Monday 12 August 2013

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Woman poisons 3 children to death in Khanewal

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KHANEWAL (Dunya News) - A woman poisoned her three children to death before attempting suicide over domestic dispute here on Monday.The woman was rushed to Nishtar Hospital in Multan in critical condition.According to media reports, Rukhsana wanted to visit the house of a relative. But her husband refused and went there alone.This angered Rukhsana who mixed poison with milk and served it to her three children, the youngest of them only six days old.The children died instantly, but she was hospitalized.A case was registered by police against the woman.

UK bars trash cans from tracking people with Wi-Fi

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LONDON (AP) - Officials demanded Monday that an advertising firm stop using a network of high-tech trash cans to track people walking through Londons financial district.The Renew ad firm has been using technology embedded in the hulking receptacles to measure the Wi-Fi signals emitted by smartphones, and suggested that it would apply the concept of cookies tracking files that follow Internet users across the Web to the physical world.We will cookie the street, Renew Chief Executive Kaveh Memari said in June.But the City of London Corporation insisted that Renew pull the plug on the program, which captures smartphones serial numbers and analyzes signal strength to follow people up and down the street. Renew didnt immediately return a call seeking comment on whether it would comply with the authorities demand.The trash cans join a host of everyday objects from televisions to toilets that are being manufactured with the ability to send and receive data, opening up new potential for interaction and surveillance.Its unclear how Renew had planned to use the data, which were gathered by its reinforced, shoulder-height pods stationed near St. Pauls Cathedral and Liverpool Street Station.But if a company could see that a certain smartphone user spent 20 minutes in a McDonalds every day, it could approach Burger King about airing an ad on the bins video display whenever that user walks by at lunchtime.Or it could target its commercials in real time by distinguishing between people who work in the area and visiting tourists.The prospect drew comparisons to the creepy Good evening, John Anderton ads from the Tom Cruise thriller Minority Report.Renew first tested the technology using 12 trash cans in May, but the story didnt get traction until last week when a sudden burst of publicity surrounding the spy bins put authorities on the defensive.Anything that happens like this on the streets needs to be done carefully, with the backing of an informed public, read a statement from the City of London Corporation, which is responsible for the citys historic square mile, home to financial institutions, law firms and tourist landmarks.A spokesman for the body said it had been blindsided the tests, which he said it learned about through the press only last week.Britains data protection watchdog said it would investigate, while Nick Pickles of the privacy advocacy group Big Brother Watch said questions need to be asked about how such a blatant attack on peoples privacy was able to occur.In a recent statement, Memari said media coverage of the spy bins had been a bit breathless.A lot of what had been extrapolated is capabilities that could be developed and none of which are workable right now, he said.

US faces problem of its overcrowded prisons

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WASHINGTON (AP) The US faces massive overcrowding in its prisons, and the Obama administration is calling for major changes to the nations criminal justice system that would cut back the use of harsh sentences for certain drug-related crimes.In remarks prepared for delivery Monday to the American Bar Association, Attorney General Eric Holder also favors sending people convicted of low-level offenses to drug treatment and community service programs instead.We need to ensure that incarceration is used to punish, deter and rehabilitate not merely to convict, warehouse and forget, Holder says in the speech.Critics of the justice system have long said drug sentencing laws have taken a toll on the countrys black population.The latest statistics from the Federal Bureau of Prisons say 47 percent of inmates are there for drug offenses. By race, 37 percent of all inmates are black, and by ethnicity, 34 percent are Hispanic.The Census Bureau says 13 percent of Americans are black and 16 percent are Hispanic.In one important change, low-level, non-violent drug offenders with no ties to large-scale organizations, gangs or cartels wont be charged with offenses that impose mandatory minimum prison sentences. Such sentences, a product of the governments war on drugs in the 1980s, limit the discretion of judges to impose shorter prison sentences.African-Americans account for about 30 percent of federal drug convictions each year and Hispanics account for 40 percent, according to Marc Mauer, executive director of the nonprofit Sentencing Project.Mauer said the impact of Holders changes could be significant. He said about 45 percent of the 25,000 drug convictions in federal court each year are for lower-level offenses such as street level dealers and couriers and people who deliver drugs.We cannot simply prosecute or incarcerate our way to becoming a safer nation, Holder said. Today, a vicious cycle of poverty, criminality and incarceration traps too many Americans and weakens too many communities. However, many aspects of our criminal justice system may actually exacerbate this problem, rather than alleviate it.Federal prisons are operating at nearly 40 percent above capacity and hold more than 219,000 inmates with almost half serving time for drug-related crimes. Many of them have substance use disorders.The attorney general said 17 states have directed money away from prison construction and toward programs and services such as treatment and supervision that are designed to reduce the problem of repeat offenders.Holder also said the department is expanding a policy for considering compassionate release for inmates that would include elderly inmates who did not commit violent crimes and who have served significant portions of their sentences.

