated that August 12-13 is celebrated to mark the brutal treatment of protesters against the 30-year regime of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom on the very dates in 2004, and the the party’s website included that former President Nasheed had been treated very brutally by the Police on the first anniversary of Black Friday following his arrest while sitting peacefully at the Republic Square marking the day.
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Ecuador could soon reveal Assange asylum decision
Ecuador could soon reveal whether it will grant asylum to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange who has been holed up at the country's embassy in Britain for nearly two months. Quito announced last month that it would respond to the request after the Olympic Games in London, which wrapped up Sunday.
President Rafael Correa is due to appear on state television Monday evening at 0200 GMT. However, government officials contacted by AFP were unable to say whether he would announce a decision at that time.
Assange sought refuge at Ecuador's London embassy on June 19 to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning about allegations of rape and sexual assault.
The 41-year-old Australian fears he could be extradited to the United States from Sweden to stand trial for espionage, on account of the trove of leaked US diplomatic cables and military logs published on his whistleblower website.
Correa has often been at odds with Washington and offered Assange asylum in 2010.
He has said the mere possibility that Assange could face capital punishment in the United States could be reason enough for his government to grant the activist's asylum request.
He has vowed that his government would not yield to pressure from Britain, Sweden or the United States in deciding whether to grant Assange asylum.
Assange's mother and former Spanish judge Baltasar Garzon recently traveled to Ecuador to argue in favor of granting him asylum.
Even if Ecuador decides to grant Assange political asylum, it remains to be seen if British authorities would allow him to leave the country. In the absence of a safe conduct agreement between Quito and London, he could stay on embassy grounds indefinitely.
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President Rafael Correa is due to appear on state television Monday evening at 0200 GMT. However, government officials contacted by AFP were unable to say whether he would announce a decision at that time.
Assange sought refuge at Ecuador's London embassy on June 19 to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning about allegations of rape and sexual assault.
The 41-year-old Australian fears he could be extradited to the United States from Sweden to stand trial for espionage, on account of the trove of leaked US diplomatic cables and military logs published on his whistleblower website.
Correa has often been at odds with Washington and offered Assange asylum in 2010.
He has said the mere possibility that Assange could face capital punishment in the United States could be reason enough for his government to grant the activist's asylum request.
He has vowed that his government would not yield to pressure from Britain, Sweden or the United States in deciding whether to grant Assange asylum.
Assange's mother and former Spanish judge Baltasar Garzon recently traveled to Ecuador to argue in favor of granting him asylum.
Even if Ecuador decides to grant Assange political asylum, it remains to be seen if British authorities would allow him to leave the country. In the absence of a safe conduct agreement between Quito and London, he could stay on embassy grounds indefinitely.
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Egypt's Morsi empowered by army shakeup: media
Egypt's Islamist President Mohamed Morsi has emerged empowered by a "revolutionary" decision to dismiss his powerful defence minister and curb the military's sweeping powers, media said Monday. In a surprise move, Morsi on Sunday retired Defence Minister Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, 76, and armed forces chief of staff Sami Anan and scrapped a constitutional document that gave the military legislative and other powers.
The state-run Al-Akhbar newspaper said the dismissal of Tantawi, who ruled Egypt for more than a year after massive streets protests forced veteran strongman Hosni Mubarak to step down in February 2011, was a "revolutionary decision."
"The Brothers officially in power," declared the independent Al-Watan daily, referring to the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamist group which backs Morsi and through whose ranks he rose before his election triumph.
The independent daily Al-Shorouk said Morsi had accumulated "much bigger prerogatives than those of Mubarak."
Thousands of Islamist supporters on Sunday flooded into Cairo's Tahrir Square -- cradle of the revolution that toppled Mubarak last year -- to celebrate.
"The people support the president's decision," the crowd chanted.
In a late-night speech, Morsi denied trying to marginalise the army, saying he was acting in the interests of the country.
"I never intended, through my decisions, to marginalise or be unjust towards anyone, but rather to act so that we advance towards a better future, with a new generation, long-awaited new blood," Morsi said.
Morsi also amended the interim constitution to deny the military any role in public policy-making, the budget or legislation, or the right to pick a constituent assembly drafting a permanent constitution for post-Mubarak Egypt.
Mourad Ali, a senior official with the Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, which fielded Morsi in the May-June presidential polls, praised the president.
"Given the circumstances, this is the right time to make changes in the military institution," the Islamist official said. "He is a strong president, and he is exercising his authority."
The Cairo stock exchange reacted positively with the EGX-30 index rising 1.5%. "Morsi's announcements are seen as a boost to stability," said financial analyst Mustafa Badra.
-- Israel watches with 'concern' --
-----------------------------------
Sunday's announcements marked a new twist in uneasy relations between Morsi and the army, testing the balance of power between the first civilian president in Egypt's history and a military that had moved to limit his power.
Tantawi, who had served as Mubarak's defence minister for two decades, was replaced by Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, in his 50s and the youngest member of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.
Both Tantawi and Anan were awarded Egypt's highest honour and were retained as presidential advisers.
Morsi also gave other members of the SCAF key public sector jobs. Navy chief Vice Admiral Mohab Mamish was named head of the Suez Canal Authority, one of Egypt's top revenue earners.
Morsi also decided to appoint a vice president.
He named judge Mahmud Mekki as his deputy, MENA reported, making him only the second vice president to be named in Egypt in 30 years.
Sunday's shakeup is the latest in a series of moves by Morsi a week after a deadly attack on the Egyptian military in the Sinai prompted an unprecedented military campaign in the lawless peninsula.
Last week Morsi replaced his spy chief and dismissed top security and political officials in the Sinai as well.
Washington, which is a key military aid donor to Egypt, said it hoped to continue to work closely with the Cairo military and political leadership.
"The new defence minister is someone who's known to us, he comes from within the ranks of the SCAF and we believe we'll be able to continue the strong partnership that we have with Egypt," said Pentagon press secretary George Little said.
US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta "looks forward" to calling him "at the earliest possible moment," he added.
But in Israel, a government official expressed "great concern" over developments in Egypt while media suggested the removal of figures such as Tantawi would force Israel to seek new interlocutors.
Israel and Egypt signed a peace treaty in 1979, and although ties were frosty, security cooperation between the two countries' armies remained solid.
"The change of security and military leadership in Egypt will require Israel to open channels of dialogue with the new figures, not all of whom are familiar faces," an analysis in Maariv newspaper said.
"It is too early to say what will happen because everything is evolving in Egypt, but we are following what is happening there with great concern," the Israeli official told AFP.
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The state-run Al-Akhbar newspaper said the dismissal of Tantawi, who ruled Egypt for more than a year after massive streets protests forced veteran strongman Hosni Mubarak to step down in February 2011, was a "revolutionary decision."
"The Brothers officially in power," declared the independent Al-Watan daily, referring to the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamist group which backs Morsi and through whose ranks he rose before his election triumph.
The independent daily Al-Shorouk said Morsi had accumulated "much bigger prerogatives than those of Mubarak."
Thousands of Islamist supporters on Sunday flooded into Cairo's Tahrir Square -- cradle of the revolution that toppled Mubarak last year -- to celebrate.
"The people support the president's decision," the crowd chanted.
In a late-night speech, Morsi denied trying to marginalise the army, saying he was acting in the interests of the country.
"I never intended, through my decisions, to marginalise or be unjust towards anyone, but rather to act so that we advance towards a better future, with a new generation, long-awaited new blood," Morsi said.
Morsi also amended the interim constitution to deny the military any role in public policy-making, the budget or legislation, or the right to pick a constituent assembly drafting a permanent constitution for post-Mubarak Egypt.
Mourad Ali, a senior official with the Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, which fielded Morsi in the May-June presidential polls, praised the president.
"Given the circumstances, this is the right time to make changes in the military institution," the Islamist official said. "He is a strong president, and he is exercising his authority."
The Cairo stock exchange reacted positively with the EGX-30 index rising 1.5%. "Morsi's announcements are seen as a boost to stability," said financial analyst Mustafa Badra.
