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Thursday, January 23, 2014

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Dense fog: Motorway closed from Babu Sabu to Sheikhupura

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LAHORE (Dunya News) - According to details, the Motorway has been closed from Babu Sabu near Lahore to Sheikhupura as visibility was down to zero due to dense fog.The Motorway police have appealed the drivers to use GT Road for travel from Lahore to Sheikhupura.The Motorway police have also urged the drivers to drive slowly and switch on fog lights. They also requested people to stay home and avoid unnecessary traveling.

Transporters announce wheel-jam strike in Karachi today

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KARACHI (Online) - Karachi Transport Ittehad (KTI) announced wheel-jam strike in the support of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islams strike call in the city, adding that it would not bring transport on the roads today.Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Samiul Haque) (JUI-S) had given a strike call for Friday over the killing of Mufti Usman Yar Khan.University of Karachi has cancelled papers scheduled for Friday due to strike while private schools have also announced holiday.Mufti Usman was gunned down by unknown assailants on Sharea Faisal last Friday.

Musharrafs medical report to be presented before court today

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ISLAMABAD (Online): The medical board – formed to review former president Pervez Musharraf’s health condition – has completed its assessment report.Musharraf has been skipping court hearings citing security and health issues and the special court on January 16 ordered the formation of a medical board to review his health condition.The sealed report will be submitted to the court today (Friday) and the special bench will issue appropriate order in the light of the information.Musharraf was accused of treason under Article 6 for suspending, subverting and abrogating the Constitution, imposing an emergency in the country in November 2007 and detaining judges of the superior courts. The 70-year-old had fallen ill and taken to the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology in Rawalpindi on January 2 as he was being transported under heavy guard to the court.Lawyers representing the former military ruler have been requesting for Musharraf’s treatment abroad and the special court will decide – with the help of the medical report – if he should be allowed to leave the country or not.

Hagel orders review of US nuclear force

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has ordered a sweeping review of the US nuclear force after a series of embarrassing incidents including cheating on an exam by missile officers, officials said Thursday.The Pentagon chief also planned to summon top commanders as recent lapses and allegations raise legitimate concerns about the department's stewardship of one of our most sensitive and important missions, Rear Admiral John Kirby told reporters.Secretary Hagel believes it is time for the Department of Defense as a whole to place renewed emphasis on examining the health of the nuclear force, in particular those issues that affect the morale, professionalism, performance, and leadership of the people who make up that force, he said.Senior leaders overseeing the nuclear mission will meet with Hagel in the next two weeks to discuss morale and other personnel issues, he said.After that meeting, commanders will then be required to draw up an action plan within 60 days to identify and remedy any personnel problems plaguing the force.In addition, Hagel is ordering a broader independent review by former officials who will look at the military's efforts to address personnel problems in the nuclear mission, as well as other relevant issues.The Pentagon spokesman stressed that Hagel was focusing on morale and performance and did not believe there were safety problems related to how the Air Force manages the nuclear arsenal.Our concerns today are really more centered on people issues, Kirby said.The US Air Force revealed last week that 34 missile officers at a base in Montana were suspended over allegations of cheating on a proficiency exam.The cheating was discovered as part of an unrelated criminal investigation into alleged illegal drug possession by at least 11 airmen.In recent months, two senior nuclear commanders were sacked for misbehavior, including the head of the ICBM force after he went on a drunken bender in a trip to Russia. And in October, officials said missile officers were caught twice failing to close the blast doors on their bunkers, violating a strict security rule.

