Tuesday 18 March 2014

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Merkel, Obama condemn Russia's moves to annex Crimea

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BERLIN (AFP) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Barack Obama in a phone call condemned Russias moves to annex Crimea but said a clear path remains to solve the crisis diplomatically.The two leaders also agreed in their exchange on Tuesday that Ukraines territorial integrity had suffered unacceptable blows, according to a a German government spokesman.Obama and Merkel spoke after President Vladimir Putin signed a treaty claiming the Black Sea region of Crimea as Russian territory, and as Ukraine warned the showdown had entered a military stage after soldiers were killed on both sides.Russias move, less than three weeks after pro-Moscow troops first seized control of the strategic peninsula, was slammed by Western leaders.The one-sided declaration of Crimeas independence and the absorption into the Russian Federation that started today are unacceptable blows against the territorial integrity of Ukraine, German spokesman Steffen Seibert said in a statement.Merkel and Obama agreed that the so-called referendum on secession held in Crimea on Sunday breached Ukraines constitution and international law, Seibert added.In a statement issued by the White House later on Tuesday. the leaders warned there would be costs for Russias moves.They agreed it was vital to send international monitors from the Organization for Security Cooperation in Europe and the United Nations to southern and eastern Ukraine immediately, the statement said.However, both Berlin and Washington said there was room for negotiations to de-escalate the situation.Both leaders agreed to continue to underscore to Russian President Putin that there remains a clear path for resolving this crisis diplomatically, in a way that addresses the interests of both Russia and the people of Ukraine, the White House statement said.And the German statement emphasized their willingness to pursue the path of political dialogue and communication, adding that the two countries had agreed on a closely coordinated approach.

Williams eager to defend Miami title

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MIAMI (AFP) - Serena Williams steps back into her comfort zone as the world number one begins her campaign to defend her title at the Miami Masters tennis tournament on Thursday.The 32-year-old last played while suffering back pains in a semi-final loss a month ago in Dubai, going down to Alize Cornet of France.After bypassing the Indian Wells tournament again because of a family feud with organizers which has lasted for 13 years, the 17-time Grand Slam winner said that she cannot wait to get back on court.This is home, I don't have to travel and I train her a lot at the courts, Williams said. I'm used to the conditions, the wind and the heat. I've been waiting for this for quite awhile.The American said her back is not currently a problem, adding that a treatment regime seems to have done its job.I have to do a lot to make sure it stays loose, but it's not a worry now.The top seed -- ahead of China's Li Na and Indian Wells finalist Agnieszka Radwanska -- opens play against the winner between former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone and Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan.Williams will be glad to get back to the heat of WTA competition although she also cannot help but feel a few nerves.I feel disappointed when I cannot play my best in a match, like I've let the fans down. There is always tremendous pressure and I actually feel it more in the early rounds than maybe the later ones.But I'm super-psyched right now, I'm ready to play. It can get so boring just training, even if I know it's all part of the big picture. I'm still so eager to compete, I don't see an end to my career anytime soon.While Williams is optimistic, Radwanska is cautious, revealing little about the state of her sore left knee. The Pole has yet to lift a title in 2014 after winning three last season.I've still got a few days until I play, said the third seed, who gets a bye into the second round and could start as late as Friday. I'm taking lots of treatment, that's all I can do.Last year's finalist, Maria Sharapova, has put her third-round loss at Indian Wells behind her.She is now looking ahead to her chances of a first Miami title after losing five finals.This is a huge tournament with all the big players here. To win it is always a goal, said the Russian, who lost the 2013 final to Williams and has not beaten the American since 2004. I've always said to have a rivalry, I have to start winning a few matches against her.Unseeded women began first-round play on Tuesday while men go into action in the ATP event on Wednesday.