-- Israel watches with 'concern' --
-----------------------------------
Sunday's announcements marked a new twist in uneasy relations between Morsi and the army, testing the balance of power between the first civilian president in Egypt's history and a military that had moved to limit his power.
Tantawi, who had served as Mubarak's defence minister for two decades, was replaced by Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, in his 50s and the youngest member of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.
Both Tantawi and Anan were awarded Egypt's highest honour and were retained as presidential advisers.
Morsi also gave other members of the SCAF key public sector jobs. Navy chief Vice Admiral Mohab Mamish was named head of the Suez Canal Authority, one of Egypt's top revenue earners.
Morsi also decided to appoint a vice president.
He named judge Mahmud Mekki as his deputy, MENA reported, making him only the second vice president to be named in Egypt in 30 years.
Sunday's shakeup is the latest in a series of moves by Morsi a week after a deadly attack on the Egyptian military in the Sinai prompted an unprecedented military campaign in the lawless peninsula.
Last week Morsi replaced his spy chief and dismissed top security and political officials in the Sinai as well.
Washington, which is a key military aid donor to Egypt, said it hoped to continue to work closely with the Cairo military and political leadership.
"The new defence minister is someone who's known to us, he comes from within the ranks of the SCAF and we believe we'll be able to continue the strong partnership that we have with Egypt," said Pentagon press secretary George Little said.
US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta "looks forward" to calling him "at the earliest possible moment," he added.
But in Israel, a government official expressed "great concern" over developments in Egypt while media suggested the removal of figures such as Tantawi would force Israel to seek new interlocutors.
Israel and Egypt signed a peace treaty in 1979, and although ties were frosty, security cooperation between the two countries' armies remained solid.
"The change of security and military leadership in Egypt will require Israel to open channels of dialogue with the new figures, not all of whom are familiar faces," an analysis in Maariv newspaper said.
"It is too early to say what will happen because everything is evolving in Egypt, but we are following what is happening there with great concern," the Israeli official told AFP.
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Afghans met Taliban leader in Pakistan jail: officials
Afghan government representatives have held secret talks with a key member of the Taliban held in a Pakistani jail officials said Monday -- a move that could signal fresh hope for peace negotiations. The representatives visited Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, a powerful Taliban military chief who has been described as the insurgents' second in command, and discussed peace talks with him, an Afghan official said.
Baradar, whose 2010 arrest in Pakistan was blamed for sabotaging peace initiatives, is the most important Taliban leader held in prison and was known as a trusted aide to the militants' elusive leader Mullah Mohammad Omar.
"Afghan government officials and members of (the) Afghan embassy in Pakistan held secret talks with him (Baradar) in prison two months ago in Pakistan," Mohammad Ismail Qasimyar, a member of Afghanistan's High Peace Council, told AFP.
"They talked to him about peace negotiations. The Afghan government has also asked the Pakistani authorities to release him because he has shown interest in peace talks with the government of Afghanistan," Qasimyar said.
At the time of Baradar's arrest the Afghan government and the former UN envoy to Afghanistan said his detention had adversely affected efforts to talk to the insurgents in a bid to end the decade-long war.
A Pakistani security official confirmed Monday that an official delegation from Afghanistan had made an initial contact with Baradar two months ago.
"We still say there are no plans for his release as yet. It remains to be seen how important Baradar is and what role he can play (in peace talks)," the official said.
He pointed out that Baradar had been in prison for more than two years, adding: "This is a long time in which faces change and new actors occupy the stage."
The new US ambassador to Kabul told a news conference Monday that there are signs that the Taliban are considering peace talks with the Afghan government and "contacts" are taking place.
Ambassador James Cunningham did not refer directly to the reported meeting in the Pakistani jail, but said in answer to a question: "There are contacts taking place, mostly at this point among Afghans -- Taliban and Afghans.
"There are a number of different elements at play. None of them are yet definitive, creating a concrete way forward, but we do see signs that... there is some rethinking going on among the Taliban about the future choices that they face."
Cunningham attributed this to the "clarity of the message" the United States and the West have sent out that they will not abandon Afghanistan when NATO's 130,000 troops pull out in 2014.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai has long sought to negotiate with the Taliban but the Islamist militia has in public refused to deal with his administration, branding it an American puppet.
Earlier this year the Taliban also announced they had abandoned contact with US officials aimed at securing a prisoner swap as a first step towards peace talks in the Gulf state of Qatar.
The US and NATO would welcome Afghan peace talks that would allow them to claim, as they withdraw, that the decade-long war has brought some stability to the country.
Without that, there is widespread fear that the Taliban will make gains against the ill-prepared Afghan security forces and that the country will once again plunge into a multi-factional civil war.
The Taliban are far from defeated on the battlefield. NATO has noted an 11 percent increase in attacks since the launch of the militants' annual summer offensive over the same period last year.
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Baradar, whose 2010 arrest in Pakistan was blamed for sabotaging peace initiatives, is the most important Taliban leader held in prison and was known as a trusted aide to the militants' elusive leader Mullah Mohammad Omar.
"Afghan government officials and members of (the) Afghan embassy in Pakistan held secret talks with him (Baradar) in prison two months ago in Pakistan," Mohammad Ismail Qasimyar, a member of Afghanistan's High Peace Council, told AFP.
"They talked to him about peace negotiations. The Afghan government has also asked the Pakistani authorities to release him because he has shown interest in peace talks with the government of Afghanistan," Qasimyar said.
At the time of Baradar's arrest the Afghan government and the former UN envoy to Afghanistan said his detention had adversely affected efforts to talk to the insurgents in a bid to end the decade-long war.
A Pakistani security official confirmed Monday that an official delegation from Afghanistan had made an initial contact with Baradar two months ago.
"We still say there are no plans for his release as yet. It remains to be seen how important Baradar is and what role he can play (in peace talks)," the official said.
He pointed out that Baradar had been in prison for more than two years, adding: "This is a long time in which faces change and new actors occupy the stage."
The new US ambassador to Kabul told a news conference Monday that there are signs that the Taliban are considering peace talks with the Afghan government and "contacts" are taking place.
Ambassador James Cunningham did not refer directly to the reported meeting in the Pakistani jail, but said in answer to a question: "There are contacts taking place, mostly at this point among Afghans -- Taliban and Afghans.
"There are a number of different elements at play. None of them are yet definitive, creating a concrete way forward, but we do see signs that... there is some rethinking going on among the Taliban about the future choices that they face."
Cunningham attributed this to the "clarity of the message" the United States and the West have sent out that they will not abandon Afghanistan when NATO's 130,000 troops pull out in 2014.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai has long sought to negotiate with the Taliban but the Islamist militia has in public refused to deal with his administration, branding it an American puppet.
Earlier this year the Taliban also announced they had abandoned contact with US officials aimed at securing a prisoner swap as a first step towards peace talks in the Gulf state of Qatar.
The US and NATO would welcome Afghan peace talks that would allow them to claim, as they withdraw, that the decade-long war has brought some stability to the country.
Without that, there is widespread fear that the Taliban will make gains against the ill-prepared Afghan security forces and that the country will once again plunge into a multi-factional civil war.
The Taliban are far from defeated on the battlefield. NATO has noted an 11 percent increase in attacks since the launch of the militants' annual summer offensive over the same period last year.
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Olympics: For US, it's all one big Dream Team
Dream Team? Better make that several Dream Teams, because there was almost nothing keeping US athletes from medals at what one newspaper called an "astounding" London Olympics. From the pool to the wrestling mat to the soccer field and, in one of Sunday's closing events, the basketball court: this Olympics was a true American moment at a time of grim economic news and political division.
"Most medals. Most gold medals. The US left no doubt at the Olympics," CBS Sports said Monday.
Facing a tense presidential election campaign, mass joblessness, and two recent mass shootings, Americans are not holding back from celebrating.
President Barack Obama has been quick to call and Tweet his congratulations to athletes and the women's gold-winning gymnastics team has been invited to ring the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday.
"This really was an astounding Olympics for the Americans, 46 gold medals and 104 medals overall," the New York Daily News said.
That was ahead of rising superpower China and bitter rival Russia, followed by host nation Britain and the traditionally strong sporting nation of Germany.