Khosa advises Nawaz not to meet Manmohan

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KARACHI (Online): Pakistan Peoples Party Secretary General Sardar Latif Khosa has said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should not meet Manmohan until prevention of unprovoked Indian firing at LoC and atrocities against the Kashmiris in occupied Kashmir.He said this in a statement issued from Bilawal House on Monday.He said that agitation in front of the Pakistan High Commission in India and stopping of Friendship Bus by extremists and their bad-mouthing of Pakistan are the latest manifestations of highhandedness of India, which could not be accepted.He deplored the desperation of the Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to seek his meeting with Indian counterpart in New York during UN General Assembly Session this year caring less for the dignity and the sovereignty of the country adding the enslavement of Indian hegemony was not acceptable to the people of Pakistan.Indian Prime Minister did not oblige Pakistan when he extended an invitation to attend his oath taking ceremony, he pointed out.He said that the meek response of the government of Pakistan through the Foreign Office was both condemnable and contemptible which no self- respect nation would resort to.Pakistan wants good neighbourly relations with all the neighboring countries including India on the basis of equality and mutual interest and any bid of servility of the country should be paid in the same coin, he added.He paid rich tributes to the leadership Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto who made Pakistan’s defence impregnable by making Pakistan an atomic power and later equipped it with missile technology capable of hitting any target anywhere in the territory of enemy country.He maintained that because of status of country’s atomic power along with missile technology, the balance of power in the region was restored ensuring the peace in the region and also saving Pakistan from the Indian nuclear blackmail which would have been the worst kind of it in inter-state relations.

Ban Ki Moon arrives in Islamabad tonight

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The UN Secretary General‚ Ban Ki-moon arrives in Islamabad tonight on a two-day visit to Pakistan for talks with the Pakistani leadership on important global and regional issues.The Secretary General would be accompanied by his wife and United Nations Officials.The Secretary General will call on the President‚ the Prime Minister and the Speaker of the National Assembly.He will also meet Advisor on Foreign Affairs. He will receive a briefing at the National Disaster Management Authority on relief activities in flood-hit areas of Pakistan. The Secretary General will also have a meeting with the Chief Minister of Punjab.The Secretary General will attend the 14th August Flag hoisting ceremony as a special guest. He will also be inaugurating the Center for International Peace and Stability at the National University of Science and Technology in Islamabad.Pakistan attaches great significance to the United Nations and accords high importance to the visit of the Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

