Palestinian president warns of turning political conflict into religious one as clashes erupt across occupied West Bank. Some Israeli right-wing activists want to be allowed to pray inside Jerusalem's Haram al-Sharif compound [EPA] Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has warned against places of worship becoming points of conflict, as tensions remain high over right-wing Jewish demands to be able to pray inside Jerusalem's holiest compound. Speaking in Ramallah on Friday, Abbas warned Israel of turning the current political conflict into a religious one. "This is a crucial time, there's terrorism, religious conflict and violence. It is us who pay the price, the blood of our children," said Abbas. "I am warning against turning a political conflict into a religious one. Let's talk about politics not religion." Timeline: A review of the critical events that have marked the history of al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem. His comments came as Israeli forces clashed with Palestinian protesters in the occupied West Bank, amid growing fears that Israel wants to change the status quo at Jerusalem's Haram al-Sharif by allowing Jewish prayer there. At least five Palestinian protesters were wounded when security forces fired rubber-coated steel bullets in the Abu Isneeneh neighbourhood of south Hebron. Clashes also took place in Ramallah, Qalandiya, Kadom, Ofer, Jalazone, Silwad, AlRam and Nabi Salehat. Sources told Al Jazeera that at least 10 people were wounded by either live or rubber-coated steel bullets, while tens of Palestinians suffered the effects of tear gas inhalation. Meanwhile at the Mount of Olives adjacent to Jerusalem's Old City, two Israeli settlers were attacked on Friday, one stabbed in the back and another other hit by an iron rod, Israeli police spokesperson Micky Rosenfeld said. Both were taken to hospital with their injuries not considered to be life threatening. Al-Aqsa prayers Meanwhile, Israeli police continued to allow young Muslim worshippers to pray at the Al-Aqsa mosque on Friday, having previously limited male entry to those under 60. Israel eased restrictions at the site last week after US Secretary of State John Kerry announced agreement on steps to reduce tensions after talks in neighbouring Jordan, which has custodial rights at the compound. Muslims officials said about 45,000 people attended Friday prayers at the mosque, with no serious incidents reported. "It's a pretty calm scene. [There are] more media here than anything," said Al Jazeera's Imtiaz Tyab, reporting from occupied East Jerusalem. The religious site, which is holy to Jews as well as Muslims, has been the focus of months of unrest in East Jerusalem, that has spread to the occupied West Bank and Arab communities across Israel, and raising the prospect of a new Palestinian uprising. 'Assassination plot' Earlier on Friday, Israel arrested four Palestinians suspected of planning to kill right-wing Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman with an anti-tank rocket while he drove to his Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank, Israeli officials said. A statement by Israel's domestic intelligence service Shin Bet identified three of the detainees as Hamas members. Citing their confessions under interrogation, it said they had hoped killing Lieberman "would relay a message to the State of Israel that would bring about an end to the Gaza war". "We have no information about this issue. However, we stress that leaders of the Occupation [Israel] who are responsible for the killing of children and women and for defiling the sacred sites are legitimate targets for the resistance," Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman, said. Tension has been high across the Palestinian territories after three Israeli teenage settlers went missing in June, and were later found dead, in what Israel says was an abduction and killing by Hamas fighters, followed by an apparent revenge attack on a young Palestinian male several weeks later. Those events helped precipitate Israel's 50-day-long offensive against Gaza that killed more than 2,100 Palestinians, mostly women, children and the elderly.

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(Open): US stocks opened higher after China announced a surprise rate cut and the head of the European Central Bank hinted at further stimulus action.

The Dow Jones rose 158.02 points, or 0.9%, to 17,877.02, while the S&P 500 climbed 18.54 points to 2,071.29.
The technology-focused Nasdaq was 34.32 points higher at 4,736.19.
In an attempt to boost growth, China will cut its one year deposit rate to 2.75% from 3.0%, and trim its one-year lending rate to 5.6% from 6%.
Sentiment among investors was also boosted by comments from Mario Draghi, the head of the European Central Bank (ECB).
Mr Draghi said the ECB was ready "step up the pressure" and take more measures to try to boost growth in the eurozone.
The ECB has already cut its benchmark interest rate to 0.05% and begun some asset purchases, but Mr Draghi said the bank could alter "the size, pace and composition of our purchases".
The comments triggered a fall in the value of the euro, which was down more than a cent against the dollar at $1.2427.
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Republican Speaker of the House John Boehner has condemned US President Barack Obama's use of executive powers to force through immigration reform.