"MIDAS TOUCH" screamed the New York Post's main sports headline.
Time magazine crunched the medals numbers, musing on how to weigh the relative value of gold, silver and bronze, then said simply: "In London, however, no math needed. The US won the Olympics, hands down."
And while there were other winners, notably a plucky performance by often underperforming Britain and the astonishing feats of Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, the American stars were unmatched for the sheer variety and consistency of their achievements.
The NBA stars who squeezed past Spain on Sunday carried outsized reputations into London. But, unlike during the fiasco in Athens eight years ago, they showed they were patriotic, not prima donnas, when it came to a close game.
"It means more than my name on my back. It means everything to the name on the front," Miami Heat's LeBron James said of performing in his USA kit.
Michael Phelps, winning four more golds and becoming the most winning Olympian of all time, arguably rivals Bolt as a mega star.
Gabby Douglas captured hearts across America as the first black American to win the all-around women's gymnastics title.
Perhaps most eye-catching to Americans has been the general success of their women's squad, led by the gold medal soccer team.
In fact, the only collective group that was better than Team USA, was women's Team USA.
"They dominated the US team in every way: More women than men made the American team, and they won far more gold medals than the American men," USA Today noted.
"The USA won 46 gold medals in the Games, more than any other nation. Women won 29 of them. Were US women their own nation, they would have finished ahead of every other country's total gold medal count except China."
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"Most medals. Most gold medals. The US left no doubt at the Olympics," CBS Sports said Monday.
Facing a tense presidential election campaign, mass joblessness, and two recent mass shootings, Americans are not holding back from celebrating.
President Barack Obama has been quick to call and Tweet his congratulations to athletes and the women's gold-winning gymnastics team has been invited to ring the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday.
"This really was an astounding Olympics for the Americans, 46 gold medals and 104 medals overall," the New York Daily News said.
That was ahead of rising superpower China and bitter rival Russia, followed by host nation Britain and the traditionally strong sporting nation of Germany.
"MIDAS TOUCH" screamed the New York Post's main sports headline.
Time magazine crunched the medals numbers, musing on how to weigh the relative value of gold, silver and bronze, then said simply: "In London, however, no math needed. The US won the Olympics, hands down."
And while there were other winners, notably a plucky performance by often underperforming Britain and the astonishing feats of Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, the American stars were unmatched for the sheer variety and consistency of their achievements.
The NBA stars who squeezed past Spain on Sunday carried outsized reputations into London. But, unlike during the fiasco in Athens eight years ago, they showed they were patriotic, not prima donnas, when it came to a close game.
"It means more than my name on my back. It means everything to the name on the front," Miami Heat's LeBron James said of performing in his USA kit.
Michael Phelps, winning four more golds and becoming the most winning Olympian of all time, arguably rivals Bolt as a mega star.
Gabby Douglas captured hearts across America as the first black American to win the all-around women's gymnastics title.
Perhaps most eye-catching to Americans has been the general success of their women's squad, led by the gold medal soccer team.
In fact, the only collective group that was better than Team USA, was women's Team USA.
"They dominated the US team in every way: More women than men made the American team, and they won far more gold medals than the American men," USA Today noted.
"The USA won 46 gold medals in the Games, more than any other nation. Women won 29 of them. Were US women their own nation, they would have finished ahead of every other country's total gold medal count except China."
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Syria rebels claim jet downing as army advances
Syrian rebels claimed they downed a fighter jet Monday in what would be a major coup for the opposition, but the regime seized the upper hand in Aleppo as it advanced into a new rebel-held district. President Bashar al-Assad's regime meanwhile faced mounting pressure as foreign ministers called for Syria to be suspended from the 57-nation Islamic Cooperation Organization over the brutal crackdown on the 17-month rebellion.
But the Western-backed rebels could soon face similar criticism, after shocking videos emerged showing alleged rebel atrocities in Aleppo, the scene of several days of fierce urban combat and thundering air strikes.
State media said a military plane on a training mission crashed in the east of the country after suffering a malfunction and that the pilot had ejected.
But the Free Syrian Army, which has been requesting anti-aircraft weapons so that it can respond to escalating attacks from the sky, claimed it shot down the Russian-made jet in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor.
"With God's help, a MiG 23 plane was downed in Muhasen on Monday morning, by the hands of the Ahfad Mohammed (Grandchildren of Mohammed) Brigade," said Captain Abul Laith, whose group is part of the FSA.
Another group calling itself the "Revolutionary Youth of the Land of the Euphrates" distributed a video showing a man identified as pilot Mufid Mohammed Suleiman surrounded by three armed men.
"My mission was to bomb the town of Muhasen," said the purported pilot.
FSA spokesman Kassem Saadeddine identified the pilot as Colonel Mufid Mohammed Sleiman and said he was a member of the Alawite minority community of President Bashar al-Assad and his inner circle.
"He is a member of a squadron I used to fly with... before I defected," Saadeddine told AFP via Skype. "I served with him for 15 years, and he is a staunch enemy of the revolution."
If confirmed, the attack would be the first time the rebels have succeeded in downing a Syrian plane since Assad's regime launched an increasingly brutal crackdown on protests 17 months ago.
International concern is mounting over how to end a conflict that has triggered a major humanitarian crisis and sent around 140,000 Syrians fleeing to neighbouring countries, with scores of people being killed every day.
At least 103 lost their lives on Monday, 58 of them civilians, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
The opposition has accused the regime of increasingly resorting to firing from fighter planes, particularly on the second city of Aleppo, which has witnessed some of the fiercest fighting in recent weeks.
Opposition umbrella group the Syrian National Council issued a new appeal for the establishment of no-fly zones similar to those set up over Libya during last year's conflict.
SNC head Abdel Basset Sayda told AFP the rebels wanted "two no-fly zones, one in the north near the Turkish border, and another in the south near the border with Jordan."
Washington said that Assad's government was employing more air power in its war with the rebels.
"We've seen a very troubling and despicable uptick in attacks from the air, perpetrated by the Syrian regime," Pentagon spokesman George Little told reporters.
Asked if the Pentagon was moving towards enforcing a possible no-fly zone, he said: "We plan for contingencies."
White House spokesman Jay Carney said the administration has "ruled out no option" in trying to bring about a political transition in Syria, but did not explicitly refer to a no-fly zone.
Foreign ministers of the Islamic Cooperation Organisation meanwhile called on heads of state meeting in Mecca for an emergency summit on Tuesday to suspend Syria from the 57-nation bloc.
Sources close to the preparatory meeting of the ministers, held in the Saudi Red Sea City of Jeddah, said that only Algeria and Iran -- Syria's closest ally -- were against the recommendation.
"We certainly do not agree agree with the suspension of any OIC member," Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said after the meeting.
"We have to look for other ways, means and mechanisms for resolving conflicts and crises," he said.
-- Grisly footage --
--------------------
Grisly footage meanwhile emerged appearing to show rebels in the Aleppo area callously throwing bodies off a post office building, while another video showed a man, blindfolded and bound, as his throat was savagely cut.
In another video, a blindfolded man with his hands tied behind his back is forced down onto a pavement in Aleppo, calling out: "I would rather die by a bullet."
As the group chants "Allahu Akbar" (God is Greatest) an assailant carves away at his throat with a small blade as his blood spurts onto the pavement.
Both sides in the increasingly vicious conflict have been accused of human rights violations as reports of cold-blooded killings mount, although the authenticity of the latest videos could not be verified.
The army gained some ground as it advanced into another rebel-held area of Aleppo, the northern city seen as pivotal to the outcome of the conflict.
"With tanks, Syria's regime forces have stormed the west of the district of Saif al-Dawla," said the Observatory.
"They are now clashing with the rebels, and parts of Salaheddin are being shelled."
Rebels in July took over several districts but regime forces last week reclaimed most of the Salaheddin district that neighbours Saif al-Dawla.
More than 21,000 people have been killed since March last year, with fighting escalating after the failure of outgoing international envoy Kofi Annan's peace plan and the regime hit by an increasing number of defections by high-ranking officials.
