Tuesday 4 March 2014

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

China targets 7.5 percent economic growth for 2014

Posted:

BEIJING (AFP) - China said on Wednesday it was targeting economic growth this year of around 7.5 percent, keeping the closely-watched marker at the same estimate as last year.The announcement of the target came in a speech to be delivered by Premier Li Keqiang to the annual session of the National Peoples Congress, Chinas rubberstamp legislature.The worlds second-largest economy grew 7.7 percent in 2013.Rising prosperity is a key part of the Communist Partys claim to legitimacy in China, and the government usually sets a conservative growth target that it regularly exceeds.We must keep economic development as the central task and maintain a proper growth rate, Li said, according to the text of his speech.On the basis of careful comparison and repeatedly weighing various factors as well as considering what is needed and what is possible, we set a growth target of around 7.5 percent.Li also said the government would keep the consumer price index (CPI) target at about 3.5 percent, the same as last years.China will also increase its official defence budget by 12.2 percent this year, the finance ministry said Wednesday, marking another double-digit increase in the rising giants military spending.The appropriation for national defense is 808.23 billion yuan ($132 billion), up 12.2 percent, it said in a budget report prepared for the annual session of the rubberstamp National Peoples Congress, which opens Wednesday.China has for years boosted its spending for its Peoples Liberation Army, reflecting its military ambitions as it asserts its global standing and its claims in a series of territorial disputes with Japan and other neighbours.The budget increases have raised concerns in Asia and the United States, and analysts believe actual expenditures are significantly higher than those that are publicised.Beijing set an increase in military spending of 10.7 percent in 2013, after announcing rises of 11.2 percent in 2012 and 12.7 percent in 2011.

Facebook out to buy solar drone maker: report

Posted:

SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - Facebook is in talks to buy a solar-powered drone startup in what could lead to making wireless Internet available in regions without online access, according to technology news website TechCrunch.TechCrunch cited an unidentified source as disclosing that the leading social network is considering buying Titan Aerospace for about $60 million.Facebook declined to comment Tuesday on what it referred to in an email to AFP as rumors and speculation.Titan Aerospace makes high-altitude, solar-powered drones that can fly for as long as five years without touching down.Facebook-backed Internet.org, which has a stated mission of making online access available everywhere in the world, could put such drones to work as airborne wireless hotspots.Aerospace Titan would start by making about 11,000 drones to fly above Africa and other parts of the world with minimal to no Internet access, according to TechCrunch.Aerospace Titan was founded in 2012 and has its headquarters in the state of New Mexico where it handles research and development.The takeover, if confirmed, would come as Google works on a Project Loon to spread Internet access using balloons.

Report reveals 'extensive' abuse of women in EU

Posted:

VIENNA (AFP) - One in three EU women has suffered a physical and/or sexual assault since the age of 15, a major new study revealing extensive and systematically under-reported violence showed on Wednesday.The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), which interviewed 42,000 women aged 18-74 across the 28-nation bloc for the report, said it was the most comprehensive of its kind to date both in the EU and worldwide.What emerges is a picture of extensive abuse that affects many womens lives, but is systematically under-reported to the authorities, FRA director Morten Kjaerum said.The FRA probed womens experiences of physical, sexual and psychological violence including domestic abuse, as well as stalking, sexual harassment, childhood experiences and the role played by new technologies.One in 10 women has experienced some form of sexual violence since the age of 15, one in 20 has been raped while just over one in five has experienced physical and/or sexual violence from either a current or previous partner, it revealed.In addition, just over one in 10 women indicated that they have experienced some form of sexual violence by an adult before they were 15 years old, the Vienna-based FRA said.Yet, as an illustration, only 14 percent of women reported their most serious incident of intimate partner violence to the police, and 13 percent reported their most serious incident of non-partner violence to the police, Kjaerum said.He said that violence against women, and specifically gender-based violence that disproportionately affects women, is an extensive human rights abuse that the EU cannot afford to overlook.