Snowden sees 'no chance' for fair trial in US

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - Fugitive intelligence leaker Edward Snowden said Thursday he has no plans to return to the United States, because he would have no chance for a fair trial.The hundred-year old law under which Ive been charged... forbids a public interest defense, he said in a question-and-answer session on the Free Snowden website.This is especially frustrating, because it means theres no chance to have a fair trial, and no way I can come home and make my case to a jury, he said.The comments during the former National Security Agency contractors first such public forum since June.Snowden was asked about the conditions under which he would return to the United States, where he faces espionage charges for leaking numerous documents about NSA surveillance programs.Returning to the US, I think, is the best resolution for the government, the public, and myself, but its unfortunately not possible in the face of current whistleblower protection laws, which, through a failure in law, did not cover national security contractors like myself, he said.Maybe when Congress comes together to end the programs... theyll reform the Whistleblower Protection Act, and well see a mechanism for all Americans, no matter who they work for, to get a fair trial.His comments came hours after a US government privacy watchdog panel said the NSAs indiscriminate collection of bulk phone records is illegal and has had minimal value in fighting terrorism.Also Thursday, US Attorney General Eric Holder said he was unlikely to consider clemency for Snowden.Holder told MSNBC television US authorities would engage in conversation about a resolution of the case if Snowden accepted responsibility for leaking government secrets.But he said granting clemency would be going too far.

Thirty feared dead in fire at Canadian home for elderly

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L'ISLE-VERTE (AFP) - Canadian firefighters searched the ashes of a Quebec retirement home Thursdat after it burned nearly to the ground on a bleak midwinter night, leaving more than 30 residents feared dead.Officials said the remains of three victims had been recovered and some 30 more were unaccounted for, while the local fire chief said rescuers would continue to search for bodies through the night.The search and an investigation into the cause of the fire are now hampered by up to a foot of ice covering what's left, after water used to douse the fire froze.The blaze at the 52-unit home, which housed around 50 to 60 elderly people, half of them over 85 years of age, broke out shortly after midnight.We could hear screaming from inside. The fire was intense, it was like a haystack on fire, Pascal Fillion, a neighbor who witnessed it, told French-language public broadcaster Radio-Canada.By 1.00 a.m. the building was completely engulfed in flames, which were fanned by the wind, he said.The home is in L'Isle-Verte, a small town 450 kilometers (280 miles) northeast of Montreal with a population of around 1,400 people.The town's acting mayor, Ginette Caron, told a news conference that most residents of the home are reliant on caregivers.She said these include elderly people needing 100 percent care, almost all in wheelchairs, using walkers, or who aren't mobile at all, people suffering from the late stages of Alzheimers.The types of services offered here are not found just anywhere. That's what we've also lost, she said.Authorities said 23 people were evacuated from one third of the building. Thirteen of them were injured, one seriously, and were treated at nearby hospitals.Two firefighters were also hurt.Fire chief Yvon Charron said his crew hopes to breach the remaining areas worst hit by the flames in the coming hours to search for any bodies.The Red Cross set up a makeshift shelter at a local school where several people rescued from the inferno spent the night, according to a representative, Myriam Marotte.Some residents might have been away visiting family, or may have taken refuge elsewhere during the blaze and missed being counted, she told local television.It's a tragedy for the community and we can only fear that the death toll will rise, Gaetan Lelievre, a provincial minister, told French-language public broadcaster Radio-Canada.Images broadcast on local television showed flames engulfing the wood-frame building, leaving only a solitary chimney standing by morning. An adjacent pharmacy and a community center were also destroyed.A witness said his grandmother had called her son to come rescue her, but he didn't succeed. He tried to use a ladder to reach her, but she died right there on the balcony.Neighbor Nancy Charron said she was awakened in the night by sirens and screams: People shouted: 'Fire Help By the time we got there, there was nothing that could be done. Charron said she and her husband took people in from the cold but their own house was soon evacuated as firefighters struggled to contain the fire with hoses that froze at times. Her uncle died in the blaze and an aunt is still unaccounted for.The blaze was fanned by frigid winds of up to 70 kilometers (43 miles) per hour, as the eastern section of North America endures a brutal cold snap after being blanketed by snow.Our thoughts and prayers go out to the injured and the families and friends of those lost in this morning's horrific fire in L'Isle-Verte, said Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who is visiting the Middle East.We are holding out hope, but the reality is that there was likely considerable loss of life, he added.Quebec Premier Pauline Marois sent a message from Davos, Switzerland to say she was profoundly saddened by this tragedy and vowed government help for the victims and their community.It's a human tragedy, said top county official Michel Lagace, describing the worst possible circumstances -- a fire in the middle of the night in a care home with minimal staff on hand.It's an awful way to die, in the dark and the cold, and afraid, said one of two brothers waiting outside a police ribbon to learn their elderly mother's fate.