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But the Western-backed rebels could soon face similar criticism, after shocking videos emerged showing alleged rebel atrocities in Aleppo, the scene of several days of fierce urban combat and thundering air strikes.
State media said a military plane on a training mission crashed in the east of the country after suffering a malfunction and that the pilot had ejected.
But the Free Syrian Army, which has been requesting anti-aircraft weapons so that it can respond to escalating attacks from the sky, claimed it shot down the Russian-made jet in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor.
"With God's help, a MiG 23 plane was downed in Muhasen on Monday morning, by the hands of the Ahfad Mohammed (Grandchildren of Mohammed) Brigade," said Captain Abul Laith, whose group is part of the FSA.
Another group calling itself the "Revolutionary Youth of the Land of the Euphrates" distributed a video showing a man identified as pilot Mufid Mohammed Suleiman surrounded by three armed men.
"My mission was to bomb the town of Muhasen," said the purported pilot.
FSA spokesman Kassem Saadeddine identified the pilot as Colonel Mufid Mohammed Sleiman and said he was a member of the Alawite minority community of President Bashar al-Assad and his inner circle.
"He is a member of a squadron I used to fly with... before I defected," Saadeddine told AFP via Skype. "I served with him for 15 years, and he is a staunch enemy of the revolution."
If confirmed, the attack would be the first time the rebels have succeeded in downing a Syrian plane since Assad's regime launched an increasingly brutal crackdown on protests 17 months ago.
International concern is mounting over how to end a conflict that has triggered a major humanitarian crisis and sent around 140,000 Syrians fleeing to neighbouring countries, with scores of people being killed every day.
At least 103 lost their lives on Monday, 58 of them civilians, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
The opposition has accused the regime of increasingly resorting to firing from fighter planes, particularly on the second city of Aleppo, which has witnessed some of the fiercest fighting in recent weeks.
Opposition umbrella group the Syrian National Council issued a new appeal for the establishment of no-fly zones similar to those set up over Libya during last year's conflict.
SNC head Abdel Basset Sayda told AFP the rebels wanted "two no-fly zones, one in the north near the Turkish border, and another in the south near the border with Jordan."
Washington said that Assad's government was employing more air power in its war with the rebels.
"We've seen a very troubling and despicable uptick in attacks from the air, perpetrated by the Syrian regime," Pentagon spokesman George Little told reporters.
Asked if the Pentagon was moving towards enforcing a possible no-fly zone, he said: "We plan for contingencies."
White House spokesman Jay Carney said the administration has "ruled out no option" in trying to bring about a political transition in Syria, but did not explicitly refer to a no-fly zone.
Foreign ministers of the Islamic Cooperation Organisation meanwhile called on heads of state meeting in Mecca for an emergency summit on Tuesday to suspend Syria from the 57-nation bloc.
Sources close to the preparatory meeting of the ministers, held in the Saudi Red Sea City of Jeddah, said that only Algeria and Iran -- Syria's closest ally -- were against the recommendation.
"We certainly do not agree agree with the suspension of any OIC member," Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said after the meeting.
"We have to look for other ways, means and mechanisms for resolving conflicts and crises," he said.
-- Grisly footage --
--------------------
Grisly footage meanwhile emerged appearing to show rebels in the Aleppo area callously throwing bodies off a post office building, while another video showed a man, blindfolded and bound, as his throat was savagely cut.
In another video, a blindfolded man with his hands tied behind his back is forced down onto a pavement in Aleppo, calling out: "I would rather die by a bullet."
As the group chants "Allahu Akbar" (God is Greatest) an assailant carves away at his throat with a small blade as his blood spurts onto the pavement.
Both sides in the increasingly vicious conflict have been accused of human rights violations as reports of cold-blooded killings mount, although the authenticity of the latest videos could not be verified.
The army gained some ground as it advanced into another rebel-held area of Aleppo, the northern city seen as pivotal to the outcome of the conflict.
"With tanks, Syria's regime forces have stormed the west of the district of Saif al-Dawla," said the Observatory.
"They are now clashing with the rebels, and parts of Salaheddin are being shelled."
Rebels in July took over several districts but regime forces last week reclaimed most of the Salaheddin district that neighbours Saif al-Dawla.
More than 21,000 people have been killed since March last year, with fighting escalating after the failure of outgoing international envoy Kofi Annan's peace plan and the regime hit by an increasing number of defections by high-ranking officials.
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Order to halt BCS project appealed at Supreme Court
Malaysia's Nexbis Limited has appealed the High Court ruling to halt the Border Control System (BCS) project at the Supreme Court. The High Court order came after the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) appealed the civil court decision that the ACC had no authority to order the halt of the project. Following which, the ACC had made an appeal at the High Court which ordered the immediate halt of the work on the project.
Nexbis legal team member, Ismail Wisham said that the order was appealed as the project was being delayed due to the High Court failing to expedite the sentencing of the case. The next hearing of the case against ACC, is scheduled for next Wednesday at the Supreme Court.
While the High Court had ordered to halt the work of the BCS project, much of its work has been already completed. High Court had previously also ordered the halt of the project, however the Supreme Court had overruled the decision, stating that the high court judges’ bench was illegal, thus annulling the mandamus order. Hence the new order was sought on July 16 after the reconstitution of the Judges bench.
While the government spokesperson stated that there are no legal grounds upon which the BCS project can be stopped, Home Minister Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed has reiterated the order to halt the installation of the border control system (BCS) by Immigration Department through Nexbis which has been laden with allegations of corruption over its awarding. AG Azima Shakoor had earlier stressed that the government should back the ACC’s order to halt the project as it involved allegations of corruption.
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Nexbis legal team member, Ismail Wisham said that the order was appealed as the project was being delayed due to the High Court failing to expedite the sentencing of the case. The next hearing of the case against ACC, is scheduled for next Wednesday at the Supreme Court.
While the High Court had ordered to halt the work of the BCS project, much of its work has been already completed. High Court had previously also ordered the halt of the project, however the Supreme Court had overruled the decision, stating that the high court judges’ bench was illegal, thus annulling the mandamus order. Hence the new order was sought on July 16 after the reconstitution of the Judges bench.
While the government spokesperson stated that there are no legal grounds upon which the BCS project can be stopped, Home Minister Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed has reiterated the order to halt the installation of the border control system (BCS) by Immigration Department through Nexbis which has been laden with allegations of corruption over its awarding. AG Azima Shakoor had earlier stressed that the government should back the ACC’s order to halt the project as it involved allegations of corruption.
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President's Office also decides not to cooperate with Raajje TV
The President's Office has revealed its decision to cease extending cooperation to opposition Raajje TV claiming that the station was spreading false information and fabricated content. Earlier Maldives Police Services (MPS) had made a similar decision not to cooperate with Raajje TV, accusing the station of continuously broadcasting fabricated and false content intended to defame, tarnish and undermine the integrity of the Police in the eyes of the people.
President’s Office Media Secretary Masood Imad on Sunday said that the President’s Office will cooperate with Raajje TV when they change their policy towards the office and that Raajje TV broadcasts fabricated and misleading news about the government.
“Their (Raajje TV) policy towards the government needs to be changed. It spreads news about government authorities (ministries) after twisting it to their own advantage. Raajje TV has committed a lot of these acts†Masood said.
Masood said that the President’s Office will cease extending cooperation to any news media who blatantly reports false information about the government, even if it is Haveeru or any other news media, which is now the government’s stand.
He said that the President’s Office will cooperate with Raajje TV when it stops spreading fabricated information to its gain, and report the truth.
However, Government Spokesperson Abbas Adil Riza today stressed that the government does not entertain a notion of not cooperating with any media outlet. He admitted that Raajje TV was not invited to the media briefing given by President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik due to a minor “oversight.â€
“We will continue to provide information to anyone when a request is made to the President’s Office. Under the policy of disseminating information to the media, all outlets would continue to be in the loop. President’s Office will not adopt a policy to deny any information to Raajje TV,†Abbas said.
Chief Operating Officer of Raajje TV Abdulla Yamin stressed today that the decision by the government to cease sharing information with the station was to “hinder and stymie†independent and free media. He added that Raajje TV always has and will continue to broadcast news with freedom and independence.