Putin 'not fooling anybody' over Ukraine: Obama

Posted:

KIEV (AFP) - US President Barack Obama on Tuesday said Russia was not fooling anybody over the crisis in Ukraine after Vladimir Putin denied Russian forces were operating on the flashpoint Black Sea peninsula of Crimea.In a show of support for the new interim leaders in Kiev, visiting US Secretary of State John Kerry condemned Russias act of aggression and accused Moscow of working hard to create a pretext for being able to invade further.Pro-Kremlin forces are in de facto control of the strategic, majority-Russian Crimean peninsula where Ukrainian troops remain blocked inside their barracks in the most serious stand-off between the West and Russia since the end of the Cold War.Amid the tensions, Russia carried out a successful test launch of an advanced intercontinental ballistic missile, state news agencies reported. The US was informed of the test earlier this week, a US defence official said.World financial markets meanwhile rebounded Tuesday as traders interpreted comments by Putin that force was a last resort as a sign that the situation in the nation of 46 million people was easing.Ukraines interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk also announced his government had made the first timid contacts with Russian leaders aimed at resolving the crisis.But the rhetoric from the United States and Russia remained tough.Obama said the European Union and allies like Canada and Japan all believed Russia had violated international law by mobilising troops following the February 22 ouster of pro-Kremlin president Viktor Yanukovych.President Putin seems to have a different set of lawyers, maybe a different set of interpretations. But I do not think that is fooling anybody, Obama said during a visit to a school in the US capital.Putin, breaking more than a week of silence with a press conference in Moscow, said his country reserved the right to use all available means to protect Russians in Ukraine. This is a last resort, he added.Responding to claims by Ukraines new authorities that thousands of Russian troops had poured into Crimea in recent days, Putin said that only local forces of self-defence were surrounding Ukrainian military bases in the region.Asked if Russian forces took part in operations in Crimea, he said, No, they did not participate, adding: There are lots of uniforms that look similar.When told of Putins remarks by a reporter in Kiev, Kerry responded: He really denied there were Russian forces in Crimea? and shook his head, bewildered.The top US diplomat also laid flowers and lit a candle at the scene of memorials to the nearly 100 people who died in clashes on Kievs Independence Square last month.The square was the focal point of three months of protests sparked by Yanukovychs decision to reject a key EU deal in favour of closer ties with Moscow.In a further public boost to Ukraines new Western-backed authorities, the US confirmed $1 billion in loan guarantees to help shore up Ukraines debt-laden economy.The European Commission also offered an aid package reportedly worth more than one billion euros, as cash-strapped Ukraine says it needs 25 billion euros ($35 billion) over two years.- Warning shots in Crimea -There was no immediate sign of calm returning to Crimea, which has housed the Russian Black Sea Fleet since the 18th century.In one incident, Russian forces fired warning shots in the air as unarmed Ukrainian soldiers approached them at a base near Sevastopol in what appeared to be the first shots fired since the Crimean crisis erupted.In Sevastopol, a bastion of pro-Kremlin sentiment, the headquarters of the Ukrainian navy in Crimea was surrounded by around 100 pro-Russian activists who formed a human chain as Russian forces with automatic rifles looked on.Ukrainian defence officials said Russian vessels were also blocking Ukrainian warships from trying to leave the port.- West to step up pressure? -In a sign of profound Western frustrations with Russia, Kerry warned that unless Russia acts to reduce tensions, it will face further international action after the US already suspended military cooperation.If Russia does not choose to de-escalate... then our partners will have absolutely no choice but to join us to continue to expand the kind of steps we have taken in recent days in order to isolate Russia politically, diplomatically and economically, he said.A US official travelling with Kerry said Russia was likely to face US moves to introduce sanctions as early as this week. The EU has also threatened targeted measures.In Paris, French President Francois Hollande warned that Russia was running the risk of a dangerous escalation.Along with Europe, France would apply all necessary pressure including sanctions to find the path of dialogue and a political issue to this crisis, he said.But Putin warned that any sanctions would lead to mutual lossesKerry will come face-to-face with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Paris on Wednesday, their first encounter since the start of the Crimea turmoil.The two are scheduled to take part in a conference on Lebanon, with the foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany also attending. The events in Ukraine are expected to overshadow the talks.Also on Wednesday, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton will visit Kiev ahead of an EU emergency summit on Ukraine on Thursday.But Washington and its allies appear to have few options beyond limited punitive measures to halt what they perceive as Putins drive to rebuild vestiges of the Soviet empire irrespective of the wishes of nations such as Ukraine.- Stocks bounce back -By announcing $1 billion in loan guarantees, the US signalled its keenness to cushion ordinary Ukrainians from the impact of the crisis.The move came after Russian state-controlled energy giant Gazprom said it would end a discount it gives to Ukraine on gas prices from April, instead proposing a loan of up to $3 billion to cover its debt.Moscow is often accused of using its gas exports as a diplomatic weapon aimed at influencing decisions of ex-Soviet nations that contemplate closer relations with the West.After Putins comments calmed fears of an immediate war, Asian and European markets bounced back from deep losses suffered on Monday -- Londons FTSE closed up 1.72 percent while Frankfurts DAX was up 2.46 percent and Pariss CAC was up 2.45 percent.Stocks on Wall Street shot up by more than one percent.Russias stock market also clawed back almost half of the 11-percent slump it suffered on a Black Monday of trading that also sent the ruble to historic lows.