Cholesterol drug may help multiple sclerosis suffers: study

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PARIS (AFP) - A cheap drug used to control blood cholesterol may also slow progression of later-stage multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study published in The Lancet Wednesday.Scientists found some evidence to suggest that simvastatin may help fight MS a decade ago, but further small-scale trials did not back up the findings.Now, a larger study says there are encouraging signs that the cholesterol-reducing drug can slow the development of MS when the disease reaches a chronic, crippling phase.MS is a progressive disease of the brain and central nervous system in which the immune system attacks a fatty insulative sheath around nerve fibres.The symptoms range from numbness and tingling to muscle weakness and spasms, cramps, nausea, depression and memory loss.About 10 to 15 years after diagnosis, the disease usually becomes chronic and patients start to suffer more severe symptoms. The brain loses tissue, shrinking at a rate of about 0.6 percent of its volume per year.The new trial gave 140 chronic MS sufferers aged 18 to 65 either a daily dose of 80 milligrams of simvastatin, or a dummy lookalike pill called a placebo, over the course of two years.The brains of patients who took simvastatin shrank at a rate of 0.3 percent a year, 43 percent less than their placebo counterparts, 3-D scans showed.There were also small but significant improvements in disabilities caused by the disease, according to reports by patients and their doctors.Patients who took simvastatin also reported a similar number of side effects as those who were given the harmless placebo pill.The trial was a Phase 2 test in the three-stage process to assess whether new drugs are, firstly, safe and, secondly, effective.Caution should be taken regarding over-interpretation of our brain imaging findings, because these might not necessarily translate into clinical benefit, said lead researcher Jeremy Chataway of Britain's National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery.However, our promising results warrant further investigation in larger Phase 3 disability-driven trials.Simvastatin, a type of statin anti-cholesterol treatment, is a standard, low-cost drug designed to impede the buildup of fatty deposits in the blood vessels -- a major risk for cardiovascular health.

Tamiflu cuts death risk by 25pc: study

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PARIS (AFP) - The anti-virus drug Tamiflu reduced the risk of death from flu by a quarter among adults who took it during the 2009-2010 H1N1 influenza pandemic, a study said Wednesday.The findings, published in The Lancet on Wednesday, should be a useful guide to doctors weighing options for treating flu, the authors said.The research collated data from 78 studies, covering more than 29,000 patients in 38 different countries, admitted to hospital during the H1N1 flu scare.A novel flu strain, H1N1 initially stoked fears of a massive death toll in line with flu pandemics of the previous century.But the strain turned out to be far less lethal, with a mortality rate similar to that of annual, or seasonal, strains of flu.Tamiflu -- lab name oseltamivir -- is the most widely used of two frontline drugs used to fight flu by inhibiting viral replication.The study found that people older than 16 who were given Tamiflu in hospital had a 25 percent lower risk of death than those who did not get the drug.Among a sub-group of those who received Tamiflu swiftly, within the first two days of admission, the mortality risk was halved, and among pregnant woman it was reduced by 54 percent.There was no significant impact on risk among children given the drug.The study, carried out by independent epidemiologists, was financed by Tamiflu's makers, Hoffmann-La Roche. The Lancet is a peer-reviewed journal, meaning that papers are vetted by external experts before publication.

Oklahoma delays two executions over drugs shortage

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - Two upcoming executions in the southwestern US state of Oklahoma were postponed by courts on Tuesday because of a shortage of lethal injection drugs.Prison authorities, at the center of a controversy over the deadly drug supplies, have also said they hope to change the execution method.An appeals court in Oklahoma ordered that the executions, scheduled for March 20 and 27, be pushed back to April 22 and 29, respectively.Oklahoma allows execution by electric chair, if the inmate chooses it or if lethal injection is found to be unconstitutional. Authorities could also try to obtain the necessary drugs from a compounding pharmacy.However, such pharmacies, unregulated by the FDA, have also proven controversial.The two death row inmates, Clayton Lockett and Charles Warner, both convicted of rape and murder, have argued it is their constitutional right to know the origin and composition of the drugs used in the lethal injection, to be certain they will not be made to suffer cruel and unusual punishment.In its decision, the appeals court noted the state revealed that as of Monday, March 17, 2014, the Oklahoma Department of Corrections remained without the drugs ... needed to carry out the lawful sentence of death.According to the OK Attorney General, 'pentobarbital remains in short supply' and 'vecuronium bromide is now difficult, if not impossible even for hospitals and medical professionals to obtain,' the court document said.The State declared that it had pursued 'every feasible option to obtain the necessary execution drugs' but its 'Herculean' efforts so far had been unsuccessful, the court added in its decision.Warner's lawyer, Madeline Cohen, was relieved by the postponement, and hopes no execution will go forward until we are able to obtain full information about how Oklahoma intends to conduct those executions.Oklahoma's right to keep secret its execution protocol will be considered in an upcoming hearing.Since European manufacturers began refusing to sell the most commonly used anesthetic -- pentobarbital -- for human executions, several US states have found themselves confronted with shortages, and are now seeking an alternative, which has led to an increase in court cases over the issue.Lockett was sentenced to death in 2000 for raping and murdering a woman. Warner was sentenced in 1997 for raping and murdering an 11-month old baby girl.

