Friday 6 September 2013

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Islamabad: Terrorism bid foiled, explosives recovered

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – According to details, police conducted a raid a house in Khayaban-e-Kashmir, located in the jurisdiction of Tarnol Police Station and recovered huge quantity of explosives, 20 Kalashnikovs, four pistols, hand grenades, wireless set, detonators and instruments used in spying.The explosive material was hidden in remote control toys. Bomb disposal squad reached the spot and diffused the explosive material.At least five people, including three women, were arrested. According to police, the arrested persons belonged to a banned outfit.

Gunmen kill seven people in Peshawar

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PESHAWAR (AFP) – Some unidentified gunmen attacked a mini-bus and two other vehicles in the Mattani area on the outskirts of Peshawar city, killing at least seven people.According to details, gunmen in two cars opened fire on a mini-bus, two other vehicles and on people who came out of their houses after hearing the gunfire, killing a total of seven, local police official Abid Khan told AFP.He said those killed in the firing included six passengers and three local residents, adding the motive and the perpetrators of the attack were not immediately known.Another police official, Iftikhar-ud-din, also confirmed the attack and casualties.Pakistan says more than 40,000 people have been killed in attacks by Al Qaeda and Taliban-led militants in the last decade.Washington considers the tribal belt as the main hub of Taliban and Al Qaeda militants plotting attacks on the West and in Afghanistan.

Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani calls on Prime Minister

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ISLAMABAD (APP) - Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Friday said that all political parties have to work hand-in-hand to overcome the challenging situation faced by the country.He said that efforts above party affiliations were required to meet these challenges. The Prime Minister said this while meeting former prime minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, who called on him here. Various issues, particularly security concerns were discussed in the meeting.Gilani also reiterated that all political parties have to overcome differences and get united for the greater national interest.

PM, Ch Nisar discuss Karachi situation

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ISLAMABAD (APP) - Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Friday emphasized on the need of enhancing coordination among law enforcement agencies through intelligence sharing and joint actions for effectively checking crimes in Karachi.He was talking to Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan who called on him at the Prime Minister’s House. During the meeting, the Minister for Interior apprised the Prime Minister on the overall law and order situation prevailing in the country, particularly in Karachi.The Prime Minister reiterated the resolve of his government to take all outmeasures for the restoration of peace in Karachi.The Prime Minister directed the Minister for Interior to take stringent measures for the maintenance of peace and security in the country.

Two dead as Morsi supporters hold new rallies in Egypt

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CAIRO (AFP) - Two people were killed Friday when clashes broke out between supporters and opponents of ousted Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi as thousands demonstrated despite a sustained government crackdown on Islamists.The main rallies took place in the capital Cairo, while other protests broke out elsewhere in the country including in second city Alexandria and the Nile Delta province city of Damietta.One person was killed in Alexandria and another in Damietta province when clashes there erupted between protesters and supporters of Morsi, medics said.AFP correspondents in Cairo said protesters rallied in the upscale suburb of Maadi following the weekly Friday Muslim prayers.Official media said smaller protests erupted in the afternoon in several provinces across the country.The protests come a day after Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim survived a bomb targeting his convoy in which 21 people were injured. One of them died of his injuries Friday, a health official said.The Islamist Anti-Coup Alliance led by Morsis Muslim Brotherhood called for Fridays protests but only managed to attract several thousand supporters unlike past rallies when hundreds of thousands showed up.The dwindling number of protesters come as police have pressed a crackdown on the Brotherhood, arresting hundreds of its members including its supreme guide.The security forces stormed two major pro-Morsi protest camps on August 14, in an operation that saw hundreds of people killed.Morsi was ousted by the military on July 3 after popular protests against his single year of turbulent rule. He is being held at an unknown location.State media has said Morsi will stand trial in a criminal court for incitement to murder along with 14 other Brotherhood members, but no date has yet been given for the trial.Morsi has been separately accused of crimes related to his 2011 escape from prison.Since his ouster Egypts new authorities have arrested the Brotherhoods supreme guide and more than 2,000 members, disrupting the groups ability to mobilise supporters.On Tuesday a military court gave a life sentence to a Brotherhood member and sentenced 51 others to jail for attacking soldiers in the canal city of Suez in July.The death sentence was the first imposed since the military toppled Morsi.Earlier, an official told AFP the government would soon decide whether to dissolve an NGO registered under the Brotherhoods name amid allegations.The NGO is legally a separate entity to the Brotherhood movement.