Egypt postpones crackdown on pro-Morsi protest camps

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CAIRO (AP) - Egyptian authorities on Monday postponed plans to disperse two Cairo sit-ins by supporters of the countrys ousted president Mohammed Morsi, saying they wanted to avoid bloodshed, security officials said.Judicial officials meanwhile announced that a judge ordered the deposed president, detained since his July 3 ouster, should be held for 15 more days pending investigations into charges he conspired in 2011 with Palestinian militants.The postponement announcement came as Morsi supporters held new rallies demanding his return to power, marching down a main boulevard at the heart of Cairo chanting anti-military slogans and waving the toppled presidents picture.At least temporarily, the delay is likely to defuse tensions that had spiked overnight, with the country bracing for a new bout of violence if the police move against protesters.Tens of thousands have occupied two encampments in Cairos streets since even before the July 3 coup, which came after millions took to the streets demanding Morsis removal. At least 130 Morsi supporters have been killed in two major clashes on the edges of the larger encampment.An Egyptian security official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to reporters, said the decision to postpone a move against the protest camps by Muslim Brotherhood supporters came after a plan on ending the sit-ins was leaked to the media.The security forces had planned to form cordons around the Cairo protest sites as early as dawn Monday, according to officials who spoke earlier to The Associated Press.The governments decision to clear the sit-ins came after failure of nearly two weeks of efforts by the international community to end the standoff and find a peaceful resolution.Egypts interim prime minister warned just ahead of the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday that ended Sunday that the governments decision to clear the sit-ins was irreversible.Morsi was deposed after millions of Egyptians took to the streets on June 30 and for four days demanded that he step down over what they saw as his failure to act as the president of all Egyptians and his attempts to monopolize power and serve only his Muslim Brotherhood groups interests.Morsi has not been seen since the military deposed him, disbanded his Islamists-dominated parliament and suspended the constitution.He is held incommunicado, along with some of his aides, while several top Brotherhood leaders and their Islamist allies are detained on charges of instigating deadly violence.On Monday, a judge ordered Morsi to be detained for 15 more days, as investigations continue into charges that he conspired with Palestinian militants during the countrys 2011 uprising, according to a judicial official.Judge Hassan Samir is investigating whether Morsi colluded with Hamas to break out of the Wadi al-Natroun prison west of Cairo along with 33 other members of his Muslim Brotherhood group. This is the second time his detention has been renewed. The first was on July 26.Other Brotherhood figures, including the groups top spiritual guide Mohammed Badie, are on the run or taking refuge amid tens of thousands of supporters at the larger of the two sit-ins in Cairos eastern Nasr City district, where a road intersection facing Rabaah al-Adawiya mosque has been turned to a heavily fortified tent city.The sit-in, along with a second one in Cairos twin city of Giza, are used as sites for street rallies. The government says the protest camps are a threat to national security.The protests by the Brotherhood have prevented an air of normalcy from returning to Cairos streets after nearly a month of instability.Rights groups have published testimony of cases in which anti-Morsi protesters and others are said to have been tortured by Morsi supporters, and authorities say bodies bearing what appear to be marks of torture have been found nearby.Residents in buildings surrounding the two protest camps have long complained of harassment, restrictions on their movement and fears of getting caught in a crossfire if clashes take place.

US judge orders monitor for New York police

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NEW YORK (AP) - A U.S. judge has appointed a monitor to oversee the New York Police Departments controversial stop-and-search policy, saying it intentionally discriminates based on race and has violated the rights of tens of thousands of people.The judge on Monday ruled in favor of four men who said they were unfairly targeted.Police have made about 5 million stops over the past decade, mostly of black and Hispanic men.The practice has become a fact of daily life in some New York City neighborhoods, U.S. District Court Judge Shira Scheindlin said in a ruling.She said she was not putting an end to the policy but was reforming it.The mayor and police commissioner have defended the practic known as stop, question and frisk as a life-saving tool. City lawyers have argued the police department does a good job monitoring itself.The practice has led to protests and warnings that it is creating resentment and anger.Scheindlin said police officials had been warned in past years of violations, but despite this notice, they deliberately maintained and even escalated policies and practices that predictably resulted in even more widespread ... violations.The ruling on the nations largest police department may affect how other U.S. police departments operate, legal experts said.The city had no immediate response to the ruling.The judge said she determined at least 200,000 stops were made without reasonable suspicion.The city and its highest officials believe that blacks and Hispanics should be stopped at the same rate as their proportion of the local criminal suspect population, Scheindlin wrote. But this reasoning is flawed because the stopped population is overwhelmingly innocent not criminal.

