Monday 24 March 2014

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Tennis: Serena breezes, Sharapova battles on at Miami

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MIAMI (AFP) - World number one Serena Williams breezed into the quarter-finals of the WTA and ATP Miami Masters on Monday while Russian fourth seed Maria Sharapova battled through three sets to advance.Top-seeded defending champion Williams routed US qualifier Coco Vandeweghe 6-3, 6-1 in 78 minutes to book a last-eight matchup with German fifth seed Angelique Kerber.Sharapova rallied to defeat Belgium's Kirsten Flipkens 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 after two hours and four minutes while Kerber took six minutes longer to eliminate Russia's Ekaterina Makarova 6-4, 1-6, 6-3.Williams smashed 17 winners to only 11 unforced errors and denied her compatriot on all six of her break-point chances to book her 13th quarter-final in 14 Miami appearances.It was a much tougher match than the scoreline showed, Williams said. Coco has such an amazing serve, so every time I was returning I was like, 'Hopefully I can touch the ball.' But it was really good for me to win this match.Williams owns a 3-1 career edge over Kerber, whose lone win came two years ago on Cincinnati hardcourts.Angelique is really good and moves really, really well, Williams said. I feel better than I did in my first few matches, though, so I hope I can keep going forward.Four-time Grand Slam champion Sharapova, a five-time Miami runner-up, is still seeking her first title at the hardcourt event.Of course it would be meaningful for me to win this tournament after being so close. Definitely, Sharapova said.Of course you want to be able to hold the winner's trophy, but you also know the matches you've got to get through to get to the final stage.It's not like I didn't have my opportunities in those finals. I just didn't take them. That's why you come back and hope for another chance.Sharapova made 10 double faults, half of them in the first set, and served no aces but improved as the match progressed and in the final set won five of 12 points off the Belgian's first serve and seven of nine off her second serves.I didn't start off the way I wanted to, Sharapova said. Nothing was working. Just the way it went in the beginning.Next up for Sharapova will be the winner of a later match between Serbian 12th seed Ana Ivanovic and Czech eighth seed Petra Kvitova.Men's world number one Rafael Nadal was set to meet Uzbekistan's Denis Istomin in a later men's third-round match-up.Canadian 12th seed Milos Raonic blasted 10 aces in defeating Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-1, 6-2 in 56 minutes.The Montenegrin-born big server, who droped only five points on his serve in the match, reached the last 16 at Miami for the first time after being forced to withdraw from third-round matches with injuries the past two years.I just generally improved, especially on second serve returns (and) taking advantage more of those opportunities, Raonic said.He next faces German Benjamin Becker, who ousted Slovenia's Aljaz Bedene 6-3, 7-5.It's going to be a tough match (next) but it's up to me, Raonic said. I've got to play well. If I do, I can always give myself an opportunity to do well.Ukraine's Alexandr Dolgopolov waited through a third-set rain delay before dispatching Serbian Dusan Lajovic 3-6, 6-0, 7-6 (7/5). Dolgopolov could face reigning Australian Open champion Stanislas Wawrinka in the fourth round.