The conservative leader said the action sabotages any chance of enacting cross-party reforms and damages the presidency itself.
Mr Obama's plan means more than 4m illegal immigrants in the US will be allowed to apply for work permits.
But Mr Boehner said it would encourage more people to arrive unlawfully.
"We have a broken immigration system and the American people expect us to work together to fix it," Mr Boehner told reporters on Friday, saying Mr Obama had acted unilaterally "like a king or emperor" and not through a democratic process.

Astrid's moment

The BBC captures the moment Astrid heard her name

• the only undocumented immigrant mentioned in the speech was Astrid Silva
• she was brought to the US aged four, with just her doll, a cross and the dress she wore
• now she is working on her third college degree

"The action by the president yesterday will only encourage more people to come here illegally," Mr Boehner said. "[It] also punishes those who have obeyed the law and waited their turn."
The Republican leader said Mr Obama's actions fail to to take into account the wishes of the American people, adding it is not the first time the US leader has acted without the consent of Congress.
"All year long I have warned the president that by taking unilateral action on matters such as his healthcare law or by threatening action repeatedly on immigration, he was making it impossible to build the trust necessary to work together," Mr Boehner said.
The same day, House Republicans filed a federal suit over the legality of parts of Mr Obama's signature healthcare reform law, nicknamed Obamacare.

Analysis: Jon Sopel, BBC North America Editor How has the immigration debate in the United States become so polarised, so toxic, so unpleasant?
That it has cannot be doubted. Barack Obama says he has grown so weary of trying to get Congress to engage seriously that he is going it alone.
He's bypassing the legislature and brandishing his big stick - the executive action. It is governance by diktat. And the reaction of his opponents suggests it will spark an atmosphere of retaliation and revenge.
How did immigration debate get so toxic?

Under Mr Obama's new immigration plan, undocumented parents of children who are US citizens or permanent legal residents will be able to apply for work permits lasting three years.
There are estimated to be 11 million illegal immigrants in the US.

Visitors to a coffee shop in St Charles, Missouri give their views on the plan

More than 4m of them are expected to benefit from the reform package forced through using executive orders, which allow Mr Obama to bypass Congress.
Only parents who have lived in the US for five years will qualify.
Some 3.7 million people are thought to be eligible for this scheme, according to the Migration Policy Institute.
Another part of the package will extend a programme that gives temporary legal status to people who arrived in the US as children.

Currently only those under the age of 30 who arrived before 2007 can apply for the programme, which was launched in 2012 and already covers roughly 1.2 million people.
Mr Obama has abolished the age limit and extended the cut-off point to 2010, potentially extending the programme to a further 300,000 people.
The US leader said in a televised address that his measures would allow illegal immigrants to "come out of the shadows and get right with the law".
He insisted that his proposals, which are the biggest immigration reforms since the mid-1980s, did not amount to an amnesty.
"What I'm describing is accountability - a common-sense, middle ground approach," he said.

There were emotional scenes at viewing parties across the US

Mr Obama's plan does not go as far as an immigration bill that failed to pass Congress last year.
The bill was supported by the Democrat-led Senate, but the Republican-controlled House of Representatives refused to debate the proposal.
The vast majority of illegal immigrants in the US come from Mexico, according to figures supplied by Homeland Security.
They made up 59% of undocumented people in 2012, followed by El Salvador (6%), Guatemala (5%), then Honduras and Philippines (3%).
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Real Madrid have won their appeal against Zinedine Zidane's ban from coaching.

Zidane, 42, is assistant boss of Real Madrid Castilla, the club's B team.
The Spanish football federation punished Zidane and boss Santiago Sanchez last month for not having the necessary qualifications.
But days later a Spanish court suspended the ban while they were considering the case - and have now ruled in favour of the club.
European champions Real said Zidane was awarded the necessary licence by the French football federation.
He was appointed Real reserve-team boss this summer after working as assistant to first-team coach Carlo Ancelotti last season.
Zidane won the World Cup with France in 1998 and was named World Footballer of the Year in 1998, 2000 and 2003.
He spent five seasons with Real as a player after joining from Juventus in 2001 for £45.8m - then a world record fee - and scored the winner in the 2002 Champions League final.
Castilla were relegated from the second division last season, before Zidane joined the coaching staff
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A man has confessed to killing his wife at Igbele near Araromi Ale Olorunda Local Council Development Area of Lagos State..
The deceased, Silifat Yakubu was found bludgeoned to death in the early hours of two Saturdays ago by passersby.