Italy, Argentina ready to renew rivalry

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LONDON (AP) - Twelve years after Italys last match against Argentina, the two predominantly Roman Catholic and football-crazy nations are renewing their storied rivalry in a friendly game placed under the auspices of Pope Francis.After months of talks, the Italian and Argentinian federations managed to set up Wednesdays encounter in Rome that will be dedicated to the pope, who is a football fan and comes from Argentina.Italys last match with Argentina was also a friendly in Rome, in 2001, which Argentina won 2-1. Before that, Diego Maradonas Argentina knocked host Italy out of the 1990 World Cup on penalties in a memorable semifinal in Naples.

No plan to grant India MFN status: Dar

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ISLAMABAD: Speaking to media, Dar said there was a need to normalise relations with India on a number of issues. “There is no immediate consideration to grant India MFN status.”Relations between the two South Asian neighbours have been strained after India accused the Pakistan army of killing five soldiers at the Line of Control (LoC). The accusation was rejected by Pakistan.Over the last few days, India has repeatedly violated the ceasefire agreement with Pakistan by opening unprovoked fire and several different sectors along the LoC.Pakistan has expressed concern over these violations by summoning the Indian Deputy High Commissioner to Pakistan to the Foreign Office.

Campbell negotiating to sell European business

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NEW YORK (AP) The proposed sale includes the company's soups, sauces and other products that are sold under a variety of names in Belgium, Finland, France, Germany and Sweden. The deal doesn't include products in the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Middle East or Africa, or the export of its Pepperidge Farm baked goods.The proposed sale, which includes four plants, is subject to regulatory approvals.A representative for Campbell said financial terms weren't being disclosed and that it wasn't yet a definitive agreement.Campbell, based in Camden, New Jersey, says deal would be expected to close in the first quarter of its fiscal 2014.

Stocks open mostly lower on Wall Street

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NEW YORK (AP) The stock market has been treading water in August as companies finished reporting earnings for the second quarter and investors considered when the Federal Reserve will start to ease back on its economic stimulus. The U.S. central bank is buying $85 billion a month to keep long-term interest rates low, and many analysts are expecting that it will start reducing those purchases as soon as next month.There will be some near-term volatility but its a buying opportunity and a chance to get fully invested in the market, said Doug Cote, chief market strategist with ING U.S. Investment Management. A cut in stimulus is not a risk, its the most telegraphed event in the world.The tepid August for stocks follows big gains for July, when the S&P 500 rose 5 percent, its biggest monthly gain since January. Stocks climbed that month after Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke reassured investors that the Fed would only ease back on its stimulus if the economy was strong enough to handle it.Sluggish economic growth figures from Japan also disappointed investors.The 2.6 percent annualized second-quarter growth rate recorded in Japan, the worlds third-largest economy, was below the 3.8 percent rate recorded in the first quarter and the 3.6 percent predicted by analysts. Japans main stock index, the Nikkei, fell 0.7 percent on the news.The Dow Jones industrial average fell 27 points, or 0.2 percent, to 15,398 in the first hour of trading. The Standard & Poors 500 index fell 3 points, or 0.2 percent, to 1,688. The Nasdaq composite rose 3 points, or 0.1 percent, to 3,662.In commodities trading, the price of gold rose for a fourth day, climbing $23.70, or 1.8 percent, to 1,335.50 an ounce. The rise in the price of gold gave a lift to Newmont Mining, which advanced $1.70, or 5.8 percent, to $31.23.The price of oil fell 75 cents, or 0.7 percent, to $105.21 a barrel.The dollar rose against the euro and the Japanese yen.Among stocks making big moves on Monday.Krispy Kreme rose $1.22, or 5.6 percent, to $22.58 after the stock was upgraded by an analyst at Janney Capital Markets on the expectation that the company will have stronger sales growth than previously expected.BlackBerry jumped 46 cents, or 4.7 percent, to $10.24, after the struggling smartphone maker said it would consider a sale. The Canadian company said Monday its board has formed a special committee to explore alternatives in hopes of increasing sales of its BlackBerry 10 smartphone.Sysco, a food distributor, fell $1.16, or 3.3 percent, to $33.85 after the company said that its net income fell 9 percent due to higher operating expenses and restructuring charges.