“Raajje TV was not invited to the press briefing held by President Waheed prior to his departure to the OIC Summit. When we inquired about it we found out of the decision had been made to cease cooperating with us. But we will always cooperate with the government and its institutions,†Yamin detailed.
He also pointed out that no action had been taken previously against some broadcast media which had quite clearly reported false news.
“Even the President’s mother had been subject to obscenities on some stations. But no decision to cease cooperation was made at that time,†he alleged.
Maldives Broadcasting Commission (MBC) had earlier urged the Police to reverse its decision and continue to cooperate with Raajje TV. The Commission detailed that in a democratic society, under no circumstances must any institution stymie or impede the independence of media.
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President’s Office Media Secretary Masood Imad on Sunday said that the President’s Office will cooperate with Raajje TV when they change their policy towards the office and that Raajje TV broadcasts fabricated and misleading news about the government.
“Their (Raajje TV) policy towards the government needs to be changed. It spreads news about government authorities (ministries) after twisting it to their own advantage. Raajje TV has committed a lot of these acts†Masood said.
Masood said that the President’s Office will cease extending cooperation to any news media who blatantly reports false information about the government, even if it is Haveeru or any other news media, which is now the government’s stand.
He said that the President’s Office will cooperate with Raajje TV when it stops spreading fabricated information to its gain, and report the truth.
However, Government Spokesperson Abbas Adil Riza today stressed that the government does not entertain a notion of not cooperating with any media outlet. He admitted that Raajje TV was not invited to the media briefing given by President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik due to a minor “oversight.â€
“We will continue to provide information to anyone when a request is made to the President’s Office. Under the policy of disseminating information to the media, all outlets would continue to be in the loop. President’s Office will not adopt a policy to deny any information to Raajje TV,†Abbas said.
Chief Operating Officer of Raajje TV Abdulla Yamin stressed today that the decision by the government to cease sharing information with the station was to “hinder and stymie†independent and free media. He added that Raajje TV always has and will continue to broadcast news with freedom and independence.
“Raajje TV was not invited to the press briefing held by President Waheed prior to his departure to the OIC Summit. When we inquired about it we found out of the decision had been made to cease cooperating with us. But we will always cooperate with the government and its institutions,†Yamin detailed.
He also pointed out that no action had been taken previously against some broadcast media which had quite clearly reported false news.
“Even the President’s mother had been subject to obscenities on some stations. But no decision to cease cooperation was made at that time,†he alleged.
Maldives Broadcasting Commission (MBC) had earlier urged the Police to reverse its decision and continue to cooperate with Raajje TV. The Commission detailed that in a democratic society, under no circumstances must any institution stymie or impede the independence of media.
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Monday, August 13, 2012
Authorized service price list of Aasandha publicized
As private clinics and hospitals begin providing health care under the national health insurance scheme 'Aasandha', the authorized service price list under Aasandha has been publicized. ADK hospital along with some private clinics has already begun providing Aasandha after taking a co-payment.
Aasandha Company Managing Director Mohamed Shafaz detailed that the prices charged by clinics would differ and the publicized list includes the prices covered by Aasandha. Under the present agreement the unanimous charge for general consultation is MVR50 while MVR100 would be the charge to consult a specialist, he said. However, he added that the prices could vary for other services depending on the clinic.
“The prices that have been included in the list are what we will pay the clinics. In addition to that the clinics would charge an amount as co-payment,†Shafaz said.
Aasandha Company had stated that co-payments must be taken in order to sustain the scheme. Despite the decision, government hospitals would take no charge for Aasandha.
Aasandha Company had said that an agreement has been reached with ADK and eight other clinics to provide the service by a taking a co-payment.
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Aasandha Company Managing Director Mohamed Shafaz detailed that the prices charged by clinics would differ and the publicized list includes the prices covered by Aasandha. Under the present agreement the unanimous charge for general consultation is MVR50 while MVR100 would be the charge to consult a specialist, he said. However, he added that the prices could vary for other services depending on the clinic.
“The prices that have been included in the list are what we will pay the clinics. In addition to that the clinics would charge an amount as co-payment,†Shafaz said.
Aasandha Company had stated that co-payments must be taken in order to sustain the scheme. Despite the decision, government hospitals would take no charge for Aasandha.
Aasandha Company had said that an agreement has been reached with ADK and eight other clinics to provide the service by a taking a co-payment.
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Speaker optimistic over positive outcome of tomorrow's sitdown
Parliament Speaker Abdulla Shahid has expressed optimism that the sit-down scheduled for tomorrow to establish a stable environment would pave the way to recommencing the presently suspended Parliament sessions. In response to a question from Haveeru, Shahid hailed political figures agreeing for a sit-down to resolve the ongoing strife was an achievement in itself.
“The initiative to come to the discussion table is a major accomplishment. I’ve always supported resolutions through dialogue. Hence this is certainly a step forward,†Shahid said.
The Speaker as of normal principle did not disclose further details of the scheduled sit-down tomorrow. Shahid has always maintained that revealing details to the media could undermine such sensitive discussions.
The talks are to be held among the Parliamentary group leaders of the political parties and the Vice-President Mohamed Waheed Deen will be representing the government at the sit-down.
The Parliament sessions were indefinitely suspended citing an unsafe and hazardous environment on July 31, after the MDP Parliamentarians repeatedly attempted to impede its sessions over the issue of Aasandha (National Health Insurance) Scheme.
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“The initiative to come to the discussion table is a major accomplishment. I’ve always supported resolutions through dialogue. Hence this is certainly a step forward,†Shahid said.
The Speaker as of normal principle did not disclose further details of the scheduled sit-down tomorrow. Shahid has always maintained that revealing details to the media could undermine such sensitive discussions.
The talks are to be held among the Parliamentary group leaders of the political parties and the Vice-President Mohamed Waheed Deen will be representing the government at the sit-down.
The Parliament sessions were indefinitely suspended citing an unsafe and hazardous environment on July 31, after the MDP Parliamentarians repeatedly attempted to impede its sessions over the issue of Aasandha (National Health Insurance) Scheme.
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Concerned over army, police officers dismissals: Nasheed
Former President Mohamed Nasheed has expressed concern over the Police and Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) dismissing its officers from various ranks before the Commission of National Inquiry (CNI) probe in to the circumstances surrounding the transfer of power on February 7 is completed. In a press statement Nasheed expressed disappointment and stated that the two institutions had threatened and dismissed several of its officers from different ranks within the past six months prior to the CNI report which is scheduled to be published on August 31.
“During August, two high ranking police officers, Chief Superintendent of Police, Mohamed Hameed and Superintendent of Police, Ibrahim Adnan Anees had been dismissed from the service and Superintendent of Police, Ibrahim ‘Lady’ Manik had been transferred to another post. In addition, MNDF Medical Service Commanding Officer’s Assistant, Captain Dr. Fathimath Thahseena had been dismissed during the last week,†Nasheed’s statement detailed.
Brigadier General Ibrahim Mohamed Didi, who served the military for 32 years resigned last month, while former Chief of Defence Force, Major General Moosa Ali Jaleel and the vice-Chief of Defence Force, Farhath Shaheer also resigned.
Nasheed said that the transfer of power on February 7 will be investigated by the CNI and that the measures to be taken would depend on the commission’s report. He urged both institutions to refrain from dismissing, promoting or subjecting their officers to any kind of threats or intimidation.
“Hence, I advice all officers of the State to refrain from resigning until the CNI report is published†Nasheed said.
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“During August, two high ranking police officers, Chief Superintendent of Police, Mohamed Hameed and Superintendent of Police, Ibrahim Adnan Anees had been dismissed from the service and Superintendent of Police, Ibrahim ‘Lady’ Manik had been transferred to another post. In addition, MNDF Medical Service Commanding Officer’s Assistant, Captain Dr. Fathimath Thahseena had been dismissed during the last week,†Nasheed’s statement detailed.