Chelsea ready to face Europe's super-powers: Mourinho

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LONDON (AFP) - Jose Mourinho insists Chelsea have no fears about facing one of Europe's super-powers in the Champions League after his side strolled into the quarter-finals with a 2-0 win over Galatasaray.Mourinho's team barely had to break sweat to see off lacklustre Galatasaray in the last 16 second leg at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday as first half goals from Samuel Eto'o and Gary Cahill sealed a 3-1 aggregate victory.The scoreline didn't do justice to Chelsea's dominance, but sterner tests lie ahead for the Premier League leaders, with the likes of holders Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Paris Saint Germain already through to the last eight.Facing one of those star-studded sides would be a major step up in class for a relatively young Chelsea team that Mourinho believes is still to reach its full potential.But the Blues boss is confident his players can hold their own against anyone and he expects they would relish the chance to knock out one of the giants of the European scene.All the big teams are there, all the big candidates to win the competition. We welcome any of them, Mourinho said.It will be very good for our evolution as a team if we can play one of the best. We wait for the draw.While the likes of Eden Hazard, Oscar and Willian are enjoying their first serious assault on Europe's elite club prize, few managers are more battle-hardened when it comes to the latter stages of the competition than Mourinho.The Portuguese has already won the Champions League with Porto and Inter Milan.Asked if he felt his impressive European pedigree would make Chelsea a feared opponent even in such illustrious company, Mourinho for once declined to blow his own trumpet and instead praised his players for a composed and clinical display.I never lost in the quarter-finals? I never thought about it. I know that I have a lot of matches in the Champions League, he said.It was a very good performance. We were solid and compact with no fears.We were very much in control. We had the best chances and maybe the result could have been bigger because we were much better than Galatasaray.Chelsea's progress to the last eight was tinged with sympathy for Galatasaray striker Didier Drogba, the Blues legend who cut a frustrated figure on his first return to the Bridge since his exit in 2012.Drogba, who won the Champions League final against Bayern Munich with his last kick for Chelsea in 2012, was given a tremendous reception before the game and Blues fans chanted his name throughout the match.But Galatasaray were so poor that the 36-year-old rarely had a chance to shatter his old club's European dreams.I think the most difficult thing was the way his team played. When you are a striker and your team doesn't produce attacking football you feel a lonely man, Mourinho added.It can happen to any striker in the world. He didn't do much but Gary (Cahill) and John (Terry) did a fantastic job against two very good strikers. Because of that we didn't see Didier in many attacking positions.Galatasaray boss Roberto Mancini, an old rival of Mourinho's, cut a downcast figure as he contemplated the latest Champions League flop of his long career.Mancini, who failed to make any impact in the competition with Manchester City and Inter Milan, said: It is difficult to say much about the game because we didn't play well. Chelsea were much better than us. We didn't have any chances. I am very sorry for our supporters.I don't know how to explain it. We knew it was an important game but after the way we played in Istanbul I thought we were in the tie and had a chance to score. But it didn't happen on the pitch.

King of Bahrain meets with PM Nawaz, ink six MoUs

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ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) - Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said that Pakistan provides better investment environment and Bahraini investors should seize this opportunity for best returns.He said this during his meeting with King of Bahrain Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa in Islamabad on Tuesday evening.Nawaz emphasised the need enhance bilateral trade saying that Islamabad would like Bahrain to increase its imports from Pakistan.He said cooperation in agriculture and food sectors would be mutually beneficial.Nawaz said Pakistan and Bahrain enjoy close and cordial relations based on mutual trust and understanding.Meanwhile, Pakistan and Bahrain have signed six agreements and Memorandums of Understanding for cooperation in different sectors.These include establishment of joint ministerial commission, promotion and protection of investment, cooperation between interior ministries of both the countries, and cooperation in food security, energy and aviation services.King of Bahrain Shaikh Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also witnessed the signing ceremony.Earlier on his arrival, the Bahraini king was received at Nur Khan Airbase by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.Federal Ministers, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and services Chiefs were also present on the occasion.A twenty-one gun salute was paid to the visiting dignitary. A smartly turned out contingent also presented guard of honour to the king.It is the first ever visit of King of Bahrain to Pakistan in four decades.

PMLN MPA Khan M Jatoi disqualified over forged degree case

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BAHAWALPUR (Dunya News) – Election Tribunal Bahawalpur has disqualified Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz’s (PMLN) Member Provincial Assembly (MPA) Khan Muhammad Jatoi elected from Muzaffargarh’s constituency PP 259 over forged degree case. The tribunal further ordered a re-polling in the constituency, Dunya News reported.Deciding over a petition filed by Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) candidate Sardar Samiullah Khan, election tribunal announced the disqualifying verdict while ordering a re-poll in the PP 259 constituency.The basis for disqualification was lack of honesty which is a compulsory provision for candidates under the heading of ‘Saadiq and Amin’.Khan M was also disqualified by Layyah election tribunal in 2006’s by-poll over fake matriculation certificates.