Football: Brazil, FIFA play down concerns over World Cup

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RIO DE JANEIRO (AFP) - Brazil and FIFA on Thursday played down concern about sluggish World Cup preparations, with President Dilma Rousseff insisting stadiums would be ready.After FIFA secretary-general Jerome Valcke warned Tuesday that Curitiba might be dropped as one of the 12 host cities for the tournament due to slack preparations, FIFA chief Sepp Blatter sounded a reassuring note after talks with Rousseff in Zurich.Confidence reigns. We now still have several months to go and we still need to make a few small adjustments here and there, Blatter said.I'm used to World Cups. There won't be any problem. In the end, everything will be fine in Brazil, he predicted.FIFA initially set a firm December 31 deadline for all 12 of Brazil's venues to be completed but had to scrap that date with half of the stadiums still requiring work.The World Cup kicks off on June 12 and ends on July 13.Rousseff earlier this month countered criticism from Blatter over Brazil's tardy preparations for the event by insisting the country would prove able to host the Cup of Cups.On Thursday, she reiterated that pledge.The Brazilian government will do everything, and the stadiums will be ready...We will do everything to ensure that this will be the globe's most beautiful World Cup ever, the Brazilian leader said.That includes the stadiums, the airports, the ports and all the infrastructure needed for our country to properly host everyone who'll be coming to us.Rousseff was in Switzerland to attend the World Economic Forum in the Alpine resort of Davos.Blatter's secretary general Jerome Valcke meanwhile confirmed February 18 as the deadline for progress in the Curitiba stadium work, two days after threatening to drop the venue.Valcke told a press conference at Rio's Maracana arena that FIFA now expected stadium delivery in late April or early May.

Football: Barca president Rosell resigns over Neymar affair

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MADRID (AFP) - Barcelona president Sandro Rosell, facing legal action over the signing of Brazil star Neymar, resigned after a three-and-a-half year spell in charge of the Spanish champions on Thursday.Pressure had mounted on Rosell, 49, after a judge agreed on Wednesday to hear a case made against him by one of the club's own members for alleged misappropriation of funds in the deal which brought Neymar to the Camp Nou last year.Sporting vice-president Josep Maria Bartomeu will replace Rosell as president for the remainder of the board's mandate, which runs until 2016.Rosell once again defended his position on the Neymar signing by describing the complaint made against him as reckless.From the first day I have said that the signing of Neymar was done correctly and it has provoked jealousy from some of our rivals, he told a press conference at the Camp Nou.I don't want an unjustified attack to negatively affect the image of the club and therefore I believe my time at the club has come to an end.I have presented my irrevocable resignation to the board.Bartomeu will now take over and dismissed rumours earlier in the day that presidential elections could be called in June.My first message as the new president of Barca is to announce the continuity of our project until 2016, he said.We continue with the utmost desire and commitment to maintain the sporting, economic and social excellence of our club.Rosell has routinely insisted that Neymar cost the club 57.1 million euros ($77 million), but refused to divulge how much money each of the parties to the deal received on confidentiality grounds. That led Jordi Cases to launch the case against Rosell last month for not informing the club's members as 40 million euros of the fee was supposedly paid to a business owned by Neymar and his father called N&N.The club were subsequently asked to submit the contracts that sealed the player's arrival in Catalonia, as well as Barca's financial accounts for the past three years.And the judge, Pablo Ruz, decided that the documentation handed over reveals sufficient elements for an investigation to go ahead.On top of the 57.1 million euros attributed by the club for the signing, Barca also paid Santos 7.9 million euros for the first-option to buy three youth team players and nine million euros for playing two friendly matches, the documentation for which Ruz has also now requested.Rosell's popularity amongst the club's supporters and indeed some senior players has been on the wane for some time.His decision to cash in on a commercial sponsor on the club's shirt for the first time in its 111-year history shortly after becoming president in 2010 was decried by many as selling out on Barca's more than a club motto.More recently the failure to offer defender Eric Abidal an extension to his playing contract at the end of last season shortly after returning from a liver transplant was seen as lacking compassion with Dani Alves even changing his shirt number to the number 22 previously worn by Abidal as a tribute to the Frenchman.