Brigadier General Ibrahim Mohamed Didi, who served the military for 32 years resigned last month, while former Chief of Defence Force, Major General Moosa Ali Jaleel and the vice-Chief of Defence Force, Farhath Shaheer also resigned.
Nasheed said that the transfer of power on February 7 will be investigated by the CNI and that the measures to be taken would depend on the commission’s report. He urged both institutions to refrain from dismissing, promoting or subjecting their officers to any kind of threats or intimidation.
“Hence, I advice all officers of the State to refrain from resigning until the CNI report is published†Nasheed said.
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Will act as a shield against brutality: MDP
The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has stated that it will not stand in the way of those how had suffered from state brutality on February 7 and 8 from "expressing themselves." A press release issued by the party’s secretariat stated that when those who have experienced the “bitter brutality†go on to “express themselves†they are being unjustly punished and that the party condemns the actions of the government in the strictest of terms. It was also stated that MDP will act as a shield against brutality.
“Though a group of people are denying and trying very hard to cover up the inhumane treatment of protesters or February 7 and 8, those who had seen and felt and experienced the brutality will go on to spread the truth, share their experiences and voice their emotions,†the statement read.
Meanwhile, President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik has said that government leaders and employees are still being harassed by the MDP and that he would not join negotiations until the harassment stops.
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“Though a group of people are denying and trying very hard to cover up the inhumane treatment of protesters or February 7 and 8, those who had seen and felt and experienced the brutality will go on to spread the truth, share their experiences and voice their emotions,†the statement read.
Meanwhile, President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik has said that government leaders and employees are still being harassed by the MDP and that he would not join negotiations until the harassment stops.
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Heavy Load asked to pay MVR48 million for Kahdhoo Airport Guest Houses
Kahdhoo Airport Company has notified Heavy Load Maldives to pay the company MVR48 million owed in rent and penalties. A letter signed by the Interim Director of the company Ahmed Ali sent to the Director of Heavy Load Mudhrikath Moosa on May 29, 2012 states that “the company is asked to pay a total of MVR48,664,744.52 owed to the government prior to the annexing of the guest houses (on May 20, 2012), before July 31, 2012 to either the Ministry of Transport and Communication or the Regional Airport.â€
Heavy Load had also been informed on June 4, 2012 to pay the amount owed for electricity bills which amounts to MVR52,244.50 and to pay it before June 30, 2012. Haveeru has received a copy of the letter.
An official from Heavy Load revealed that the guest house had not been annexed from the company but that company had given it up. However the official refused to talk about the matter of rent and fines.
Ahmed said that Heavy Load Maldives had not paid the rent for the guest houses since taking the responsibility of operating the guest houses on November 2010 and that the company had only paid the six months advance payment.
He added that while the guest houses had been rented out to Heavy Load for MVR3 million per year and that rent fines constitute a major amount in the current MVR48 million owed.
“In the lease agreement it is stated that a 2.5 percent fine will be charged for every day the payment is overdue. We’ve asked them to pay the money even today via a letter, but so far Heavy Load has not paid the money,†he said.
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Heavy Load had also been informed on June 4, 2012 to pay the amount owed for electricity bills which amounts to MVR52,244.50 and to pay it before June 30, 2012. Haveeru has received a copy of the letter.
An official from Heavy Load revealed that the guest house had not been annexed from the company but that company had given it up. However the official refused to talk about the matter of rent and fines.
Ahmed said that Heavy Load Maldives had not paid the rent for the guest houses since taking the responsibility of operating the guest houses on November 2010 and that the company had only paid the six months advance payment.
He added that while the guest houses had been rented out to Heavy Load for MVR3 million per year and that rent fines constitute a major amount in the current MVR48 million owed.
“In the lease agreement it is stated that a 2.5 percent fine will be charged for every day the payment is overdue. We’ve asked them to pay the money even today via a letter, but so far Heavy Load has not paid the money,†he said.
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Bomb kills three soldiers in Pakistan's Waziristan
A remote-controlled bomb attack on Sunday killed three soldiers in Pakistan's troubled Waziristan district, where Islamabad has resisted US pressure to launch a full-scale offensive against an insurgency. Pakistan security officials said the bomb targeted a military convoy which was moving from Mirali town to Miranshah, the main town of North Waziristan tribal district, which has become the most notorious Taliban and Al-Qaeda stronghold on Pakistan's border with Afghanistan.
"Three soldiers were killed and three were wounded in the blast. Their vehicle was completely destroyed," a senior security official based in the region's main Peshawar city told AFP.
Another senior security official confirmed the incident and death toll, adding that a second military vehicle was also badly damaged.
Islamabad has told Washington that US forces must seal the Afghan border in the event of any offensive against the Al-Qaeda-linked Haqqani network in North Waziristan, an official said Saturday.
The Haqqanis, blamed for some of the deadliest attacks in Afghanistan and whose leaders are understood to be based in the Pakistani tribal district, is one of the thorniest issues between Islamabad and Washington.
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"Three soldiers were killed and three were wounded in the blast. Their vehicle was completely destroyed," a senior security official based in the region's main Peshawar city told AFP.
Another senior security official confirmed the incident and death toll, adding that a second military vehicle was also badly damaged.
Islamabad has told Washington that US forces must seal the Afghan border in the event of any offensive against the Al-Qaeda-linked Haqqani network in North Waziristan, an official said Saturday.
The Haqqanis, blamed for some of the deadliest attacks in Afghanistan and whose leaders are understood to be based in the Pakistani tribal district, is one of the thorniest issues between Islamabad and Washington.
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More than 20 arrested over Mumbai violence
Police in Mumbai have arrested more than 20 people in connection with violence that erupted at a rally in which two people were killed and dozens injured, reports said Sunday. Protesters had gathered Saturday to condemn deadly sectarian clashes in India's northeast but the rally suddenly turned violent with three TV broadcast vans set ablaze, and police vehicles and buses pelted with bricks and stones.
Police on Sunday said the situation was calm and more than 20 people had been arrested, with accusations against them including molestation and theft, according to the Press Trust of India news agency.
During the violence the mob snatched two self-loading rifles and a pistol from policewomen, they said, while 36 out of 46 of the injured were police, Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde told reporters late Saturday.
Investigators are due to probe whether any inflammatory speeches were made at the rally by organisers or if vandalism was pre-meditated.
The police used tear gas and bamboo sticks to disperse hundreds of people after the demonstration turned violent at Azad Maidan, a park near the landmark CST railway station where rallies are often held.
The demonstrators, wearing black bands, belonged to several Muslims groups, including Mumbai's Raza Academy, an organisation promoting Islamic culture that had made a call to denounce recent ethnic clashes in India's Assam state.
Last month, fighting erupted between indigenous Bodo tribes and Muslim settlers over long-running land disputes and immigration issues in the state bordering Bangladesh, and least 77 people have died in the clashes.
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Police on Sunday said the situation was calm and more than 20 people had been arrested, with accusations against them including molestation and theft, according to the Press Trust of India news agency.
During the violence the mob snatched two self-loading rifles and a pistol from policewomen, they said, while 36 out of 46 of the injured were police, Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde told reporters late Saturday.
Investigators are due to probe whether any inflammatory speeches were made at the rally by organisers or if vandalism was pre-meditated.
The police used tear gas and bamboo sticks to disperse hundreds of people after the demonstration turned violent at Azad Maidan, a park near the landmark CST railway station where rallies are often held.
The demonstrators, wearing black bands, belonged to several Muslims groups, including Mumbai's Raza Academy, an organisation promoting Islamic culture that had made a call to denounce recent ethnic clashes in India's Assam state.
Last month, fighting erupted between indigenous Bodo tribes and Muslim settlers over long-running land disputes and immigration issues in the state bordering Bangladesh, and least 77 people have died in the clashes.
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Bangladesh minister accuses Muhammad Yunus
Bangladesh Finance Minister A.M.A. Muhith on Sunday accused the Nobel Peace Prize winner and microfinance pioneer Muhammad Yunus of waging a "harmful campaign" against the country. The comments came a week after the United States expressed deep concern about Dhaka's expanding role in Grameen Bank, the micro-lender founded by Yunus.