Netanyahu demands Palestinians recognize Jewish state

Posted:

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Israels Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday directly urged Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas to recognize Israel as a Jewish state and to abandon the fantasy of flooding Israel with refugees.But his remarks sparked a furious reaction from the Palestinians who denounced his demand and said it had effectively put the final nail in the coffin of the US-led peace talks.The latest spat threw a harsh spotlight on the yawning divide between the two sides, and the Herculean task faced by US Secretary of State John Kerry who is trying to get them to agree a framework for extending direct peace talks beyond an April 29 deadline.Addressing delegates at the annual policy conference of AIPAC, Netanyahu said he was prepared to make an historic peace, but not without a Palestinian acceptance of the Jewish state.Its time the Palestinians stopped denying history, he said, returning to a major point of disagreement in peace talks, which have struggled to make headway in the last seven months.President Abbas: recognize the Jewish state and in doing so, you would be telling your people.. to abandon the fantasy of flooding Israel with refugees, he said.Netanyahu insists that only when the Palestinians acknowledge Israel as the Jewish state will the conflict be finally over.For the Palestinians, the issue is intimately entwined with the fate of their refugees who were forced out of their homes or fled in 1948 when Israel became a state. They see Netanyahus demand as a way to sidestep a negotiated solution to the refugee question.Netanyahu also alluded to Israels demand to retain a military presence along the Jordan Valley, which runs down the eastern flank of the West Bank, in any future deal saying he would not cede security to foreign peacekeepers.If we reach an agreement with the Palestinians.... that peace will most certainly come under constant attack by groups such as Lebanons Hezbollah, the Islamist Hamas movement which rules Gaza and extremists from Al-Qaeda.Experience has shown that foreign peace-keeping forces, keep the peace only when there is peace, but when subjected to repeated attacks, those forces eventually go home... The only force that can be relied on to defend the peace.. (is) the Israeli army, he said.His words sparked an immediate backlash from Ramallah.Top Palestinian official Nabil Shaath told AFP that Netanyahus demand for such recognition, and his insistence on keeping Israeli troops deployed in a future Palestinian state were totally rejected.Netanyahus speech was tantamount to an official announcement of a unilateral end to negotiations, he said.Israel has repeatedly insisted there will be no peace deal without addressing the issue of recognition and a clause relating to this has been inserted into Kerrys as-yet-unpublished framework proposal.But the Palestinians have refused to back down, rejecting Kerrys inclusion of the clause in the framework as unacceptable.Palestinian negotiators arrived in Washington late on Monday ahead for further talks ahead of a visit by president Mahmud Abbas to the White House on March 17.US and Israeli officials were tightlipped about the substance of Mondays meeting, with White House spokesman Jay Carney refusing to say whether or not Netanyahu had agreed to accept the US framework.We continue to work very closely with the Israelis and the Palestinians on a framework for negotiations, he said.Netanyahu also made a rare reference to the opportunities a peace deal would open up, including the possibility of establishing formal ties with between Israel and leading countries of the Arab world.Peace with the Palestinians would turn our relations with them and with many Arab countries into open and thriving relationships, he said in positive remarks more commonly heard from reputed moderates like Israeli President Shimon Peres.The combination of Israeli innovation and entrepreneurship could catapult the entire region forward. I believe together we could solve the regions water and energy problems.He also had strong words for the Palestinian-led movement to boycott, divest from and sanction (BDS) Israel over its activities in the occupied territories.The BDS movement is not about legitimate criticism, its about making Israel illegitimate, he said. That movement will fail.But BDS spokeswoman Rafeef Ziadah brushed off Netanyahus words as a desperate attack, noting that governments were beginning to take action to hold Israel accountable for its violations of international law.