Football: Anelka rejects 'quenelle' charge

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LONDON (AFP) - French footballer Nicolas Anelka on Thursday denied making a controversial goal salute which was condemned as anti-Semitic and vowed to fight charges which could see him banned from the sport.Anelka, 34, was widely criticised for the quenelle gesture which was popularised by French comedian Dieudonne Mbala Mbala but described by critics as an inverted Nazi salute.The West Brom striker said he would fight Football Association charges which could carry a five-match suspension.West Bromwich Albion can confirm that Nicolas Anelka has denied an FA charge regarding the gesture he made after scoring his first goal against West Ham United on December 28, said a club statement.The striker has requested a personal hearing.A brief statement from the FA confirmed Anelkas denial and his request for a hearing but gave no date for when such a hearing would take place.Anelka has denied he is racist or anti-Semitic but West Brom have already seen their shirt sponsor, Zoopla, opt against renewing a commercial agreement in the wake of the incident.Reports in Britain have indicated other backers of the club are also considering their positions.Dieudonne, in an interview broadcast just hours before former France striker Anelka denied the FA charge, said the quenelle was a gesture of emancipation.Asked if the quenelle was anti-Semitic or racist, the comedian told Britains Sky News: No, of course not.Nicolas Anelka and I are both of African origin and that gesture is the gesture of emancipation. Nicolas Anelka has all my support, thats clear, he said.I consider him a brother in humanity. Hes someone who has great courage and for whom I have a great deal of respect and admiration.We all support him, were all behind him, but above all else he we are very proud of him.Shortly before West Broms match against Everton on Monday, in which Anelka played, property website Zoopla -- whose co-owner is Jewish -- announced they would not be renewing their reported 3 million pounds ($4.9 million) sponsorship of the team, which runs out at the end of this season.On Tuesday, the FA said Anelka had made a gesture that was abusive and/or indecent and/or insulting and/or improper and included a reference to ethnic origin and/or race and/or religion or belief and gave him until 1800GMT on Thursday to accept or deny the charge.In the immediate aftermath of the incident, which happened in the 3-3 draw against West Ham, the European Jewish Congress demanded English Premier League officials ban Anelka.This salute is merely a lesser known Nazi salute and we expect the same kind of punishment to be handed down by the authorities as if Anelka had made the infamous outstretched arm salute, said European Jewish Congress president Moshe Kantor in a statement.But Anelka, writing on his Facebook page on Wedenesday, said the head of French Jewish organisation CRIF, Roger Cukierman, suggests the quenelle could only be considered anti-Semitic if performed in front of a Jewish institution such as a synagogue.I therefore ask the English FA to kindly remove the charge made against me. And I repeat, I am not anti-Semitic or racist, Anelka added.However Cukierman, in subsequent interviews with French media, expressed concern over Anelkas gesture.