300 Syrian, Afghan asylum-seekers arrive in Italy

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ROME (AFP) - Italian coast guards on Friday intercepted a fishing boat with 300 Syrian and Afghan asylum seekers who were being taken to a port in Sicily, officials said.They were first spotted some 30 nautical miles southeast of Syracuse, a port which has seen a sharp increase in Syrian refugee arrivals in recent weeks.A coast guard helicopter initially lowered water canisters onto the vessel, where several of the people on board were suffering from dehydration.The asylum seekers were eventually transferred onto two coast guard vessels to be taken into port.Thousands of Syrian asylum-seekers have arrived in Italy this year, many of them taking long journeys across the Mediterranean from Egypt or Turkey.

Serena to meet Azarenka in US Open final

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NEW YORK (AP) - Serena Williams was cruising along in the U.S. Open semifinals, serving up another bagel, when, out of nowhere, a competitive tennis match broke out.Didnt last long.The defending champion won the first seven games of Fridays match, then actually fell down a break early in the second set, before quickly regaining it on the way to a 6-0, 6-3 victory over fifth-seeded Li Na.The days only drama came in the second-to-last game an affair that went eight deuces and lasted 13 minutes, 49 seconds. Li saved six match points, but it only delayed the inevitable. Williams dropped two points in the next game, but ended it and let out a long, celebratory scream after a 107 mph service winner.It got tough at the end. I got a little nervous, but I was able to close it out finally, Williams said.The victory set up a rematch of last years final against Victoria Azarenka, who beat 83rd-ranked Flavia Pennetta 6-4, 6-2 in the earlier semifinal.The first set of the Williams match marked the third straight set the No. 1 seed won at love, and when she held serve to open the second, she had won her 24th straight game of the tournament, dating to her match last Sunday against Sloane Stephens.Nothing lasts forever, of course, though Williams is extending her string of dominance in the womens game deep into a second decade.Sundays match will mark her 21st Grand Slam final. She stands one win away from capturing her fifth U.S. Open title and 17th major trophy. This will be the first time the same two women have met in back-to-back finals at Flushing Meadows since it was Williams against her sister, Venus, in 2001-02. It will also mark the first 1 vs. 2 final at the U.S. Open since 2003, when No. 2 Justine Henin beat No. 1 Kim Clijsters.Azarenka lost to Williams in a tense three-setter last year. But just last month, she beat Williams in a third-set tiebreaker in the final of a tune-up tournament in Cincinnati.I know her strengths, she knows my strengths, Azarenka said. Thats what its all about, about those turning points, who wants it more, whos willing to go for it more. Its a bunch of combinations.Williams took a brief break then turned around to play in the semifinals of the doubles with her sister. She is trying to make the finals of the singles and the doubles at the same Grand Slam for the first time since last year at Wimbledon.For her match against Li, Williams wore pink shoes embroidered with tiny hearts on the heels, each of them with a number 99, 02, 08, 12 marking each year she hoisted the trophy in Queens.Shes showing every sign shell need to add another heart , and Azarenka is the only one standing in the way.We always have really good matches. I look forward to it, Williams said. Its great to get to another final. Shes a great player and she lifts her game when it really counts.Azarenka, the 2012 and 2013 Australian Open champion, is trying to become the first woman to win the majors in Melbourne and New York in the same year since Martina Hingis in 1997.If Fridays proceedings on a cool, breezy day in Arthur Ashe Stadium were any indication, Azarenka has some work to do.Hours before Williams overpowered Li, the 2011 French Open champion and one of the few players with the power to hang on the court with the worlds No. 1, Azarenka won a push-fest against Pennetta. She won despite serving six double-faults as part of her 25 unforced errors, against only 15 winners.There were only five service holds over 18 games, though Azarenka got four of them.It was a little bit tricky, Azarenka said. I couldnt find my rhythm at the beginning. I felt I was rushing too much. I couldnt really put the ball in play. Its good I stayed tough, played well in the return game at important moments.In the late match, Li only hit eight winners against Williams evidence of how the worlds top player can keep anyone, even some of the biggest hitters, off balance.Williams also served four aces and hit 19 winners of her own 15 of which came in the second set, after Li briefly made things competitive.