Will hang 'thanedaars' upside down if given power for a week: Altaf Hussain

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Chief Altaf Hussain has said that he will hang ‘thanedaars’ – the local term used for strict cops, often in derogatory sense – upside down if his party is given power for a week, Dunya News reported.Addressing 30th foundation day ceremony via telephone in Karachi, Altaf Hussain said that country’s self-respect and sovereignty was sold against few pennies. He said that army is sent to fight in other countries without thinking it through urging army to refuse to obey any such order.He said that he is accused of being pro martial law adding that if he wanted anything, he would have gotten it by supporting a military dictator. He claimed that if anyone came to change the corrupt system, it was the army.Altaf Hussain said that those who sell honour cannot protect daughters adding that he will hang the policemen upside down if his party is given power even for a week.He became emotional while talking about Muzaffargarh’s self-immolating rape victim. He further added that revolutions don’t come overnight adding that the real movement emerges from the oppressed class.He further said that his party’s movement will spread to assemblies in Islamabad.

Include 1.5 bn dollars gift in Guinness Book of World Records: Khursheed Shah

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Opposition leader in National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah said on Tuesday that the apparently unconditional gift of 1.5 billion dollars by ‘friendly’ country should be included in Guinness Book of World Records, Dunya News reported.In informal talk to the media, opposition leader said Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar should tell whom did he serve by blaming security guard of gunning down the judge adding that interior minister reached the height of irresponsibility. He said that Chaudhry Nisar misled the house and the people.Interior minister’s statements have importance, government should respond to the accusations raised by Taliban.Talking about the proclaimed economic development, Khursheed Shah said that the economy that leaves thousands of people unemployed is not desired by the people.“Who is responsible for the loss of billions of dollars over wrong policies?” He asked.It merits mentioning here that dollar prices had plunged earlier this month and finance minister had revealed that the economic support was given by a ‘friendly’ country.

World T20: Watson shows his will about Pietersen

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DHAKA (Web Desk) - Shane Watson believes the World Twenty20 tournament in Bangladesh is a poorer event without England star Kevin Pietersen and has urged the ECB to rethink their decision to axe him.The big Australian opener is a fan of Pietersens and was surprised to see his international career prematurely ended following Englands Ashes humiliation over the summer.Pietersen finished that series as the tourists highest run scorer but was told he had no future by the England and Wales Cricket Board, who did not directly address rumours regarding the 33-year-olds conduct but did talk of rebuilding the team ethic.Watson, though, it is sad to see his old foe off the world stage.I think its a shame Kevin Pietersen is not playing international cricket anymore, he said.Hes always been one of my favourite players to watch. I love seeing him bat, the way he takes on the game.Hes a world class player, so for me its sad that I wont see him again in international cricket and England will certainly miss his cricket ability.The tournament loses a bit for his absence, and he wasnt at the last one in Sri Lanka either. That hes missing from a tournament makes it poorer for that.A return to England colours seems highly unlikely for Pietersen, with events such as a recent Twitter spat with Matt Prior suggesting that the situation is irretrievable, but Watson thinks the arrival of a new head coach this summer offers some hope.Maybe things will change when theres a new man in charge, said Watson.My experience of Kevin is that hes a good guy, so its about making sure everyone moves in the same direction.

Malaysian PM telephones Nawaz, seeks cooperation in tracing missing jet

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ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) - Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak on Tuesday telephoned his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif and sought his help in tracing Malaysian airline’s missing Boeing 777.According to the reports, Nawaz Sharif expressed sympathies with Malaysian PM and assured every possible cooperation in tracing the missing jet.Reports further said the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of Pakistan as per request from Malaysian aviation authorities, has saved entire data of the day and time when the jet went missing and would be sharing it with Malaysian authorities.“Although there is no evidence that plane headed towards Pakistan but as a goodwill gesture we are sharing our data with Malaysian government,” an official said.Pakistan’s top aviation official said the CAA has asked Malaysian authorities to send their official to Karachi to look at the data.The special assistant said Malaysian authorities have contacted some 25 countries for their help and cooperation and Pakistan is among such countries.

Two dead as Seattle news crashed in US

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LOS ANGELES (AFP) - A news helicopter crashed into at least two cars in the northwest US city of Seattle on Tuesday, killing two people, officials said.The Seattle Fire Department announced the two deaths on Twitter following the accident, which occurred near the West Coast citys Space Needle, a popular tourist attraction.Reports said at least one other person was injured.There was no immediate word on what caused the crash.News reports said the chopper belonged to KOMO, a local television station.