Boxing: Khan to fight Collazo on Mayweather undercard

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LAS VEGAS (AFP) - England's Amir Khan, unhappy with Floyd Mayweather after being snubbed for a May 3 fight with the unbeaten US star, said Monday he will fight on the Mayweather undercard.Khan will face US southpaw Luis Collazo ahead of Mayweather's match-up with Argentina's Marcos Maidana in Las Vegas.The fight will be Khan's first moving up into the welterweight category and will in some ways be an audition for a big-money fight against Mayweather.My intention on May 3 is to make a statement that I belong on this big stage, Khan said. A win on May 3 is what I need to prove that I truly am one of the best welterweights in the sport.Last month, Khan took to Twitter to vent his anger with Mayweather after he was snubbed for Maidana having being forced to wait for months for the American to make up his mind.I am very disappointed with Floyd and his team for not providing any explanation as to why he delayed the announcement for so long and ultimately avoided the fight with me, Khan tweeted in February. It has been a very frustrating period as I had been due to fight in December.Khan, 28-3 with 19 knockouts, has not fought since last April 27 and skipped a planned December bout with US southpaw Devon Alexander for the International Boxing Federation title in anticipation of a big-money showdown with Mayweather.Instead, it will be the longest layoff of his career, just over a year, before he climbs into the ring with Collazo, who is 35-5 with 18 knockouts.Former world welterweight champion Collazo won by a second-round knockout of Victor Ortiz in January.Luis Collazo might be coming off of a big win, but I am in incredible shape and am ready for this challenge, Khan said.Collazo sees this as a chance to book his own date with Mayweather, who is being wooed by Collazo's hometown arena in the Brooklyn section of New York to stage a bout there.Defeating Victor Ortiz in January was just the beginning, Collazo said. Facing and beating Amir Khan on the biggest stage in the sport is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I will take full advantage of this and put myself in the best position to face the winner of the main event.I hope Khan is ready because Brooklyn is coming to take him down.For his part, Mayweather posted a Twitter message saying his workouts under trainer Roger Mayweather were fine.Training camp is going well. My uncle Roger is still carefree about his dress attire and his appearance but we always seem to get the job done... that is paramount Mayweather tweeted.

Golf: Tiger still unsure of Masters start in two weeks

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - World number one Tiger Woods said Monday he remains uncertain if he will be able to play in the Masters despite two weeks of rest and treatment for back spasms.Woods, a 14-time major champion chasing the all-time record 18 majors won by Jack Nicklaus, withdrew from last weeks Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, where he has won eight times including last year, due to nagging back pain.A year after he won five tournaments and appeared set for a solid run in the majors in 2014, his status for the Masters on April 10-13 remains in doubt even with a potential four weeks of rest for his aching back.For Augusta, its actually still a little too soon, Woods said. Thats the frustrating thing about this.Ive had a couple of weeks off and getting treatment and working on trying to get it ready for Augusta.As of right now, still too soon, which is very frustrating.The 38-year-old American struggled to a 78 in the final round of the World Golf Championships event at Doral earlier this month, visably bothered by back pain over the final holes, and pulled out of the final round of the Honda Classic the week before.Woods was asked about the details of his injury but did not address specifics. A Golfweek magazine report last week said Woods was suffering from a bulging disc but it would not require surgery.Any operation might jeopardize Woods beyond the Masters in a year where the other majors are played on courses where he has won, Valhalla for the PGA Championship and Hoylake for the British Open, or finished second, with the US Open at Pinehurst, where he was the 2005 US Open runner-up.Woods has won four times at Augusta National but has not taken a Masters green jacket since 2005. he has not won any major title since the 2008 US Open at Torrey Pines, when he limped through an 18-hole playoff to defeat Rocco Mediate.Woods spoke in Washington just down the street from the US Capitol and White House to announce a new sponsor for his charity foundations US PGA Tour event at nearby Congressional Country Club.In a putting contest with members of the military, Woods missed on three attempts, a poor omen for the undulating greens of Augusta National where precise putting is always at a premium.Congressional Country Club members have until the end of the month to submit votes on whether or not to continue hosting the US PGA National in even-numbered years.Woods says he is looking at other area courses that could serve as host of the event in odd-numbered years starting in 2015, with potentially more events if Congressional turns down any host role after this year.This event was started in DC and we would like to keep it here, Woods said.Woods mentioned two potential courses were at Avenel in Potomac, which hosted a prior tour event, and the Robert Trent Jones course in northern Virginia, which hosted the first three Presidents Cups.