Boxing: Peterson faces unbeaten Jean in key title test

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - Lamont Peterson, trying to bounce back after being stopped for the first time in his career, defends his International Boxing Federation light welterweight title Saturday against unbeaten Canadian Dierry Jean.A day after his 30th birthday, Peterson will try to put his career back on track in his hometown after being stopped in the third round last May by Argentina's Lucas Matthysse.While Peterson's title was not at stake, his reputation took a big hit, with Matthysse fighting, and falling, to undefeated American Danny Garcia, the World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association champion, last September.Still, Peterson, 31-2 with one draw and 16 knockouts, refuses to consider his bout with Jean a must-win affair.I don't have any pressure. I don't feel like it's a must-win fight, he said. I don't put that stress on myself. I love boxing. I'm going out there to have fun.Haitian-born Jean, 25-0 with 17 knockouts, hopes to cause Peterson flashbacks of his most recent failure.I'm going to put the pressure on him, Jean said. I want to hit him in the beginning, remind him of the last knockout he had, get him back on his toes, careful.In his mind I think he's not 100 percent OK so I think it's going to be a great opportunity to hurt him again. He might have another nightmare like last time.Peterson says he has put the Matthysse loss behind him.You just have to forget it. It's boxing, said Peterson. In basketball sometimes they shoot an airball from the free throw line even though they make 90 percent of them. It happens.You just have to pick yourself up and move on.Jean says he is in the best shape of his career for his first world title fight and dismissed the champion's chin as only so-so, confident he can connect there with a stunning punch or two.I have the power. I have the speed. I have the chin, Jean said. I can take advantage of his chin.Peterson, who grew up homeless on the streets of the US capital, said being at home will not be a distraction.You can only have distractions if you allow it, Peterson said. My family knows I'm here, but I'm not here. They let me do my own thing. They know how serious this is.It's going to be a good challenge. He's got good speed and power. He's a good fighter.

Pistorius in compensation talks with slain girlfriends's family

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JOHANNESBURG (AFP) - Legal teams for South African paralympic star Oscar Pistorius and his slain girlfriends family are discussing an out-of-court financial settlement over her murder, a lawyer said Thursday.Negotiations are under way, lawyer Dup de Bruyn, who is representing the relatives of the murdered Reeva Steenkamp, told AFP.The compensation talks do not affect Pistoriuss murder trial, which is set to start on March 3.De Bruyn declined to give any details but local media report the 26-year-old athlete may pay as much as $272,000 (200,000 euros) after shooting dead his lover last Valentines Day.The 29-year-old model and law graduate was supporting her parents financially and they have been struggling since her death.Pistorius denies murder, saying he shot his girlfriend through a locked bathroom door in his upmarket Pretoria home because he thought she was an intruder.Lawyers reportedly have been talking for months about a possible settlement which could preempt a civil damages case by the Steenkamps, in a legal move that would be separate from the murder trial.Pistorius faces charges of murdering Steenkamp as well as discharging a firearm on two separate occasions before her death.The shooting death shocked the world and brought the sprinters career to an abrupt halt.

IMF restarts annual assessments of Iran's economy

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - The International Monetary Fund said Thursday that it will resume annual evaluations of Iran's economy, suspended by Tehran since the organization's last mission nearly three years ago.There's an agreement to undertake an article IV review in Iran... There was a bit of a break in recent years, IMF spokesman William Murray said.A mission will visit the country on January 25 for the first talks under the Article IV reviews, in which IMF officials take a critical eye to a country's economic situation and management after discussions with officials as well as businessmen, politicians and civil society groups.The IMF team then issues a report reviewing progress, shortcomings and challenges facing the economy.The overall focus of this article IV consultation will be on how to restore macro-economic stability and begin addressing longstanding weaknesses in Iran's policy framework and economic structure, Murray said.An IMF team visited the country in November to learn about the economic plan of the government of President Hassan Rouhani, who was elected in June.Many hope Rouhani will be able to reach a firm deal with Western powers over the country's nuclear plan that would allow the lifting of sanctions that have crippled the economy.Some sanctions were loosened last week as the two sides entered a six-month interim deal aimed at reaching a final pact on the country's nuclear activities.