S Africa's president wades into university over Nazi-style salute scandal

Posted:

JOHANNESBURG (AFP) - President Jacob Zuma on Tuesday expressed outrage at reports that first year students at a South African university recently staged a Nazi-style salute during induction.We were shocked by the reports on orientation activities at the North West University involving students doing the Nazi-style fascist salute, he said in a speech delivered to students at the university.Such practices are unacceptable, he said addressing a meeting organised by his ruling African National Congress party in the run-up to May 7 general elections.Students at one of the campuses of the North West University had performed the Nazi-style Sieg Heil salute during a supposed orientation ceremony, according to a local newspaper.A short YouTube video showed students wearing black t-shirts and navy-blue shorts singing, dancing and then waving the salute.The use of gestures associated with Nazism are shunned upon throughout the world and are relics of a time which symbolised oppression, persecution and some of the worst atrocities committed in human history, said Zuma.He said his government takes this matter seriously and will not tolerate any unconstitutional activities that are perpetrated at any education and training institution.The Higher Education ministry is investigating the incident and has vowed it will take any action if deemed necessary.The university authorities have apologised for any offence caused by the images but denied it was a Nazi salute.

F-8 Kacheri incident: Nisar vows to implement SC orders

Posted:

ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) - Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has said the directions of Supreme Court in a suo-motu case about attack on Islamabad district courts would be implemented in letter and spirit.He was presiding a high-level meeting in Islamabad this evening (Tuesday).The minister ordered immediate purchase of new walkthrough gates and CCTV cameras and their immediate installation at the district courts in Islamabad.Earlier, a three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani was hearing the suo moto case related to the terror attack at a court in Islamabad also known as the F-8 Kacheri.The interior secretary presented details of the attack. According to the report, 66 policemen normally remain posted at the court which was attacked. Chief Justice inquired about the number of policemen deployed at the time of the attack and how many of them were armed.Interior Secretary, Dr. Shahid replied that 47 policemen were on duty at the time of the incident but he was not aware of how many were armed. He added that policemen did use their weapons. Chief Justice Jillani asked how the interior secretary was certain about the use of weapons if no assailant was injured or caught. The chief justice told the interior secretary to inquire about the number of armed policemen from the IG.The chief justice expressed anger over the lack of CCTV cameras at the court despite the presence of terror threats in Islamabad.At least 11 people, including a senior judge and three lawyers, were killed in a gun and bomb attack in district court on Monday.The apex court asked the government to announce compensation and install cameras in court within 48 hours.

Asia Cup Final: Pakistan, Sri Lanka to clash on Saturday

Posted:

DHAKA (Dunya News / AFP) Pakistan will face Sri Lanka in Asia Cup’s final which is due on Saturday which will decide the destiny of both teams. Pakistan being at the top and defending champion is deemed as most favourite team for the title.Pakistan had made its place in finals guaranteed after defeated Bangladesh in a record 327 run chasing game. Shahid Afridi again proved to be a game changer after hitting seven sixers.Shahid Afridi smashed the second fastest one-day half-century and Ahmed Shehzad hit a hundred to give Pakistan a three wicket win over Bangladesh on Tuesday and a place in the Asia Cup final.The 34-year-old, who hit two consecutive sixes to give Pakistan a one-wicket win over India on Sunday, was once again Pakistans saviour as they chased down their highest-ever target of 327 in 49.5 overs in Dhaka.Afridi overshadowed a brilliant 123-ball 103 by opener Ahmed Shehzad and a sedate 74 by Fawad Alam who both set the tone for the chase, but it was the aggression of Afridi which helped Pakistan overcame a tough resistance from the hosts.Pakistan will meet Sri Lanka in Saturdays final.Afridi, who went into bat with Pakistan needing 101 off 52 balls, smashed paceman Shafiul Islam for a four to reach fifty off just 18 balls, one short of one-day crickets fastest-ever half-century record held by Sri Lankas Sanath Jayasuriya, made against Pakistan in Singapore in 1996.He equalled his own record of second fastest one-day fifty, set twice by him. He scored an 18-ball fifty during his 37-ball hundred against Sri Lanka in Nairobi in 1996 and another 18-ball fifty against the Netherlands at Colombo in 2002. In all, Afridi took seven sixes and two boundaries off just 25 balls.Pakistans previous best run chase in a one-day was 322-6 against India at Mohali in 2007.Before Afridis blitz, it was a remarkable turnaround for the hosts who suffered a shock upset defeat against new-comers Afghanistan in their second match on Saturday. Bangladesh made several changes after their 32-run loss, the most prominent being all-rounder Shakib Al Hasans return after he was suspended for three matches over indiscipline.That paid off as a revamped batting line-up led by Anamul bettered Bangladeshs previous highest-ever total of 320-8, made against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo in 2009.Pakistan too got a solid 97-runs by the 21st over with Mohammad Hafeez (52) and Shehzad in a punishing mood.But they were derailed by left-arm spinner Mominul Haque (2-37) who dismissed Hafeez and Sohaib Maqsood (two), while Shakib had captain Misbah-ul Haq for four.Shehzad completed his fifth one-day hundred but was bowled by Abdur Razzak, after hitting 12 fours and six. Shehzad added 105 runs for the fourth wicket with Alam.But Alam and Afridi broke the hearts of a capacity home crowd after Bangladesh had been given a chance by their batsmen.Anamul and Imrul Kayes (59) put on 150 for the opening stand and cashed onto some sloppy fielding and bowling by Pakistan.Afridi went for 64 runs in his ten overs while paceman Mohammad Talha conceded 68 in seven and Umar Gul 76 in his 10.But it was the left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman, brought in as one of two changes in Pakistans squad, who suffered the worst fate as he was suspended from the attack over dangerous bowling.He became the first bowler in international cricket to concede eight runs without bowling a legal delivery.Kayes hit five boundaries and two sixes off 75 balls.Anamul hit six boundaries and four well-timed sixes before he was caught off Saeed Ajmal who took 2-61.Mominul (51), Rahim (51 not out) and Shakib with a 16-ball 44 comprising six fours and two sixes, made the final touches as Bangladesh scored 121 in the last 10 overs.The spectacular win has guaranteed Indias ousting from tournament and Pakistan will face Sri Lanka in finals on Saturday.

Islamabad court attack: Reports reveal terrorists arrived from North Waziristan

Posted:

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) -- Startling revelations in Islamabad court attack investigation tie the culprits to North Waziristan who had arrived in Rawalpindi via Bannu, Dunya News reported.Investigation sources reveal the burka-clad terrorists reached Pir Wadhai stop of Rawalpindi and that the Islamabad police was alerted of their arrival on Friday, days before the attack took place.Investigation sources reveal the police was alerted in writing adding the movements of culprits from Pir Wadhai point are still unknown.Earlier, during case proceedings following a suo moto by chief justice, the bench asked the federal interior secretary about the number of policemen who were actually deployed at the F-8 Islamabad Kachehri on Monday. The interior secretary replied that 47 policemen were on duty at the time of the incident yesterday.The interior secretary in his report stated that the police reached the site of the attack within seven minutes.On this, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain said that if the police had reached in seven minutes, the loss would have been less.He added that it took the police around 45 minutes to reach the district courts.Meanwhile, the apex court ordered that closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras of high resolution should be installed in district courts within 48 hours in order to avoid attacks.In this regard, notices were issued to chief secretaries of the four provinces.Subsequently, the case hearing was adjourned till Monday.Eleven people including a judge were killed on Monday in a gun and suicide bomb attacks on a court complex in Islamabad, a rare strike at the heart of the heavily-guarded Pakistani capital.The Tehreeke-e-Taliban denied any connection to the tragic attack, which came two days after the militants announced a month-long ceasefire aimed at restarting stalled peace talks with the government.A spokesman for the Ahrar-ul-Hind militant group, which recently split from the main Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) umbrella group, claimed resonsibility of the attack.