The 72-year-old "banker to the poor" -- a leading anti-poverty activist with many powerful foreign supporters -- was forced from the bank last year over what his supporters say is a government vendetta against him.
Earlier this month, Bangladesh's cabinet led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ordered a new probe into Yunus to check for irregularities during his time as head of the micro-credit giant.
The cabinet also approved a plan to amend Grameen Bank laws, which would give the government-appointed chairman of the bank's board control over the selection of a new managing director.
Muhith denied allegations by Yunus -- who won the Nobel prize in 2006 -- and the main opposition party that the move to empower the chairman would jeopardise the lender's independence.
"He has been saying that the government wants to wrest control of Grameen Bank. I have been saying from the first day that the government does not want to take over Grameen Bank and it has not done that as of now," he said.
"Mr Yunus is carrying out an unnecessary campaign. It's harmful for the country."
Yunus, who fell out with Hasina after talking about going into politics, was officially fired for exceeding the mandatory retirement age of 60. He challenged the move in the Supreme Court, but lost.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, a personal friend, heaped praise on Yunus during a visit to Dhaka in May and urged Hasina's government to maintain "an environment where civil society groups operate freely".
The US last week criticised the government's move, saying it would "diminish the role the largely female borrower-shareholders play in shaping the direction of" Grameen.
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The 72-year-old "banker to the poor" -- a leading anti-poverty activist with many powerful foreign supporters -- was forced from the bank last year over what his supporters say is a government vendetta against him.
Earlier this month, Bangladesh's cabinet led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ordered a new probe into Yunus to check for irregularities during his time as head of the micro-credit giant.
The cabinet also approved a plan to amend Grameen Bank laws, which would give the government-appointed chairman of the bank's board control over the selection of a new managing director.
Muhith denied allegations by Yunus -- who won the Nobel prize in 2006 -- and the main opposition party that the move to empower the chairman would jeopardise the lender's independence.
"He has been saying that the government wants to wrest control of Grameen Bank. I have been saying from the first day that the government does not want to take over Grameen Bank and it has not done that as of now," he said.
"Mr Yunus is carrying out an unnecessary campaign. It's harmful for the country."
Yunus, who fell out with Hasina after talking about going into politics, was officially fired for exceeding the mandatory retirement age of 60. He challenged the move in the Supreme Court, but lost.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, a personal friend, heaped praise on Yunus during a visit to Dhaka in May and urged Hasina's government to maintain "an environment where civil society groups operate freely".
The US last week criticised the government's move, saying it would "diminish the role the largely female borrower-shareholders play in shaping the direction of" Grameen.
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14 Pakistanis who joined Afghan police return home
At least 14 Pakistanis who crossed the border to join the Afghan police force have resigned from their jobs and returned home, officials said Sunday, amid simmering tensions with Afghanistan. The men, from the remote northwestern Chitral valley, are among a number of jobless Pakistanis in border areas who have fled to neighbouring Afghanistan to escape grinding poverty and hunt for employment, officials said.
Nearly three dozen last year joined the ranks of Afghan security forces, a trend that has set off alarm bells in the Pakistani security establishment.
Afghanistan and Pakistan blame each other for a number of recent cross-border attacks that have killed dozens and displaced hundreds of families.
"At least 14 Pakistanis have reached back... after resignation. We are expecting a dozen more this week," said Rematullah Wazir, a top government official in Chitral.
They returned after authorities warned their families of stern actions against the men, Wazir said.
"We were worried that some anti-Pakistan elements could use them against their own country," he told AFP.
Chitral valley lies near the eastern Afghan province of Kunar, where Taliban militants are active.
Afghanistan shares a disputed and unmarked 2,400-kilometre (1,500-mile) border with Pakistan, and Taliban and other Al-Qaeda-linked militants have carved out strongholds on either side.
Afghanistan earlier this month sacked two top security ministers after lawmakers charged that they had failed in their handling of cross-border shelling barrages blamed on Pakistan.
Islamabad has said at least 15 cross-border attacks over the last year were carried out by militants against Pakistani check points and the civilian populations in northwestern towns of Dir and Chitral.
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Nearly three dozen last year joined the ranks of Afghan security forces, a trend that has set off alarm bells in the Pakistani security establishment.
Afghanistan and Pakistan blame each other for a number of recent cross-border attacks that have killed dozens and displaced hundreds of families.
"At least 14 Pakistanis have reached back... after resignation. We are expecting a dozen more this week," said Rematullah Wazir, a top government official in Chitral.
They returned after authorities warned their families of stern actions against the men, Wazir said.
"We were worried that some anti-Pakistan elements could use them against their own country," he told AFP.
Chitral valley lies near the eastern Afghan province of Kunar, where Taliban militants are active.
Afghanistan shares a disputed and unmarked 2,400-kilometre (1,500-mile) border with Pakistan, and Taliban and other Al-Qaeda-linked militants have carved out strongholds on either side.
Afghanistan earlier this month sacked two top security ministers after lawmakers charged that they had failed in their handling of cross-border shelling barrages blamed on Pakistan.
Islamabad has said at least 15 cross-border attacks over the last year were carried out by militants against Pakistani check points and the civilian populations in northwestern towns of Dir and Chitral.
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Bayern lift German Super Cup
Two early goals gifted Bayern Munich the German Super Cup on Sunday as they defeated Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund with Mario Mandzukic and Thomas Mueller netting in the opening 11 minutes. Although Robert Lewandowski 75 pulled one back in the 75th minute - he scored a hattrick in the German Cup final win over Bayern which completed the double for Dortmund - but the champions were unable to turn things around as Bayern earned a psychological boost ahead of the new season.
The win also gave veteran coach Jupp Heynckes to put a trophy on the shelf after last season saw the Bavarians win nothing in the first campaign of what is his third spell in charge - he won the title twice in his first two decades ago.
As well as ceding domestic dominance to Dortmund Bayern also lost the Champions League final at their own Allianz Arena stadium to Chelsea.
On Sunday, they at least put an end to a run of five straight defeats to Dortmund.
Croatian international and 13 million euro summer recruit Mandzukic bagged the opener with a neat finish from a Frank Ribery cross on six minutes and in the 11th minute Mueller was on hand when, after linking with Mandzukic, he fired in when an Arjen Robben effort came back off the post.
Lewandowski then drew a fine save from Manuel Neuer just after the restart before missing a sitter from close range as Juergen Klopp's champions tried to spark a revival.
The Polish striker then did reduce the arrears before time ran out on Dortmund.
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The win also gave veteran coach Jupp Heynckes to put a trophy on the shelf after last season saw the Bavarians win nothing in the first campaign of what is his third spell in charge - he won the title twice in his first two decades ago.
As well as ceding domestic dominance to Dortmund Bayern also lost the Champions League final at their own Allianz Arena stadium to Chelsea.
On Sunday, they at least put an end to a run of five straight defeats to Dortmund.
Croatian international and 13 million euro summer recruit Mandzukic bagged the opener with a neat finish from a Frank Ribery cross on six minutes and in the 11th minute Mueller was on hand when, after linking with Mandzukic, he fired in when an Arjen Robben effort came back off the post.
Lewandowski then drew a fine save from Manuel Neuer just after the restart before missing a sitter from close range as Juergen Klopp's champions tried to spark a revival.
The Polish striker then did reduce the arrears before time ran out on Dortmund.
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Marseille off to winning start
A Benoit Cheyrou goal 13 minutes from time handed Marseille a winning start to their French league season as they poached a 1-0 success at newly-promoted Reims. Cheyrou's 77th-minute effort ensured that the only French side ever to land the European Cup went one better than reigning champions Montpellier and moneybags Paris Saint Germain, both held at home in their opening games - Montpellier by Toulouse and PSG by modest Lorient.
Reims - twice European Cup finalists in their 1950s heyday and also six times French champions but tasting top flight action for the first time in 33 years - gave as good as they got on their return to the big time before they were undone when Cheyrou volleyed home from a Charles Kabore cross.
"We hadn't started a league season with a win for a long time. It was a tough match but we pulled it over the line," said Cheyrou, whose side finished a bitterly disappointing tenth last season. "It's encouraging. We showed a lot of spirit and hopefully we can take things from there," he told reporters afterwards.