US oil prices rise after plunge in distillate supplies

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NEW YORK (AFP) - The price of US crude oil rebounded after US distillate supplies fell sharply last week as severe winter weather gripped large parts of the nation.The main US futures contract, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for delivery in March, clawed back from losses to finish at $97.32 a barrel, a gain of 59 cents from Wednesday.The European benchmark, Brent North Sea crude for March, shed 69 cents to settle at $107.58 a barrel.Both the WTI and Brent crude oil contracts earlier in the day were trading in negative territory amid profit taking after a two-day rally, said Forex.com analyst Fawad Razaqzada.But the Department of Energy's (DoE) weekly report on US oil inventories, delayed a day by the US holiday Monday, sparked WTI buyers' appetites.This distillate draw in the inventory report was very supportive to the market, said John Kilduff of Again Capital.Supplies of distillate fuel, which include heating oil and diesel, fell by 3.2 million barrels in the week ended January 17, according to the report.The plunge surprised analysts, who on average forecast a decline of 800,000 barrels.The sharp drop came as heating fuel demand rose in the face of severe winter cold, Kilduff said.Kilduff said a drop in refinery activity, with refineries running at 86.5 percent capacity down from 90.0%, also played a part.US crude-oil supplies rose for the first time in eight weeks, the DoE reported, but the increase of one million barrels was in line with expectations.Downbeat Chinese data had weighed on the oil markets earlier, particularly on Brent.Chinese manufacturing contracted for the first time in six months in January, a survey showed Thursday, raising concerns about 2014 growth prospects for the world's second-largest economy.Brent pulled back... as weak PMI data from China, falling for the first time in six months to 49.6, caused demand concerns, said analyst Lucy Sidebotham at Inenco.

Euro shines on upbeat eurozone economic data

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NEW YORK (AFP) - The euro climbed against the dollar Thursday, hoisted higher by encouraging eurozone economic data suggesting the eurozone's recovery is picking up steam.The euro bought $1.3692 around 2245 GMT, up from $1.3544 Wednesday.The European currency, however, slipped slightly against the yen, to 141.49 yen from 141.59.The dollar also weakened against the Japanese currency, to 103.34 yen from 104.54.The euro is firmer following strong economic data out of the eurozone, said Eric Viloria, currency strategist at Wells Fargo Securities.The euro rallied on a closely watched report that showed private-sector activity in the eurozone hit a 31-month high in January as a modest recovery gathered pace across the 18-nation bloc.Markit Economics said its Eurozone Composite Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) for January rose to 53.2 points from 52.1 in December, the seventh consecutive monthly rise.The increase was the fastest rate of growth since June 2011, Markit said, and took the economy further into positive territory.The yen, meanwhile, benefited as a safe-haven currency as US shares sank following a weak report on Chinese manufacturing activity and lackluster US corporate earnings.The Japanese yen strengthened against most of its major counterparts as market participants scaled back their appetite for risk, said David Song, currency analyst at DailyFX.The dollar sank to 0.8975 Swiss franc, from 0.9115 franc Wednesday.The pound fetched $1.6637, firming from the prior day's level of $1.6569.

Mars 'jelly doughnut' rock intrigues scientists

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - A strange rock that looks like a jelly doughnut has appeared on Mars, and scientists are closer to figuring out how it got there, a top NASA expert said Thursday.The small, round object suddenly popped up in pictures taken 12 days apart by the US space agency's decade-old Opportunity rover. On December 26, 2013, it was not there. On January 8, it was. But what is it? It looks like a jelly doughnut, white around the outside, red in the middle, said Steve Squyres, the principal investigator of the Mars Exploration Rovers.He described the tint as a weird deep red color, not a Martian kind of red, which is more of a rusty hue.One thing is for sure. This is not a fried, sugary pastry.We have looked at it with our microscope. It is clearly a rock, he told reporters in a briefing to mark 10 years since NASA's solar-powered Opportunity landed on the Red Planet.But it is a kind of rock no Earthling has seen before.Squyres said scientists believe the rock, named Pinnacle Island, got there when the aging rover did a pirouette turn in the dusty Martian soil and knocked loose a chunk of bedrock that rolled a short distance downhill.We think that in the process of that wheel moving across the ground, we kind of flicked it, kind of tiddly winked it out of the ground and it moved to the location where we see it, Squyres said.Still, scientists have not found the divet the rock would have left behind. They think it is hidden beneath one of the rover's solar arrays.The Opportunity team plans to manuever the robotic vehicle around a bit more to see if they can find the spot from which the rock emerged.
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