Football: Ronaldo treble inspires Portugal fightback

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BELFAST (AFP) - Cristiano Ronaldo scored a superb hat-trick to lead Portugal to a dramatic 4-2 victory against Northern Ireland in a bad-tempered clash in Belfast on Friday.Ronaldo was playing for the first time since Gareth Bale joined him at Real Madrid in a transfer widely reported to have beaten the former Manchester United stars 80 million pounds ($125m) move to the Santiago Bernabeu.The flamboyant forward ensured he wasnt overshadowed by Bale as his treble took him to 43 goals for Portugal, moving him above the legendary Eusebio into second place on his countrys all-time scoring charts.Ronaldos heroics capped a remarkable match which came alive from the moment Bruno Alves and Gareth McAuley traded first-half efforts to send the sides in 1-1 at half-time at Windsor Park.Portugal were in danger of an embarrassing loss when Jamie Wards scrambled effort put Northern Ireland 2-1 in front early in the second half following the dismissal of Portugals Helder Postiga.However, Northern Irelands Chris Brunt was also sent off on the hour and Real Madrid forward Ronaldo took control with a pair of powerful headers and a late free-kick, before Kyle Laffertys dismissal finished off the hosts.Ronaldos early touches were roundly booed by the crowd, though it was hard not to admire a wonderful piece of trickery that saw him nutmeg Steven Davis.But Portugal took the lead in the 21st minute when Joao Moutinhos corner was cleared to the edge of the area, where Alves sent a soft volley through the crowd of bodies and into the bottom corner.Northern Ireland recovered well and their pressure paid dividends in the 36th minute, with McAuley heading his side level from a Shane Ferguson corner.The buoyant home fans then had more to cheer just before the break as Postiga aimed an apparent headbutt in the direction of McAuley and was shown a straight red card.Northern Ireland scored their second from another corner in the 52nd minute.Ferguson was again the provider, whipping the ball into Jonny Evans, who headed down for Ward to scramble home despite Portugals appeals for offside.But Brunts dismissal for a clumsy challenge on Joao Pereira changed the course of the match and Ronaldo headed the equaliser from Moutinhos 68th-minute corner.There was more elation for Portugal after 77 minutes, when Fabio Coentraos cross picked out Ronaldo at the far post and he headed emphatically into the corner from close range.Lafferty was next for an early bath after a senseless lunge at Joao Pereira and Ronaldo then fired home an 83rd-minute free-kick to secure the match ball and the points.

Spain beat Finland 2-0 in WCup qualifier

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HELSINKI (AP) - Jordi Alba and Alvaro Negredo both scored Friday to give Spain a 2-0 win over Finland in a World Cup qualifier, putting the defending champion a step closer to next years tournament in Brazil.Alba put Spain up in the 19th minute after a period of early domination, and Negredo sealed the win in the 86th, taking a cross from Jesus Navas to slot the ball past Niki Maenpaa in the Finnish goal.The win leaves Spain in command of Group I with a three-point lead over France after its main rival was held to a 0-0 draw by Georgia in Tblisi. Finland plays Georgia away on Tuesday, while Spains next match is at home against Belarus on Oct. 11.

Bolt wraps up golden season with Brussels win

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BRUSSELS (AFP) - Jamaican track star Usain Bolt wrapped up another gold-laden year at the season-ending Diamond League meet on Friday with victory in 9.80sec in the 100m.Fresh from winning treble sprint gold at last months world championships in Moscow, the 27-year-old led four others through the line in sub-10sec times.American Michael Rodgers claimed second in a seasons best of 9.90sec, with Jamaicas Nesta Carter nipping world silver medallist Justin Gatlin for third after both were clocked at 9.94, Bolts training partner Kemar Bailey-Cole timing 9.98sec.Its my last race of the season, the times close to my seasons best (of 9.77sec), Im happy, said Bolt.This was close to the Usain Bolt fashion, not only because this was the last race of the season but also because of the crowd.That was amazing this evening and gave me energy.My reaction time in the starting blocks was for sure the worst of this year but I felt very relaxed and enjoyed the race.Rodgers, who served a nine-month doping ban until March 2012 but could only finish sixth in Moscow, added: Its my seasons best and only five-hundredths off my personal best even though I completely missed my start.Ive had injuries and then totally missed my world championships but I feel in good shape for the moment, a little late this season but it gives me a lot of hope for next year.Out of the blocks in lane five just slower than Gatlin outside him, Bolt kept his head and shoulders low as he drove into the opening metres.His trademark transition phase then showed at the 50 metre mark, Bolt pushing his huge frame into top gear, head coming up and going for broke.He quickly moved past Gatlin, the 2004 Olympic champion and 2005 double world sprint champion who bounced back from a four-year doping ban to claim Olympic bronze in London and then silver in Moscow, on his right.Bolt cast a brief glance cast across the field as Rodgers produced a great final 30 metres to get second from lane eight but he still finished .10sec ahead of his rivals.Once again, Bolts drawcard status was on show at the Roi Baudouin Stadium in the Belgian capital, the vociferous crowd on their feet as the sprinters were introduced.As the starter called them to the blocks, Bolt put a finger to his lips to hush the crowd, briefly crossing himself and looking skywards as the television zoomed in and his picture was broadcast on the big stadium screen.The rest was academic for the man who has now accumulated six Olympic golds and eight world gold medals, dominating the world of sprinting since taking the Beijing Olympics by storm in 2008.