Also known in the area as Iya Lugo, her mutilated body was found in a small river located at the community’s entrance, where she was supposedly dumped after she was murdered.
According to an eyewitness, some of the victim’s body parts, such as her eyes, breasts and uterus were allegedly missing, suggesting she must have been killed for ritual purpose.

A commercial motorcyclist in the area, said: “Residents in the community woke up on Saturday morning to find the lifeless body of a woman inside the river that leads into Igbele.

“Initially, people could not identify the person, because her face had several cuts. She was wearing a lace gown, with no underwear.”

It was learnt that since the incident involved the loss of life, community leaders had to involve the police from Area K Command, who began investigation into the incident.

While investigating the case, the police arrested several persons, many of whom had since been released.

It was gathered that the deceased’s husband, Ismaila Yakubu was seen at the scene of the incident several times, as residents tried to identify the corpse on Saturday.

According to reports, Ismaila, who is under arrest confessed to killing his wife on Friday night because a prophet told him she was using his star.

He purportedly dumped the corpse in the river at night, after his attempts to take her far away failed because his bus developed fault.

Confirming the reports, Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, confirmed that the suspect was currently in police custody and had made confessional statements that he actually committed the crime.

According to him, the case is still under investigation.

Credits: OrijoReporter
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Residents of Koromatangi area in Kakamega county are in shock after a woman inflicted severe burn injuries on her two daughters using a hot knife as a form of punishment.

One of the girls who was burnt by her mother with a hot knife. Severe burns can be seen on her face

her temper when she came home only to find that the girls had not done their domestic chores. The two girls were rescued by neighbors who realized that the girls were having difficulties walking and reported the matter to a local police station.
The woman has been arrested and will soon be charged in court. The two girls are currently recuperating at the Kakamega District Hospital The mother of the two girls is said to have lost

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Ugandan Big brother hothshot is quickly becoming a favorite to many. She couldn’t help it but to cry her heart out as the result of the post traumatic stress she is going through because of a failed marriage.

Esther was apparently married to an old mzungu and the main reason why the marriage even lasted is because Esther did not have a father figure when she was growing up. She said she did not want to cry over the guy but she couldn’t hold back the tears..




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A rookie police officer was struck in the head by a man wielding a hatchet in the New York City borough of Queens Thursday, in an assault that has police checking for any ties to terror organizations or whether the attack could have been inspired by Wednesday’s lone-wolf attack in Canada.

Police opened fire, killing the 32-year-old suspect and wounding a woman who was nearby, according to officials. The officer, 25, survived the attack. A second police officer, 24, was struck with the hatchet in the arm and is also being treated. The name of the suspect was not immediately released.


  The 2 p.m. apparently unprovoked attack occurred as four police officers were posing for a passing photographer when the suspect charged the group, swinging a hatchet with a four-and-a-half-inch blade, officials said. He struck one officer in the arm and another in the head before two officers drew their weapons and opened fire as he swung the hatchet a third time, officials said.

“No known motive for this attack has been established,” Police Commissioner William Bratton told reporters.

The officer struck in the head suffered a fractured skull and was in surgery Thursday evening. As police investigated the scene they discovered a woman a half-block away had been shot in the lower back. She was operated on and is in stable condition.

Thursday evening the New York Police Department issued a patrol bulletin alerting officers to be in a state of heightened awareness after Wednesday’s murder of a Canadian soldier and shootout at the Parliament complex in Ottawa. The bulletin warns of potential attacks on uniformed officers.

Police from the Intelligence Division are checking the suspect’s hard drives for any cyber activity. There is nothing at this time connecting him to any radical group and the police are still determining the identity of the suspect, officials said.


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Walking on water is not easy.  Not too many people have the ability.  Let’s see, there’s Jesus, and well, that’s about it.  Unfortunately for one pastor on the West Coast of Africa, his attempt to become the second man to make this impossible feat a reality cost him his life.

Pastor Franck Kabele, 35, told his congregation that he was capable of reenacting the very miracles of Jesus Christ.  He decided to make it clear through way of demonstration on Gabon’s beach in the capital city of Libreville.

Referencing Matthew 14:22-33, Kabele said that he received a revelation which told him that with enough faith he could achieve what Jesus was able to.
According to an eyewitness, Kabele took his congregation out to the beach.  He told them that he would cross the Kombo estuary by foot, which is normally a 20 minute boat ride.

Sadly by the second step into the water Kabele found himself completely submerged.  He never returned.
This is not the first incident of this nature in Africa.  At Ibadon zoo in south-west Nigeria, a self-proclaimed Prophet claimed to be able to do what the Daniel of the bible did by walking into a den full of lions.