Air pollution killed seven million people in 2012: WHO

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GENEVA (AFP) - Air pollution by sources ranging from cooking fires to auto fumes contributed to an estimated seven million deaths worldwide in 2012, the UN health agency said Tuesday.Air pollution, and we're talking about both indoors and outdoors, is now the biggest environmental health problem, and it's affecting everyone, both developed and developing countries, said Maria Neira, the World Health Organization's public and environmental health chief.Globally, pollution was linked to one death in eight in 2012, new WHO research found.The biggest pollution-related killers were heart disease, stroke, pulmonary disease and lung cancer.The hardest-hit regions of the globe were what the WHO labels Southeast Asia, which includes India and Indonesia, and the Western Pacific, ranging from China and South Korea to Japan and the Philippines.Together, they accounted for 5.9 million deaths.The global death toll included 4.3 million deaths due to indoor air pollution, chiefly caused by cooking over coal, wood and biomass stoves.The toll from outdoor pollution was 3.7 million, with sources ranging from coal heating fires to diesel engines.Many people are exposed to both indoor and outdoor pollution, the WHO said, and due to that overlap the separate death toll attributed to the two sources cannot simply be added together, hence the figure of seven million deaths.The new figure is shocking and worrying, Neira told reporters.When it last released an estimate for deaths related to air pollution, in 2008, the agency had put the figure related to outdoor pollution at 1.3 million, while the number blamed on indoor pollution was 1.9 million.But a change in research methods makes comparison difficult between the 2008 estimate and the 2012 figures, Neira said.In the past, for example, the WHO did not take into account the overlap between exposure to both forms, and only assessed urban pollution.Satellite imagery has made it easier to assess rural pollution, and new knowledge about the health impact of exposure has enabled a better count.The risks from air pollution are now far greater than previously thought or understood, particularly for heart disease and strokes, said Neira.Few risks have a greater impact on global health today than air pollution. The evidence signals the need for concerted action to clean up the air we all breathe.According to the WHO, some 2.9 billion people in poor nations live in homes that use fires as their principle method of cooking and heating.Carlos Dora, the WHO's public and environmental health coordinator, said that turned homes into combustion chambers.Simple measures to stem the impact include so-called clean cook stoves, which are a low-tech option, as well as improved ventilation, he said.Countries also need to rethink policies, Dora said, pointing to the impact in the developed world of a shift to cleaner power sources, more efficient management of energy demand, and technical strides in the auto industry.He also said transport policies needed a shake-up.With air pollution having sparked a recent scare in France, leading to restrictions on car use and the temporary scrapping of public transport fees in Paris, Dora said such measures could be applied in the longer term.You can't buy clean air in a bottle, he said.The air is a shared resource. In order to breathe clean air, we have to have interventions in the areas that pollute air.The WHO said it planned by the end of this year to release a ranking of the world's 1,600 most polluted cities.

Video games linked to aggressive behavior in kids: study

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - Youths who play video games are more likely to think and act in aggressive ways, suggested a study out Monday of more than 3,000 schoolchildren in Singapore.The research, published in JAMA Pediatrics, a journal of the American Medical Association, was based on more than 3,034 children who were studied over the course of three years.Frequent use of video games was linked to higher rates of aggressive behaviors and thoughts, according to self-reported answers to survey questions by the children.The participants average age was 11 at the start of the study, and three-quarters of them were boys.The study also found that answers were similar among boys and girls, and that parental involvement was not likely to change behavior.The researchers said their findings support previous research that has shown a link between video games and aggression.This study found that habitual violent video game playing increases long-term aggressive behavior by producing general changes in aggressive cognition, and this occurs regardless of sex, age, initial aggressiveness or parental involvement, said the study which was led by researchers at the National Institute of Education in Singapore and the Iowa State University department of psychology.Participants were asked to respond to six questions about aggressive behavior, such as, When someone has angered or provoked me in some way, I have reacted by hitting that person. Responses were given on a scale of one to four, ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree.Three questions on hostile thoughts were included, such as, Suppose a boy says something bad to another boy John. Is it wrong for John to hit him? Answers were also given on a four-point scale, from really wrong to perfectly okay.Outside experts questioned the methodology of using self-reported answers rather than measuring behavior itself, and said the study does not prove that violent video games caused aggressive behavior in the youths.This study shows an association, of unclear magnitude, of violent video game-playing with subsequent aggressive behavior, said David Spiegelhalter, a professor at the University of Cambridge, who was not involved in the study.It does not, and cannot, show that the association is causal.