US study says amount of arsenic in rice is low

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WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says consumers shouldnt worry too much about levels of arsenic in rice but should vary their diets just in case.The agency, which monitors drugs and products for safety, released a study Friday of arsenic in 1,300 samples of rice and rice products that is the largest study to date looking at the carcinogens presence in that grain. Consumer groups have pressured the FDA to set a standard for the amount of arsenic that can be present in rice products.The study shows varying levels, with the most arsenic in brown rice and the least in instant rice. Infant cereal and infant rice formulas are also at the low end of the spectrum.The FDA says the amounts are so small that rice is safe to eat and there isnt any concern of immediate or short-term adverse health effects. But the agency said it is still studying the long-term effects of consuming rice.Rice is thought to have arsenic in higher levels than most other foods because it is grown in water on the ground, optimal conditions for the contaminant to be absorbed.Arsenic is naturally present in water, air, food and soil in two forms, organic and inorganic. Organic arsenic passes through the body quickly and is essentially harmless. Inorganic arsenic the type found in some pesticides and insecticides can be toxic and may pose a cancer risk if consumed at high levels or over a long period.The FDA is looking into how much much organic and inorganic arsenic rice eaters are consuming, and whether those levels are dangerous. The agency will conduct a risk assessment with the National Institutes of Health and the Environmental Protection Agency to further measure those effects.The government, along with the public health community, has long encouraged consumers to vary their diets to minimize risk. Pediatricians, for example, have moved away from only recommending rice cereal as a babys first solid food. There is evidence that other grains and even meats and fruits and vegetables can be just as healthy, says Dr. Stephen Daniels of Childrens Hospital Colorado, the chairman of the nutrition committee of the American Academy of Pediatrics.Daniels said the FDA results are reassuring in many ways and parents who have been giving their infants rice cereal should not be concerned.Average levels of arsenic in the study ranged from 2.6 to 7.2 micrograms of inorganic arsenic per serving. Though the long-term effects are still unknown, that amount is tiny a microgram is one-millionth of a gram.Still, it is almost impossible to say how dangerous these levels are without a benchmark from the federal government. The advocacy group Consumer Reports, which is pushing for FDA to create standards, uses New Jerseys drinking water standard a maximum of 5 micrograms in a liter of water as comparison because it is one of the strictest in the country. But it is unclear how accurate it is to compare the risk of arsenic consumption in water and the risk of consumption in rice, as most people consume more water than rice.The FDA study looked at rice from the United States, with some of the highest levels of arsenic found in rice grown in Southern states. It also looked at rice from Asia. The FDA said its study was not large enough to evaluate specific brands.FDA toxicologist Suzanne C. Fitzpatrick said that because arsenic is naturally occurring it is going to be in food, and because rice is grown in water it will always have higher levels.Its not something that we can just pull off the market, she said.The rice industry said Friday that it is working with the FDA and is encouraged by the results of the study. The industry has been conducting several of its own studies to try and figure out how to reduce arsenic levels, including investigating different ways to manage the water in which rice is grown and looking at processing and rinsing methods to see if there are ways to reduce arsenic levels.Consumer groups said they also are pleased that the FDA is taking a hard look at arsenic in rice. Urvashi Rangan of Consumer Reports said the group hopes the FDA eventually sets specific guidelines for arsenic so growers will implement more steps to rid rice of the carcinogen.Dr. Steven Abrams of Texas Childrens Hospital agreed that varying diet is the way to go. Rice is a healthy food but its not the only healthy food, he said.Still, parents should not overreact and shy away from rice completely, he said. We dont want to over-interpret the concerns so that we dont give kids the foods that they need, Abrams said.