Though he was warned numerous times by zoo keepers, according to NG Newspapers, the Prophet thought of them as nothing more than enemies of progress.  The Prophet, with a crowd of people watching, put on a long red robe and proceeded to enter the cage full of lions.

Within seconds of opening the door, the lions ripped the Prophet from flesh to bone.  The bible should come with a warning label, “Don’t try this at home.
Walking on water is not easy.  Not too many people have the ability.  Let’s see, there’s Jesus, and well, that’s about it.  Unfortunately for one pastor on the West Coast of Africa, his attempt to become the second man to make this impossible feat a reality cost him his life.

Pastor Franck Kabele, 35, told his congregation that he was capable of reenacting the very miracles of Jesus Christ.  He decided to make it clear through way of demonstration on Gabon’s beach in the capital city of Libreville.

Referencing Matthew 14:22-33, Kabele said that he received a revelation which told him that with enough faith he could achieve what Jesus was able to.

According to an eyewitness, Kabele took his congregation out to the beach.  He told them that he would cross the Kombo estuary by foot, which is normally a 20 minute boat ride.
Sadly by the second step into the water Kabele found himself completely submerged.  He never returned.

This is not the first incident of this nature in Africa.  At Ibadon zoo in south-west Nigeria, a self-proclaimed Prophet claimed to be able to do what the Daniel of the bible did by walking into a den full of lions.

Though he was warned numerous times by zoo keepers, according to NG Newspapers, the Prophet thought of them as nothing more than enemies of progress.  The Prophet, with a crowd of people watching, put on a long red robe and proceeded to enter the cage full of lions.

Within seconds of opening the door, the lions ripped the Prophet from flesh to bone.  The bible should come with a warning label, “Don’t try this at home.

Walking on water is not easy. Not too many people have the ability. Let’s see, there’s Jesus, and well, that’s about it. Unfortunately for one pastor on the West Coast of Africa, his attempt to become the second man to make this impossible feat a reality cost him his life. 

Pastor Franck Kabele, 35, told his congregation that he was capable of reenacting the very miracles of Jesus Christ. He decided to make it clear through way of demonstration on Gabon’s beach in the capital city of Libreville.
Referencing Matthew 14:22-33, Kabele said that he received a revelation which told him that with enough faith he could achieve what Jesus was able to. 

According to an eyewitness, Kabele took his congregation out to the beach. He told them that he would cross the Kombo estuary by foot, which is normally a 20 minute boat ride. 

Sadly by the second step into the water Kabele found himself completely submerged. He never returned. 

This is not the first incident of this nature in Africa. At Ibadon zoo in south-west Nigeria, a self-proclaimed Prophet claimed to be able to do what the Daniel of the bible did by walking into a den full of lions. 

Though he was warned numerous times by zoo keepers, according to NG Newspapers, the Prophet thought of them as nothing more than enemies of progress. The Prophet, with a crowd of people watching, put on a long red robe and proceeded to enter the cage full of lions. 

Within seconds of opening the door, the lions ripped the Prophet from flesh to bone. The bible should come with a warning label, “Don’t try this at home.
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Homabay county Senator Otieno Kajwang is dead. 


The CORD Senator, who is a prolific orator and a champion of bado mapambano, suffered a heart attack at his home and was rushed to The Mater Hospital in Nairobi’s South B area where he unfortunately lost his life.

Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) spokesperson Philip Etale confirmed the death shortly after midnight.


He said via the phone that the Senator had died at Mater Hospital in Nairobi where he had been rushed.


"Sad to have lost Senator Otieno Kajwang'. It is by the will of God that Senator had to depart from our midst at this time," he said through a post on his Facebook page.


Elgeyo-Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen posted on his official Twitter handle announcing the death of the ODM Senator.


"So shocked that my colleague and friend Senator Kajwang' has passed on .Will remember him as passionate and eloquent debater. A man full of life and humour," Murkomen tweeted 
We will give you more details as we gather them but for now, we send our deepest condolences to the family, friends, relatives, Homa Bay people and the whole country. 


May his soul rest in peace.
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A 22-year-old college girl is nursing serious wounds at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital after her jealousy boyfriend splashed concentrated sulphuric acid on her face.

Rebecca , a student at Gusii institute was in the kitchen preparing a hot plate for the family when the incident occurred. Her cousin, who was also present, didn't escape the ordeal and she got burnt  too after which they raised an alarm.

The two were rushed to Kisii Level 6 Hospital where the cousin was admitted. Rebecca was though referred to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital for further treatment due to the severity of the burns.