Nigeria: Flood destroys 400 homes in Kano

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KANO AP) - Officials say floods from heavy rains destroyed up to 400 homes in Nigerias biggest northern city of Kano.Drains and deep culverts chronically filled with uncollected garbage flooded and blocked several roads after about nine hours of rainfall Saturday and Sunday.The flooding also unearthed some 20 corpses at the citys main cemetery.Ibrahim Musa Giginyu said Monday his seven family members would have drowned but he managed to get help Sunday when I found my entire family floating in water. Many Nigerians cannot swim.Disaster manager Kassim Musa of the state fire service said more than 100 homes collapsed in the raging waters. But Ali Bashir of the State Emergency Relief and Rehabilitation Agency said 408 homes were destroyed in Kano city and another 26 outside the metropolis.

Slower Japanese growth weighs on markets

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LONDON (AP) Weaker-than-expected economic growth in Japan weighed on markets Monday on what is a fairly light day on the global economic calendar.The main indicator of the day was the 2.6 percent annualized second-quarter growth rate recorded in Japan, the worlds third-largest economy.The number was below the 3.8 percent rate recorded in the first quarter and the 3.6 percent predicted by analysts and dented sentiment around the world.Investors are concerned that the big monetary stimulus that is being pursued by the government may not be reaping the rewards hoped for. Japan is trying to come out of a two-decade economic stagnation. The Nikkei 225 index slid back following the news, to end the day 0.7 percent lower at 13,519.43, while the yen fell. The dollar was up 0.5 percent at 96.72 yen.The slower growth could make it difficult for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to carry out plans to raise the sales tax by 3 percentage points in April to improve public finances. The tax is now 5 percent.Raising the consumption tax is key to long-term fiscal consolidation in Japan, said Lee Hardman, an analyst at Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ. He said that if Abe doesnt raise the tax as planned, he would risk undermining foreign investor confidence in his policies.Following the Japanese news, stock markets in Europe and the U.S. were lackluster amid a dearth of economic data.Britains FTSE 100 shed 0.2 percent to 6,573 while Germanys DAX rose 0.1 percent to 8,351. The CAC-40 in France was 0.2 percent lower at 4,067.In the U.S., the Dow Jones industrial average was down 0.1 percent at 15,358 while the broader S&P 500 index fell 0.1 percent to 1,685.Last week, U.S. stocks suffered their worst week since June amid worries over when the U.S. Federal Reserve will start to reduce its monetary stimulus. Recent comments from a raft of Fed officials have indicated that it may start as soon as September.This weeks U.S. economic data, including retail sales figures for July, will be assessed in the context of when the Fed will begin the so-called tapering.Michael Hewson, senior market analyst at CMC Markets, said it seems investors are becoming concerned about the Feds timing and reluctant to push stock indexes any higher.Given the proximity to all-time highs it appears that prudence is taking precedence over risk, with little in the way of new factors to stimulate new buying, he added.In Europe, the main point of interest will be Wednesdays second-quarter economic growth figures for the 17-country eurozone. Most analysts think that the region will post modest growth, which will mean it emerged from recession.Earlier in Asia, a possible upswing in Chinas economy helped boost stocks in Hong Kong and on mainland China.Data released Friday showed a 9.7 percent rise in Chinas industrial production for July. Some other indicators such as auto sales also showed improvement. Analysts said the figures added weight to the argument that the recent soft patch in the worlds second-largest economy may have come to an end.Hong Kongs Hang Seng jumped 2.1 percent to 22,271.28. The Shanghai Composite Index rose 2.4 percent to 2,101.28. The smaller Shenzhen Composite Index rose 1.3 percent to 1,009.13.Elsewhere, the euro was 0.3 percent lower at $1.3289 while a barrel of benchmark New York crude oil was 23 cents lower at $105.74.