NASA launching robotic explorer to moon

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NEW YORK (AP) - NASA is poised to return to the moon. An unmanned rocket is scheduled to blast off late Friday night from the U.S. with a robotic explorer that will study the lunar atmosphere and dust. The moon-orbiting craft will measure the thin lunar atmosphere.Scientists want to learn the composition of the moons delicate atmosphere and how it might change over time. Another puzzle: whether dust actually levitates from the lunar surface.Unlike the quick three-day Apollo flights to the moon, the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer, or LADEE, will take a full month to get there.Launch time is 0327 GMT.

Cat survives 11-story fall at Alaska apartment

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JUNEAU (AP) – A cat in Alaska learned the hard way not to chase mosquitoes after following one out a window and falling 11 stories.The 2-year-old cat, named Wasabi, survived but suffered a fractured leg and broken bones.The Juneau Empire reports (http://bit.ly/155gwT4) the cat was chasing the mosquito Monday in her owners' apartment in Juneau.The mosquito escaped out a window, and Wasabi went after it. Stephanie Gustafson says her mother watched the female cat fall.Wasabi landed in a parking lot, and Gustafson found her huddled nearby, bloody and wet from rain.The cat underwent an operation, and has pins and wires holding together her fractured leg and broken bones in a joint. She also is sporting a pink cast and is expected to heal in about six week.

Oil hits 2-year high on US jobs report, Syria

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NEW YORK (AP) - The price of oil closed at a two-year high Friday on a combination of fear of escalating tension in the Middle East and hope for continued stimulus measures from the U.S. Federal Reserve.President Barack Obama has been trying to win support at home and abroad for military action against Syria for what the U.S. and its allies say was a chemical weapons attack against Syrian citizens. Obama has said a military strike would be limited in scope.But Russian President Vladimir Putin stoked fears of a bigger confrontation when he said his country will continue helping Syria if it comes under attack.U.S. economic news also gave a boost to oil as the latest jobs data fueled expectations that the Fed will keep its economic stimulus measures in place longer than expected.U.S. benchmark oil for October delivery rose $2.16, or 2 percent, to close at $110.53 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Thats the highest closing price since May 3, 2011.Brent, the benchmark for international crudes, gained 86 cents to $116.12 per barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London.Speaking at a briefing after Fridays Group of 20 summit, Putin answered with a firm we will when asked if Russia will keep providing assistance to Syria if its attacked.Ten members of the Group of 20 joined the U.S. in a joint statement accusing the Syrian government of carrying out a chemical weapons attack on civilians last month and calling for a strong international response against the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad. The statement stopped short of explicitly calling for military action against Syria.In the U.S., the Labor Department reported that employers added 169,000 jobs in August, while Julys figure was corrected downward from an earlier estimate of 162,000 jobs to 104,000 jobs, the fewest in over a year. While the unemployment rate fell to 7.3 percent, the lowest in nearly five years, it fell because more people stopped looking for work and were no longer counted as unemployed.The slower hiring could lead the Fed to keep its bond-purchase program in place, or trim it more gradually than it would have otherwise. The stimulus program is seen favoring investments in commodities like oil and in stocks as they could provide better returns than bonds.

Dollar skids after weak US jobs data

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NEW YORK CITY (AFP) - The dollar tumbled against other major currencies Friday following a weaker than expected US jobs report for August.The euro bought $1.3180 around 2200 GMT, up from $1.3117 late Thursday.The dollar fell to 99.11 yen from 100.12 yen.The euro also declined against the Japanese currency, trading at 130.62 yen compared with 131.35 yen the prior day.The dollar slid after the US government reported the economy had added 169,000 jobs in August, falling short of the analyst consensus estimate of 177,000.The unemployment rate ticked down a tenth point to 7.3 percent, pushed by a fall in the participation rate to its lowest level since 1978.Despite the weak jobs report, most analysts predicted the Federal Reserve would move to taper its massive asset-purchase program at its September 17-18 monetary policy meeting.The decline in the jobless rate brought it closer to the 7.0 percent range favored by the Fed's policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) for the end of tapering.The dismal US non-farm payrolls report certainly dragged on the dollar, but the recent lull in job growth may do little to stop the Fed from tapering its asset-purchase program at the September 17-18 meeting as the central bank continues to highlight a more broad-based recovery in the world's largest economy, said David Song at DailyFX.The British pound rose to $1.5636, from $1.5586 late Thursday.The dollar also fell against the Swiss currency, to 0.9379 franc from 0.9449 franc.The sharp selloff in the dollar may be short-lived, and the policy outlook may continue to prop up the reserve currency over the near to medium-term as the FOMC looks to switch gears, Song said.
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