According to Paul Machongo, a member of the community policing committee, such an incident has never occurred in the area and called upon the police to ensure that justice is served to the victim and her family.

"We have never seen this before. It is sad that a fellow human being can do such a heinous act and go on bragging about it to his friends," said Machongo.
He added, "We however got information from the ground that led to his arrest. It is our hope that the law enforcers will ensure that justice is served."

Geoffrey Ong'era, another member of the committee said that the relationship was  even not in line with the kisii culture ,an abomination. It was incest and their culture does not support it.
"Rebecca discovered that they were related and decided to end the relationship since they could not get married. However Onchari could not accept that reality which prompted him to carry out the cruel act," Ong'era said.

Area chief James Nyakono said that investigations are ongoing to establish the source of the acid.
The culprit is in police custody though.
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Sorry guys, it happens, when you first met the two of you had excellent chemistry, but just recently you started seeing signs that she’s no longer interested in you. See most women won’t even bother to tell you that they are not interested in you anymore because they are cowards. So instead of breaking the relationship off like an adult she may just give you hints and signs that she no longer loves you anymore, and drive you insane to the point that you have to break up with her.

If you are having relationship problems guys, and you think that she has lost interest in you, here are a couple of sure warning signs that your relationship is coming to an end.

1. She Slows Down the Texting – If the two of you used to text each other all the time, it’s was because at that time she was really into you. If this all of the sudden slows down or stops, this can be a good indication that she’s not into you anymore. You can also check to see if she takes a long time to respond back to your texts, especially with just one word replies. Here’s more information on why she doesn’t text back anymore that may help you out.

2. She Doesn’t Call Anymore or Doesn’t Answer the Phone Often – Another telltale sign that she’s no longer interested in you. Maybe your girlfriend is going through some problems and this might only be temporary, but I wouldn’t count on it. Women love to talk on the phone, and won’t try to end a phone conversation if they are really in love with you still.

3. She Doesn’t Get Jealous Anymore – When the two of you are in public or watching a movie, and you are checking out and admiring other women and she doesn’t get mad like she used to. This is another pretty strong sign she doesn’t love you anymore.

This type of relationship warning though may not hold any weight if she was just the type of girlfriend that would never get jealous in the first place. But if she would get jealous when you would admire another girl in the beginning of the relationship, but now doesn’t even blink or change emotion when you are checking out other chicks, then sorry dude, she’s probably lost interest in you.

4. Less Hugs and Kisses – You might notice less passion in her hugs and kisses she’s given you, if you are fortunate enough to still get those. She may also not say sexy things to you anymore and constantly try to avoid you, another bad, bad warning sign in a relationship that’s going downhill.

5. No More Sex – Has it been a couple weeks since you’ve had sex or slept with your girlfriend? Or maybe she just gives it to you when she’s drunk. This is another sure sign that she’s lost complete interest in you.

If you are noticing these signs from your girlfriend then you can bet that it’s going to come to an end. Fear not dude, there are plenty of women out there, go out to the bars and meet single women, the grocery store, park, beach, sign up for a free online dating site. Just quit torturing yourself if you are seeing these signs she’s not interested in you anymore and end the relationship.

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This article gives advice and guidance to men on buying thoughtful and inspirational gifts for your partner this Christmas.

Out With The Old

The first thing all of you men need to do is lose all of the old ideas for presents from your memory bank. If you are one of these lazy shoppers who will stick to the perennial “female favourites” year after year, then 2012 is the year that you are going to cut this out for good.

Off you go to the perfumery to buy yet another luxury fragrance, however your woman still has the other 20 bottles that you and various other people have bought her in recent years for a number of special occasions. Or better yet, you get really original and forward thinking and buy her some pajamas. Please!

I think you have the message now – or at least I hope so, heaven help your woman if you haven’t!

You are not going to buy her anything that you normally would. It is time to change up your gift purchases and be a touch more thoughtful.

For the Bathroom

There have probably been times when you have bought your woman moisturizers or cosmetics products: this year take it a step further and buy her some luxury products for the bathroom.

Luxury bath salts can be a great way to melt her stresses away after a tough day at work, or on a Sunday evening before the dreaded Monday return to the office. There are a whole range of indulgent products you can buy, from the bath salts to indulgent luxury soaps, incense sticks, scented candles, and even a nail brush! Why add to the perfume collection when you can get her something she doesn’t already have and would really appreciate?

Foodie Heaven

Even between couples, food is becoming a more popular gift than ever before. Part of this is driven by the current economic problems and people making their own products, such as homemade jams and spreads. Admittedly, we wouldn’t dream of encouraging you to do the same thing, however you can always buy your own organic varieties, either online or locally, and try and pass them off as your own work!