US oil prices edge higher as key shipping route shut

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NEW YORK (AFP) - US crude prices Monday edged higher after traffic was halted on a key petroleum-industry waterway in Houston due to an oil spill.US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for May delivery rose 14 cents to $99.60 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.European benchmark Brent oil for May delivery slipped 11 cents to $106.81 a barrel on the Intercontinental Exchange in London.Investors were eyeing the shutdown of the Houston Ship Channel after a weekend collision between a barge and a ship resulted in the spill of about 168,000 gallons of fuel oil into the waterway.Cleanup crews were working to contain the spill while there were reports that at least one major Houston-area oil refinery was cutting output.It's a key transit route for the crude and fuel, said Bart Melek, head of commodity strategy at TD Securities. It is not a massive development, but it is a positive for oil prices, he added.Analysts attributed the drop in Brent prices to concerns over the outlook for the China following weak manufacturing data about the world's second biggest oil consumer. HSBC 's flash purchasing managers index for March came in at 48.1, an eight-month low and down from 48.5 in February. Anything below 50 indicates contraction while a figure above points to expansion.Gene McGillian, broker and analyst at Tradition Energy, said the oil market was weighing concerns about uncertain economic growth with the chance that the Ukraine political crisis could disrupt supply, potentially lifting the oil market.The market is just treading water, McGillian said.

Euro pushes back against dollar helped by firm PMI data

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NEW YORK (AFP) - The euro headed higher against the dollar Monday helped by an improvement in eurozone business activity this month.Boosted by gains from France, the Eurozone Composite purchasing managers index reached 53.2 in March and follows a 53.3 reading in February. And with a slight acceleration in new orders, the data suggests growth could continue in April.At around 2200 GMT, the euro traded at $1.3835, up from $1.3794 late Friday.The euro gained to 141.48 yen from 141.04. Meanwhile the dollar was virtually flat at 102.26 yen.The British pound also pushed higher, to $1.6495 from $1.6486.Martin van Vliet, an economist at ING, called the fact that eurozone growth held up despite turbulence from the Ukraine crisis welcome and fairly surprising news.But he warned that a weakening of China's PMI, along with a relatively strong euro, do not bode well for export growth momentum, while unemployment and fiscal policy constraints mean domestic demand is unlikely to pick up soon.That said, the further sign of recovery will encourage the ECB in refraining from further monetary easing, at least in the short term, van Vliet said.Some analysts argued that the European policymakers believe the euro remains overvalued, and that the European Central bank is likely to work to bring it lower against the greenback.We continue to hear noise from the 'broad' ECB signaling significant concerns regarding currencies, especially the euro, said Sebastien Galy of Societe Generale.Galy said the ECB does not likely want to target the euro directly, especially given the zone's extremely low inflation rate.Instead, he said, on the margin, the ECB is more likely to choose forms of easing that have more of a negative impact on the euro.