Kossi Agassa did his best in the Reims goal to give his side a chance of a point but Cheyrou's finish meant the club from the champagne region were left to reflect on what might have been against a Marseille side now under the stewardship of Elie Baup, who has replaced new France coach Didier Deschamps.
On Saturday, Paris Saint Germain coach Carlo Ancelotti praised two-goal new signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic after his last-gasp penalty saved a 2-2 draw at the Parc des Princes against Lorient.
"Ibrahimovic turned in a fantastic shift," said former Milan and Chelsea boss Ancelotti - who nonetheless lamented the loss of two points on home turf.
"It's a bad point as we had no balance in the first half - the second half we were better and showed character. We have to work better as a unit," Ancelotti concluded.
Much is expected from PSG after they invested some 130 million euros in a bid to use a seemingly bottomless pit of cash provided by their Qatari investors to propel themselves towards a first league title in 19 years.
Next week, the culture clash continues between the haves and have-nots as PSG head to Ajaccio - whose season budget of 20 million euros is dwarfed by their own several times over.
Montpellier fluffed their own opening day lines as they were only able to manage a 1-1 draw at home to nine-man Toulouse on Friday.
Rene Girard's hosts lifted their first ever league title in May but then lost their league top scorer Olivier Giroud to Arsenal pre-season, resulting in a distinct lack of killer instinct.
Nigerian striker John Utaka sent Souleymane Camara clear for the hosts in the 34th minute and he clipped home - but instead of capitalising Montpellier found themselves pegged back 18 minutes from time when Wissam Ben Yedder headed home from a cross by Serge Aurier.
Toulouse were left hanging on grimly after they had Adrien Regattin and Serge Aurier sent off late on.
Montpellier had themselves played for almost an hour a man short after Tunisian star Jamel Saihi was red-carded.
"It's a rather timid return (to league action)," Girard noted.
Elsewhere, Yoann Gourcuff was on target as Lyon won 1-0 at Rennes while Bordeaux also won on their travels - 3-2 at modest Evian.
And 2011 champions Lille won 2-1 at former giants Saint Etienne courtesy of goals from Aurelien Chedjou and Benoit Pedretti.
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Reims - twice European Cup finalists in their 1950s heyday and also six times French champions but tasting top flight action for the first time in 33 years - gave as good as they got on their return to the big time before they were undone when Cheyrou volleyed home from a Charles Kabore cross.
"We hadn't started a league season with a win for a long time. It was a tough match but we pulled it over the line," said Cheyrou, whose side finished a bitterly disappointing tenth last season. "It's encouraging. We showed a lot of spirit and hopefully we can take things from there," he told reporters afterwards.
Kossi Agassa did his best in the Reims goal to give his side a chance of a point but Cheyrou's finish meant the club from the champagne region were left to reflect on what might have been against a Marseille side now under the stewardship of Elie Baup, who has replaced new France coach Didier Deschamps.
On Saturday, Paris Saint Germain coach Carlo Ancelotti praised two-goal new signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic after his last-gasp penalty saved a 2-2 draw at the Parc des Princes against Lorient.
"Ibrahimovic turned in a fantastic shift," said former Milan and Chelsea boss Ancelotti - who nonetheless lamented the loss of two points on home turf.
"It's a bad point as we had no balance in the first half - the second half we were better and showed character. We have to work better as a unit," Ancelotti concluded.
Much is expected from PSG after they invested some 130 million euros in a bid to use a seemingly bottomless pit of cash provided by their Qatari investors to propel themselves towards a first league title in 19 years.
Next week, the culture clash continues between the haves and have-nots as PSG head to Ajaccio - whose season budget of 20 million euros is dwarfed by their own several times over.
Montpellier fluffed their own opening day lines as they were only able to manage a 1-1 draw at home to nine-man Toulouse on Friday.
Rene Girard's hosts lifted their first ever league title in May but then lost their league top scorer Olivier Giroud to Arsenal pre-season, resulting in a distinct lack of killer instinct.
Nigerian striker John Utaka sent Souleymane Camara clear for the hosts in the 34th minute and he clipped home - but instead of capitalising Montpellier found themselves pegged back 18 minutes from time when Wissam Ben Yedder headed home from a cross by Serge Aurier.
Toulouse were left hanging on grimly after they had Adrien Regattin and Serge Aurier sent off late on.
Montpellier had themselves played for almost an hour a man short after Tunisian star Jamel Saihi was red-carded.
"It's a rather timid return (to league action)," Girard noted.
Elsewhere, Yoann Gourcuff was on target as Lyon won 1-0 at Rennes while Bordeaux also won on their travels - 3-2 at modest Evian.
And 2011 champions Lille won 2-1 at former giants Saint Etienne courtesy of goals from Aurelien Chedjou and Benoit Pedretti.
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Usain Bolt could play Twenty20 in Australia
Negotiations are underway for cricket-mad sprint king Usain Bolt to play in Australia's Twenty20 Big Bash League, with Shane Warne leading the campaign to bring him to Melbourne. Bolt, hailed by International Olympic Committee chief Jacques Rogge as the greatest sprinter of all time after three gold medals in London, played junior cricket before turning to the track and has long voiced a love for the game.
He said he wanted to play and had spoken to the Australian former Test leg-spinner.
"He (Warne) contacted me and asked me about if I am serious and if I really want to do it then he can put in a few words that should get it done," Bolt told Australia's Channel Nine television late Sunday.
"So we will see if I get the time off. I will try."
Cricket is hugely popular in the West Indies with Bolt's Jamaica one its strongest teams, producing greats such as Frank Worrell, Michael Holding, Courtney Walsh, and Chris Gayle.
"Twenty20, I love it," said the sprinter, who describes himself as an all-rounder.
"Just the fact that it is so exciting, it's about going hard the whole time, not just about playing shots. It's about being aggressive and I like that style of batsman.
"If I get the chance I will definitely try because I know it's going to be a lot of fun. I don't know how good I am. I will probably have to get a lot of practice in," he added.
Warne is the marquee player for the Melbourne Stars franchise and he has begun a social media campaign to win support for Bolt to play with the team.
"Cats out the bag, we've spoken. Olympic legend @usainbolt would like to have a crack at 20/20 for the Melb stars 2012 Please retweet guys," tweeted Warne.
"I think the Melb Stars colours suits him hahah," he added, referring to their green and white kit. "Let's keep the momentum going & I will keep trying to make it happen!"
According to Australian media, Bolt clean bowled the then West Indies captain Chris Gayle in a charity match in 2009, having earlier hit him down the ground for six.
The eight-team Big Bash League begins on December 7.
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He said he wanted to play and had spoken to the Australian former Test leg-spinner.
"He (Warne) contacted me and asked me about if I am serious and if I really want to do it then he can put in a few words that should get it done," Bolt told Australia's Channel Nine television late Sunday.
"So we will see if I get the time off. I will try."
Cricket is hugely popular in the West Indies with Bolt's Jamaica one its strongest teams, producing greats such as Frank Worrell, Michael Holding, Courtney Walsh, and Chris Gayle.
"Twenty20, I love it," said the sprinter, who describes himself as an all-rounder.
"Just the fact that it is so exciting, it's about going hard the whole time, not just about playing shots. It's about being aggressive and I like that style of batsman.
"If I get the chance I will definitely try because I know it's going to be a lot of fun. I don't know how good I am. I will probably have to get a lot of practice in," he added.
Warne is the marquee player for the Melbourne Stars franchise and he has begun a social media campaign to win support for Bolt to play with the team.
"Cats out the bag, we've spoken. Olympic legend @usainbolt would like to have a crack at 20/20 for the Melb stars 2012 Please retweet guys," tweeted Warne.
"I think the Melb Stars colours suits him hahah," he added, referring to their green and white kit. "Let's keep the momentum going & I will keep trying to make it happen!"
According to Australian media, Bolt clean bowled the then West Indies captain Chris Gayle in a charity match in 2009, having earlier hit him down the ground for six.
The eight-team Big Bash League begins on December 7.
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