Interior Inspiration

While buying something for inside the home will be of a benefit to both of you, there is nothing to prevent you buying it for your girl as a thoughtful gift. Whether it is a piece of artwork, an ornament, or something else that will add to the atmosphere of your bedroom or living area, there are bound to be options that your woman is sure to appreciate.

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When it comes to surprises, probably two of the biggest of the jumps season so far surround the defeats of Grade 1 chasers Silviniaco Conti and Cue Card.

With sparkling entries in the formbook and consequentially big followings, the pair were expected if not to win then to, as they say, 'go close' as their campaigns left the starting gate in recent weeks.
Things have not, however, go quite according to plan.

Number/Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Approx odds
1 Cue Card	Colin Tizzard	Daryl Jacob	3-1
2 Double Ross	Nigel Twiston-Davies	Sam Twiston-Davies	25-1
3 Dynaste	David Pipe	Tom Scudamore	4-1
4 Harry Topper	Kim Bailey	Jason Maguire	14-1
5 Medermit	Alan King	Denis O'Regan	25-1
6 Menorah	Philip Hobbs	Richard Johnson	8-1
7 Silviniaco Conti	Paul Nicholls	Noel Fehily	100-30
8 Taquin Du Seuil	Jonjo O'Neill	Barry Geraghty	5-1
9 The Giant Bolster	David Bridgwater	Tom Cannon	33-1

In the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby, the Paul Nicholls-trained Silviniaco Conti, successful in last year's King George VI Chase and in a valuable prize at Aintree in the spring, ended up fifth.
Meanwhile at Exeter, Cue Card, runner-up in the King George but previously winner of the Betfair Chase at Haydock - beating Silviniaco Conti into third - returned from a long, pelvic injury-induced absence with a fairly well-beaten fourth place in the Haldon Gold Cup.
Although it would be quite wrong to suggest either bandwagon had lost a wheel, both suffered wobbles, so will be hoping for a return to the straight and narrow in this year's Betfair Chase.
Despite those reversals, Cue Card - now the mount of Daryl Jacob after regular rider Joe Tizzard, son of the horse's trainer Colin, retired - and Silviniaco Conti (Noel Fehily) head the field for Saturday's Haydock feature.
Other hopefuls include the David Pipe-trained Dynaste, winner of the Ryanair Chase and runner-up behind Cue Card here in 2013, plus Menorah, Taquin Du Seuil, Double Ross and Medermit, the quartet in front of Silviniaco Conti at Wetherby.

Last five Betfair Chase winners
2013	Cue Card 9-1
2012	Silviniaco Conti 7-4
2011	Kauto Star 6-1
2010	Imperial Commander 10-11 fav
2009	Kauto Star 4-6 fav

If it sounds like the latest meeting between old friends, all of which have held bragging rights at some point, that's a fair analysis.
Obviously, there are other serious big-race contenders staying at home - such as Gold Cup hero Lord Windermere, that race's former winner Bobs Worth, rising Irish star Champagne Fever and the hugely exciting Simonsig - but, even so, this division looks pretty open.
Paul Nicholls, whose other King George possible Al Ferof has his first run of the season in Ascot's Amlin 1965 Chase, said: "Maybe there's no superstar amongst them at the moment, and the Betfair looks like a good race which three or four horses could win, very open.
"The race [at Wetherby] will have done Silviniaco the world of good - he needed to have a race before Haydock - and he's really fit and well, and we're looking forward to getting back."
Of the highly rated Al Ferof, fifth behind Dynaste at the Cheltenham Festival, the champion trainer added: "He's not run since Cheltenham in March, but there haven't been any problems - he goes well fresh.
"The plan is to go from Ascot to the King George, where he was third last year on ground that was too soft, and then he could go straight to the Gold Cup - I feel he'll get the three-and-a-quarter miles on good ground."

Cue Card leads Dynaste and Silviniaco Conti in the final half furlong during the 2013 Betfair Chase

Just as the Nicholls camp is bullish about Silviniaco Conti's Haydock prospects, the same can be said about those around Cue Card.
"Exeter has sharpened him up for the Betfair," said Colin Tizzard. "He ran very similar in the Haldon Gold Cup as he did last year [when third] and is at the top of his game."
The leading chasers are not the only stars on show at the Merseyside track as Champion Hurdle third The New One, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, lines up in the brand new Betfair Price Rush Hurdle.
The ratings and formbook suggest the six-year-old, who remains the mount of the trainer's jockey son Sam despite him now working for Nicholls, will comfortably see off his rivals.
There's coverage of the Betfair Chase day, including the big race on Saturday, 22 November at 15:00GMT on BBC Radio 5 live

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English players are getting more minutes in the Premier League this season but make up just over a third of time spent on the pitch, a BBC Sport study has found.