European markets breathe sigh of relief on Crimea

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LONDON, (AFP) - Europes main stock markets rose Tuesday as investors breathed a sigh of relief despite Russia incorporating Crimea amid an outcry from the West.In afternoon trading, Londons FTSE 100 rose 0.32 percent from Mondays close to 6,589.42 points, Frankfurts DAX 30 added 0.59 percent to 9,234.76 points and the Paris CAC 40 climbed 0.96 percent to 4,313.13 compared.The euro slid to $1.3903 from $1.3931 late on Monday in New York.Todays remarks by Russian President Vladimir Putin further soothed investor concerns, causing equities to rise and safe haven gold to extend its losses, said Forex.com analyst Fawad Razaqzada.Earlier Tuesday, Putin addressed the Russian parliament and then signed a treaty with Crimean leaders on the strategic Black Sea peninsula becoming part of Russia.The tone of the Russian presidents speech was a bit less vindicative than expected and in particular less isolationalist, and the desire he indicated to maintain ties to the West without a doubt gave a boost to indices, said Alexandre Baradez, an analyst at IG France.Trader David White said equities are making a tentative move higher on news that Mr Putin, for now, does not intend to carve up any more of Ukraine, putting both ease and money back into risk assets.He said markets were concerned about possible further escalation in tensions after the United States and European Union on Monday slapped sanctions on Putins inner circle after Crimea voted in a controversial referendum at the weekend to join Russia.And President Barack Obama on Monday had warned of further measures if Moscow continued to intervene.Now, with Russia pausing at Crimea, markets can at least turn back to more familiar matters, such as earnings surprise and changes in future cash flows, said White.US stocks also opened higher.Five minutes into trade, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.10 percent to 16,263.62 points.The broad-based S&P 500 added 0.08 percent to 1,860.39, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index increased 0.17 percent to 4,287.41.- Uncertainty hits German sentiment -However uncertainty about the economic fallout from the Ukraine crisis pushed German investor sentiment to a seven-month low in March, a survey found earlier Tuesday.The widely watched investor confidence index calculated by the ZEW economic institute fell by 9.1 points to 46.6 points in March, its lowest level since August 2013, it said in a statement.It was the third straight monthly drop and much steeper than analysts had been expecting.Data out today has not been terrific with German sentiment weaker than expected, said analyst Joshua Raymond at traders City Index.Gold meanwhile hit one-week lows as dealers took profits from recent gains. Prices slid to $1,362.50 per ounce on Tuesday, from $1,378.50 late on Monday.That weighed on London-listed gold miners Fresnillo and Randgold, whose share prices slid by five percent and 2.4 percent to stand at 878 pence and 4,850 pence respectively.Asian equities rose following a Wall Street rally overnight as traders set aside Ukraine worries and turned their attention to economic matters, dealers said.Better-than-expected US data on Monday had provided support as investors await the outcome of the Federal Reserves latest policy meeting on Wednesday.Hong Kong climbed 0.51 percent, Tokyo stocks rose 0.94 percent, Seoul added 0.66 percent and Sydney advanced 0.51 percent.The Ukraine situation remains delicate, but at least has not spilled over into violence, despite the opposition by Western powers, said Daiwa Securities senior strategist Tsuyoshi Nomaguchi.

Death clouds drought-hit Cholistan, 95pc water wells dry

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BAHAWALPUR (Dunya News) After deadly drought in Tharparkar, famine-like conditions have also clouded the city of Cholistan as 95 percent ‘tobas’ (water wells) dried up forcing 75 percent of locals to relocate, Dunya News reported.According to reports, locals and their cattle use same storages to drink water and lack of rain has left the whole desert dry with over hundred of animals dead.Cholistan population consists of some quarter-to-2lakh people; however, 70% of locals have relocated due to the famine-like conditions and lack of response from the authorities.Startling facts on the ground reveal that no doctors are available in basic health centers of the desert and that patients are treated by dispensers and watchmen.Lack of healthcare has also resulted in an increase in pregnancy-related deaths especially during labour. Locals have warned that if authorities didn’t take timely steps, Thar-like human tragedy can also take place in Cholistan.Spokesman Punjab government stated that a sum of 1 crore rupees have been provided for the repairing of pipelines that supply water to the desert, insisting that live continues normally in Cholistan contrary to situation in Tharparkar.He said that precautionary measures have been completed and that medical and veterinary camps have been established.Spokesman also said that government is at alert to deal with any unwanted situation adding that all government institutions have completed planning, claiming that patients are being provided free medical care to treat seasonal diseases.He further insisted that cattle are being vaccinated through mobile dispensaries.
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