Duminy, Steh star in South Africa win over New Zealand

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CHITTAGONG (AFP) - Jean-Paul Duminy hit a fighting half-century and Dale Steyn took four wickets as South Africa recorded a thrilling two-run win over New Zealand at the World Twenty20 in Chittagong on Monday.Duminy notched a 43-ball 86 to lift South Africa to 170-6, before Dale Steyn successfully defended seven runs in the final over to help the team win their first match in Group One of the Super-10 stage. With three runs needed off the last delivery, Ross Taylor, who made 62, played straight into the hands of Steyn, who ran him out at the non-striker end to spark a South African celebration at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury stadium.New Zealand finished at 168-2 in their 20 overs.It was a much-needed win for South Africa, who lost their opening match to Sri Lanka by five runs on Saturday.Faf du Plessis praised destructive Steyn.I was thinking all the time, Steyn is my trump card, said du Plessis. I need to bring him back in the game. Fantastic effort from him.New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum admitted winning in the final over was difficult.Credit to South Africa for the way they hung in there, we probably should have won it easily, can't take it to the final over against a top bowler like Steyn. Little bit of luck and we'd have got across the line, said McCullum.Opener Kane Williamson (51) and Martin Guptill (22) put New Zealand on the right path for the chase with a brisk 57 for the opening wicket.Williamson, who hit five fours and two sixes off 35 balls, added another 51 for the third wicket with Taylor after McCullum was out for just four.Taylor, whose runs came off 37 balls with four boundaries, smashed three sixes off one Morne Morkel over to bring New Zealand within 37 runs to get in the last five overs.Steyn conceded just eight in the 18th over, and had Corey Anderson caught for his 50th Twenty20 wicket, then wrapped up the match in his next over.Earlier, Duminy hit ten boundaries and three sixes while Hashim Amla made a resolute 41 to guide South African, who were put in to bat.South Africa's start wasn't ideal as they lost opener Quinton de Kock (four), du Plessis (13) and AB de Villiers (five) inside seven overs with the score at 42.It was Amla and Duminy who steadied the innings during their 55-run fourth wicket stand to give some respectability to the total.Amla was finally out in the 14th over, as his drive hit the non-striker batsman Duminy's bat and looped in the air for Anderson to take the catch off his own bowling.Anderson was the best New Zealand bowler with 2-28.South Africa were lucky to get their captain du Plessis back after he missed the first match.He replaced Farhaan Behardien in the team, while New Zealand remained unchanged from the side which beat England via Duckworth-Lewis method.Sri Lanka face the Netherlands in the second match Monday.The top two teams from each of the two groups will qualify for the semi-finals.The final will be played in Dhaka on April 6.

Sri Lanka crush Netherlands in World Twenty20

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CHITTAGONG (AFP) - Sri Lanka crushed minnows The Netherlands by nine wickets after bowling their opponents out for the lowest-ever Twenty20 international total of 39 in Chittagong on Monday.Ajantha Mendis took 3-12, Angelo Mathews grabbed 3-16 and Lasith Malinga grabbed 2-5, as the Netherlands suffered ignominy in their opening Group One Super-10 match at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury stadium.Sri Lanka knocked off the target in just five overs for the loss of Kusal Perera for 14 -- the biggest margin in terms of balls spared, 90 in this case.Tillakaratne Dilshan was 12 not out and Mahela Jayawardene was unbeaten on 11 as Sri Lanka had to hardly sweat for their second win in as many games after beating South Africa by five runs on Saturday.It was a big embarrassment for the Netherlands, who made themselves proud for being the only Associate side to qualify for the Super-10 stage after their remarkable win over higher-ranked Ireland.They were shot out in just 10.3 overs after Sri Lanka sent them in to bat on a flat batting pitch.Amidst the shambles, Tom Copper was the only batsman who reached double figures with 16, and his brother Ben Copper made eight while the rest flopped.The previous lowest total in a Twenty20 international was 56 made by Kenya against Afghanistan at Sharjah in 2013.Five batsmen failed to score as the Netherlands, who qualified after beating Ireland in a high-scoring run-chase in the first round, were left embarrassed in their first big test.Sri Lankan captain Dinesh Chandimal said Mathews did the initial damage.Angelo gave a good start and Malinga and Ajantha finished it off. I am very happy. We wont be underestimating any team, said Chandimal.The Dutch captain said his players were embarrassed.We let a few people down. It was just us representing the Associates and weve got to do a lot better, said Borren.Everything was a bit of a rush. Its not the first time the top-order has played at this level and its not been this bad, he said.It was always going to be a struggle for the lower order against Mendis and Malinga. The guys up in the dressing room are very embarrassed and hopefully we can show you guys in the next few games of what we can really do, Borren said.Paceman Nuwan Kulasekara struck with the third ball of the match when he dismissed Stephan Myburgh, Netherlands hero in the match against Ireland with 63, to give a fright to the Netherlands.Mathews then dismissed Michael Swart and Wesley Barresi in the second over to leave the Netherlands reeling at 1-3.Skipper Peter Borren followed in Mathewss next over for nought before the Cooper brothers took the score to 25.The Netherlands lost the their last six wickets for just 14 runs.Netherlandss previous lowest Twenty20 total was the 86 they made against Ireland at Dublin in 2010.