The rise, from 32.36% of total playing time in 2013-14 to 36.08% until 1 October, can be solely attributed to newly promoted Burnley, who used just one non-UK player.

Out of media player. Press enter to return or tab to continue.

The State of the Game: How Burnley buck Premier League trend

Take away the Clarets and the second annual State of the Game study found restricted opportunities for English players at the top clubs.
State of the Game comes six months after Football Association chairman Greg Dyke announced his plan to get more English players playing in the Premier League with the ultimate aim of winning the 2022 World Cup.
Former Chelsea player Michael Woods, signed by Jose Mourinho aged 16 in a £5m deal but now 24 and playing for Hartlepool, called for an English player quota to give domestic players a chance.
But BBC Sport pundit Robbie Savage said if you were "good enough you will make it", while former England boss Graham Taylor said the "foreign influx could not be stopped".
Click here for an interactive guide to all the data from the State of the Game study

The key stats

Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham and champions Manchester City used the most non-UK players in the league.
Argentines were the big movers, up to the third most represented non-UK country after France and Spain, and now outnumber Welsh players in the Premier League.
The 2013-14 top eight used 44 new signings this season during the matches analysed by the study - and 33 were foreigners.
A quarter of the 373 foreign players in the top flight played fewer than 10 games last season.
Burnley used the most English players (13) while Chelsea, Stoke and Man City each used the least (three).
In 2013-14 just five English players took part in all 38 matches.
The study analysed the total minutes played by each nationality in the Premier League, Championship and Scottish Premiership to 1 October, as well as last season's data.

The British picture

Scottish players had more time on the pitch in the Premier League this season, up from 3.68% to 4.87%, the fourth highest total.
Wales slipped to 10th, down from 3.11% to 2.45% of playing time, while Northern Ireland came 13th after a fall from 1.79% to 1.53%.
In the Scottish Premiership, Scottish players spent fewer minutes on the pitch, from 55.66% to 50.78% of the total.
England's Championship saw the percentage of minutes by English players fall to 46.38% from 52.11% last season.

Why it matters

September 2013 FA Commission is set up on how to improve the national team's fortunes. Aim set for 45% of Premier League players to be English by 2022. England last at this level in 2000. It was 69% 20 years ago.

Watch goals by top foreign stars from the Premier League

May 2014 Four-point plan is put forward by FA: a new tier within the Football League for Premier League B teams, a reduction of non-homegrown players in squads from 17 to 12, a cap on non-EU players and "strategic loan partnerships" between clubs.
June 2014 England are knocked out of the World Cup at the group stage for the first time in 56 years.
September 2014 Close of a record transfer window , with Premier League clubs spending £835m, with 63% of that going on foreign stars. FA releases draft proposals to reduce the number of non-EU players by 50% through tighter visa controls.

Foreign players a 'ready-made excuse'

Robbie Savage, BBC Sport pundit: "The easiest thing to say is that, if an English player or a British player doesn't make it, his excuse is 'well, they bought a foreign player'. It is a ready-made excuse.
"You are not telling me now that if Everton had bought a youngster from a foreign club that would have stopped Ross Barkley from coming through?"
Dan Jones, partner at accountants Deloitte UK's Sports Business Group: "It's a virtuous circle. You have the best TV deals, which gives clubs the ability to bring the best players here.

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Premier League foreigners used as excuse when English players don't make it, says Robbie Savage

"Because the best players are here, more people watch on TV which means the TV deal goes up. The Premier League has been in that circle for at least the last 15 years if not 20."
Graham Taylor, former England boss: "We have to understand we are not going to stop the foreign influx in our game, particularly with European laws.
"When I was manager I could see a game and 15 or 16 on the pitch were English, now it is the other way around."

'There should be an English player quota'

Michael Woods, who left Chelsea in 2011 without making a league appearance: "I don't think introducing three English players in each team would detract from the Premier league being the best in the world. You're still going to have your Sergio Agueros, your Luis Suarezes."


Sean Dyche, Burnley boss: " [The number of English players at Burnley] is not done by design. Nowadays you need a more European-based recruitment staff and we've had to build that.
"The challenge has been more financial than the actual thought of whether they are British players or not."