Dhawan hits record 248 against South Africa A

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CAPE TOWN (Agencies) - Shikhar Dhawan smashed the second highest score in limited overs cricket when he pummeled 248 from 150 balls for India A against South Africa A at the LC de Villiers Oval in Pretoria on Monday.Opening batsman Dhawan blazed 30 fours and seven huge sixes as he fell 20 runs short of the record held by Ali Brown, who bludgeoned 268 from 160 balls for Surrey against Glamorgan at The Oval in 2002.The 27-year-old Dhawan also smashed 187 from 174 balls in his only career test innings against Australia in March this year.Another Indian batsman, Virender Sehwag, holds the record for the most runs in an official one-day international innings with 219 from 149 balls against West Indies in Indore in 2011.India A ended their 50 overs on 433 for three wickets.Opener Shikhar Dhawan scored a sensational double century for India A in their must-win match versus hosts South Africa A in Pretoria on Monday.After electing to bat in the 50-over game, India A reached 311/1 in 39.2 overs when Dhawan reached 200 with a single off Beuran Hendricks.His double century came in just 132 deliveries and included 24 boundaries and 4 sixes.After reaching his double century, Dhawan equaled the highest List A (limited overs) score in South Africa in the 42nd over, when he smashed a six to take his tally to 222.Graeme Pollock had scored 222 not out for Eastern Province versus Border in 1974. The swashbuckling left-hander from Delhi was finally dismissed for 248 -- the second highest score in List A cricket ended -- when he was caught by Vilas off Rusty Theron in the 45th over. His knock, an Indian record, included 30 boundaries and 7 sixes. India ended with 433 for three, with skipper Cheteshwar Pujara scoring an unbeaten 109.Dhawan opened the batting along with Murali Vijay and the duo put on 91 for the first wicket. Vijay was dismissed by Hendricks for 40 when he was caught by wicket keeper Dane Vilas. Skipper Cheteshwar Pujara joined Dhawan at the crease as the duo took the attack to the South African bowlers, adding 285 runs for the second wicket.In the process of their partnership, Dhawan reached his century in the 27th over with a boundary.He reached his first hundred in 86 deliveries but took just another 46 balls to reach the 200 mark.Dhawan fell 20 runs short of the highest score in List A cricket. That record belongs to English batsman Ali Brown, who rampaged his way to 268 for Surrey against Glamorgan at The Oval in 2002.Replying to Indias total South Africa were 278/3 in 35 overs. Skipper Justin Ontong was unbeaten on 47 and Vaughn van Jaarsveld was batting on 60. Earlier Reeza Hendricks slammed a 78-ball 106 to keep the South Africans in the hunt.The winner of this match plays Australia A in the final.

Karzai may visit Pakistan this month

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KABUL (Reuters) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai will travel to Pakistan this month in the hope of breathing life into moribund peace process with the Taliban and mending a frayed relationship between the neighbours, Afghan officials said on Monday.The role of Pakistan is seen as critical to efforts to get the Afghan Taliban to sit down to talks about ending the 12-year war as most foreign troops prepare to pull out of Afghanistan by the end of next year.Peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban in the capital of the Gulf State of Qatar, Doha, were announced in June only to be cancelled following Karzais anger over the Taliban displaying a banner and a flag, harking back to their repressive rule over Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001.The trip will be Karzais first visit to Pakistan since Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was elected.Many had hoped Sharifs election would lead to a reset in the relationship. Those hopes were dashed after Afghanistans Foreign Ministry accused Pakistan of having raised the idea of power-sharing between the Kabul government and the Taliban. Pakistan denied the accusation.Karzai has made 19 trips to Pakistan since coming to power in 2002, and has come away with many promises, but few results.Afghanistan has long accused Pakistan of playing a double game regarding the Taliban, with some Afghan officials saying their neighbour makes public pronouncements about peace but allows elements of its military and intelligence complex to play a spoiling role.Karzai will visit Pakistan from Aug. 26 - 28.The leadership of the High Peace Council, the body created by Karzai in 2010 to broker peace with the Taliban, will also attend, a spokesman said.The Taliban have been waging an insurgency to overthrow Karzais government and oust foreign troops.They say they want a political solution that would bring about a just government based on Islamic principles and the end of foreign occupation.
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