IMF releases fresh funds for Pakistan

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - The International Monetary Fund approved Monday a fresh aid disbursement to Pakistan after the country passed the second review of its ongoing $6.8 billion support programme.The IMF immediately freed $555.6 million for the country, with the money helping the government bridge financing gaps while it undertakes fiscal reforms required under the program.It was the third tranche of the three-year programme, approved in September 2013, which required the government to implement strict economic reforms, particularly in its troubled energy sector and tax system.The review followed the resignation at the end of January of the governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, Yaseen Anwar, after what were widely reported as policy differences with the government.In the last fiscal year, Pakistan's economy grew at 3.6 percent and inflation fell to single digits. But the central bank has warned inflation could surge this year.Economists say growth needs to be seven percent to absorb the country's booming population.

Pakistan calls for global efforts to combat nuclear terrorism

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THE HAGUE (Web Desk) - Addressing the third Nuclear Security Summit here on Monday, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said that Pakistan attaches highest importance to nuclear security as it is directly linked to our national security.He said Pakistan is a responsible nuclear weapons state and it is pursuing a policy of nuclear restraint, as well as credible minimum deterrence.Nawaz Sharif said Pakistan’s nuclear security is supported by five pillars–a strong command and control system led by the National Command Authority (NCA); an integrated intelligence system; a rigorous regulatory regime; a comprehensive export control regime; and active international cooperation.He said Pakistan’s security regime covers physical protection, material control and accounting, border controls and radiological emergencies.The PM said our nuclear materials, facilities and assets are safe and secure.Pakistan’s nuclear security regime is anchored in the principle of multi-layered defence for the entire spectrum – insider, outsider or cyber threat, he said.Nawaz Sharif said Pakistan has established a Centre of Excellence that conducts intense specialized courses in nuclear security, physical protection and personnel reliability.Pakistan is ready to share its best practices and training facilities with other interested states in the region and beyond, he added.The PM said that Pakistan has also deployed radiation detection mechanisms at several exit and entry points to prevent illicit trafficking of radioactive and nuclear materials.In the realm of international cooperation on nuclear security, Nawaz Sharif said that IAEA has an essential responsibility and a central role to play. Pakistan has been working productively with the IAEA to implement its Nuclear Security Action Plan.He said Pakistan has been running a safe, secure and safeguarded civil nuclear programme for more than forty years. It has the expertise, manpower and infrastructure to produce civil nuclear energy.The PM pointed out that energy deficit is one of the most serious crises facing Pakistan.As the country revives its economy, it looks forward to international cooperation and assistance for nuclear energy under IAEA safeguards, he said.Nawaz Sharif called for Pakistan’s inclusion in all international export control regimes, especially the Nuclear Suppliers Group. He said international treaties and forums should supplement national actions to fortify nuclear security.He said Pakistan is a party to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material. It works closely with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to deal with safety and security of radioactive sources and illicit trafficking of nuclear materials.It regularly submits reports to the UN Security Council 1540 Committee on the measure we take to exercise control over transfer of sensitive materials and technologies.The PM announced that Pakistan is considering ratification of the 2005 Amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and is actively conducting a review to meet its various requirements.Earlier, talking to media after his meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that India was hesitating to resolve the Kashmir issue bilaterally.He said if India was not willing to include third force in resolving the Kashmir issue then the US would have to play its role in bringing the situation normal in the region.Nawaz stated that peace in Afghanistan was in the interest of Pakistan and the region. He said Pakistan wanted to talk to Afghan Peace Council to maintain peace in the region, adding that the improved relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan should not be derailed.The Prime Minister termed the US policy of discontinuation of drone strikes in Pakistan appreciable and said it must be continued.The PM also met with United States President Barrack Obama, Chinese President XI Jinping and Turkish President Abdullah Gul.The informal meetings were held on the sidelines of the two-day Nuclear Security Summit here. The Prime Minister discussed with them matters of bilateral relations and mutual interests.Later, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and French President Francois Hollande met on the sideline of the summit and exchanged views on all aspects of bilateral relations.