Germany: We don't buy foreign for the sake of it

Study group the CIES Football Observatory last week reported that Europe's big five leagues had an average foreign player ratio of 45.9%, with Ligue 1 at 31.6%, Spain 38.9%, Germany 43.5% and Italy 54.8%.
According to State of the Game, the Premier League's non-UK ratio is 55.07% and 63.92% for non-English.
In 2002, German officials launched an overhaul of their youth system, an intervention heralded as a key moment in their journey to winning the 2014 World Cup.
Lutz Pfannenstiel, first-team scout at Bundesliga club Hoffenheim, said: "We were like other European countries, signing foreigners for the sake of it. When we restructured we decided as a country to go for young players and if possible German.
"Now any player from another country has to be absolutely outstanding. We no longer see the point in taking a player we can maybe find at the same level in Germany."

State of the Game at-a-glance

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Venice is one of Italy's biggest tourist attractions

The city of Venice is considering a ban on noisy wheeled suitcases amid concerns they are keeping locals awake at night.

Officials want visitors to ditch the bags or switch to "noiseless" alternatives with wheels that are filled with air or liquid.
It is hoped the move will also protect the city's ancient streets.
Venice is one of Italy's major visitor attractions, with 27 million people flocking there each year.
A statement on the Venetian council's website said the plan was drawn up to appease the city's residents.
"The rule is designed to respond to the numerous citizens who have in recent years complained to the local council about the serious irritation caused by stuff being moved about at times of the day and night," it said.
But one hotel manager told the BBC he thought the ban was not workable.
He said that if the pavements were too noisy, maybe the city should switch the pavements instead of the suitcases.
If introduced, anyone flouting the proposed rule would be liable to a fine of up to 500 euros (£396), according to AFP news agency.

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Walter Magaya is one of Zimbabwe's most popular preachers

Eleven people have been killed in a stampede after a religious service in a stadium in Zimbabwe, police say.

Four people died in the stadium in the central town of Kwekwe, while seven others were declared dead on arrival in hospital, they say.
The stampede occurred as thousands of worshippers rushed to leave after the service by popular Pentecostal preacher Walter Magaya.
He claims to be able to heal people by performing miracles.
Some witnesses accused the police of blocking most of the stadium exits and then firing tear gas as people battled to get through the only one left open.
The police have denied firing tear gas.
Mr Magaya, head of the Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries, told a local newspaper that when he learnt of the deaths, it was "the saddest moment of my life".

Analysis: Stanley Kwenda; BBC Africa: Walter Magaya is one of a new breed of flamboyant preachers in Zimbabwe and claims to use miracles to cure all kinds of ailments, help people achieve their desires, and cast out demonic spirits.
He was initially overshadowed by other preachers until his popularity grew over the last two years.
Mr Magaya counts the popular Nigerian pastor TB Joshua as his mentor.
Occasionally he ventures into philanthropic work and recently gave money to a popular TV actor to travel to India for cancer treatment, and a foundation for the disabled in Harare.
His weekend church services are attended by thousands around the country.
His popularity increased when he sought to convert a well-known pole dancer, Beverly Sibanda to Christianity.

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Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has defended the country's claim to the islands

The UK has objected to Argentine MPs' decision that public transportation should carry signs expressing the country's claim over the Falklands.

A law passed by the Argentine Congress says vehicles must declare "Las Malvinas son Argentinas" - Spanish for the Falkland Islands are Argentine.
The MP behind the initiative said it would reflect "our undeniable sovereignty" over the islands.
The UK Foreign Office said the move was "regrettable but not surprising".
The new measure was introduced as part of a wider raft of public transport reforms which were passed unanimously on Thursday.
Senator Teresina Luna, the member of Congress who proposed the new regulation, wrote to the president of the parliament to say: "It is directed not only at the foreigner who comes here as a tourist or visits our country, but also at the citizens in general, and will serve to reinforce our history, our culture and our identity."

“Start Quote

No sign can change the rights of the Falkland islanders to their own identity and we are determined to uphold that right”

Foreign Office spokesman

Argentina lays claim to the islands, which it calls Las Malvinas, but Britain maintains that it has sovereignty and has accused Argentina of ignoring the wishes of the island's residents who wish to remain British.

Last year, Falkland islanders took part in a referendum, voting by 1,513 to three to remain a British overseas territory.
UK Prime Minister David Cameron said at the time that the result "could not have sent a clearer message" but Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has maintained that the islanders' wishes are not relevant.
The Foreign Office in London condemned the move as "a hostile course of action".
"But no sign can change the rights of the Falkland islanders to their own identity and we are determined to uphold that right," a spokesman added.

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