Minister assures Rangers' deployment in Islamabad district courts

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ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) - Federal Minister for Law, Justice and Human Rights Pervaiz Rashid said on Monday Rangers would be deployed at Islamabad district courts from tomorrow (Tuesday).During a meeting with a delegation of lawyers comprising Islamabad High Court Bar President Mohsin Kiani and Islamabad District Courts Bar President Naseer Kiani, Pervaiz Rashid said the government believed in rule of law and supremacy of the Constitution.Pervaiz Rashid, who is also Minister for Information, Broadcasting and Cultural Herirage, said necessary funds for the construction of a new court complex would be allocated in the coming budget.He also assured the lawyers that the recommendations of judicial commission headed by Justice Shaukat Siddiqui of Islamabad High Court, which probed the district courts terror attack, would be implemented in letter and spirit.The minister reiterated that the issue of compensation to the families of martyrs and the injured of terrorist attack would be discussed with Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on his return from the Netherlands.The compensation would be given without any discrimination, he added.Members of the National Assembly Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Tariq Fazal Chaudhry were also present in the meeting.

Too soon to launch undersea search for MH370: French investigators

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PARIS (AFP) - French investigators said Monday it was too soon to consider launching undersea searches for the wreckage of the Malaysia Airlines jet that officials said went down in the Indian Ocean.France's BEA accident investigation service, which had sent three investigators to Kuala Lumpur, said the vast area (involved) does not, at present, make it feasible to conduct undersea searches.An undersea phase to localise the aeroplane from flight MH370 could be launched only if the operations under way today enable a more limited search area to be defined than the current search areas, the BEA said in a statement.It said its investigators, who had returned from Kuala Lumpur at the weekend, had discussed possible techniques for undersea searches with Malaysian authorities.In particular they discussed their experience... acquired during the search between 2009 and 2011 for the wreckage of Rio-Paris flight AF447, it said.It took 23 months for BEA investigators to find the wreckage of the Air France flight after it went down in the Atlantic in 2009.Malaysia on Monday said the MH370, which went missing more than two weeks ago, crashed in the Indian Ocean, but shed no light on the mystery of why it veered from its intended course.

Pakistan condemns Kabul hotel attack

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ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) - Pakistan has condemned the terrorist attack on the Serena Hotel in Kabul, which claimed many innocent lives.A Pakistani national has also sustained serious injuries and remains under treatment.Foreign Office Spokesperson in a statement said it is highly disturbing that attempts are being made to implicate Pakistan in this terrorist incident. She said we reject the insinuation. The tendency to immediately blame Pakistan is unhelpful and should be discarded.She said we are also surprised to see the Afghan Interior Ministry expressing concern over the recently-initiated dialogue process with TTP, even though the Afghan leadership, at the highest level, has been expressing its support for this initiative.As for the Afghan elections, Pakistan has repeatedly underlined its support for efforts to ensure a free and fair electoral process.The statement said Pakistan remains committed to building a positive and mutually beneficial relationship with Afghanistan. This, however, requires a conducive environment for constructive engagement.

Kashmir issue main hurdle to normalization of Pak-India ties: PM

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THE HAGUE (Dunya News/Agencies) - Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharifhas said that Kashmir issue is main hurdle to normalization Pak-India ties.Talking to the media after his meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry, the Prime Minister said that India was hesitating to resolve the Kashmir issue bilaterally. He said if India was not willing to include third force in resolving the Kashmir issue then the US would have to play its role in bringing the situation normal in the region.Nawaz stated that peace in Afghanistan was in the interest of Pakistan and the region. He said Pakistan wanted to talk to Afghan Peace Council to maintain peace in the region, adding that the improved relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan should not be derailed.The Prime Minister termed the US policy of discontinuation of drone strikes in Pakistan appreciable and said it must be continued.Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif also met with United States President Barrack Obama, Chinese President XI Jinping and Turkish President Abdullah Gul.The informal meetings were held on the sidelines of the two-day Nuclear Security Summit here. The Prime Minister discussed with them matters of bilateral relations and mutual interests. The Prime Minister is accompanied by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister, Syed Tariq Fatemi and Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry.
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