Putin calm war fears but defiant on keeping Crimea

Posted:

MOSCOW (AFP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has calmed fears of an imminent war between Russia and Ukraines new authorities but also made clear that Moscow has no intention of loosening its new grip on Crimea in defiance of Western anger.Breaking an uncharacteristic silence since the downfall of president Viktor Yanukovych 10 days ago, Putin on Tuesday displayed no fear of a prolonged crisis in ties with the West over the situation in the Ukrainian region of Crimea which is now controlled by pro-Moscow forces.He also showed zero inclination of recognising the new Kiev authorities which came to power after the ousting of Yanukovych but admitted the deposed leader had neither a political future nor any authority.The standoff between Moscow and the new pro-West leadership had prompted apocalyptic fears of Russian tanks rolling across Ukraines eastern borders in a conflict that could draw in NATO.But Putins comments appeared to calm the wildest scenarios while making clear his steely determination that Russia would not give up its newly-acquired control over Crimea, a region with a majority Russia-speaking population.Even the format chosen for his comments -- an avuncular chat with hand-picked Kremlin pool correspondents rather than an address to the nation -- appeared to have been chosen to create a milder impression.- Radical scenario set aside -Putin made clear that they will not be an extensive war -- at least such a radical scenario has been set aside, said Alexei Makarkin of the Centre for Political Technology in Moscow.But he will not leave Crimea and he is going to preserve real control there.The Russian strongman said Russia would use force as a last resort and there was no current necessity to send troops in.Putin strongly denied that Russian troops were already in Crimea and said that it was local self defence forces who were in control of the Black Sea peninsula.It appears Putin wants to keep Crimea part of Moscows sphere, even if the rest of Ukraine is not set to drift to the West after the ousting of Yanukovych.Formal annexation to Russia may not be on the cards but Putin will make sure the writ of the Kiev authorities has little value on the peninsula.A pro-Kremlin prime minister has already been named in Crimea and a referendum set for March 30 is set to seal its status as a Moscow satellite.Makarkin said Crimea may become a region like the impoverished Russian-speaking Transdniestr breakaway region of Moldova which is kept functioning by Moscow. Another, more extreme option, would be recognising its independence in the future, as Moscow did with the Georgian breakaway region of Abkhazia.Putin wants Crimea as souvenirFor a man who famously described the break-up of the USSR as the greatest geopolitical tragedy of the 20th century, there is a huge attraction in grabbing Crimea, a region which many Russians regard as part of their nation.Putin is also eyeing the situation in the largely Russian-speaking east of Ukraine but that region would prove a far bigger -- and more dangerous -- mouthful for the Kremlin.He wants to show that we are not going to give up Crimea but we dont want a rupture with the international community, said Makarkin.Putin a week ago was soaking up praise for Russias smooth organisation of the Sochi Olympics but showed remarkably little concern about the international repercussions, shrugging off Western threats not to show up to the G8 summit Russia is due to host in Sochi.If they dont want to come, they dont need to, he said.The reaction of the West is currently weak, it does not bother him, said Nikolai Petrov, professor at the Higher School of Economics. He is not worried by the declarations and sanctions of the United States.If Ukraine has decided to leave the Russian embrace, then Putin is going to want to keep a piece of Ukraine as a souvenir -- at least Crimea or maybe the east.

Tayyip Erdogan orders probe into wiretaps, tackling graft

Posted:

ISTANBUL (AFP) - Turkeys president on Tuesday ordered a probe into wiretapping and the governments ability to fight corruption amid a widening graft scandal that has rocked Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogans administration.President Abdullah Gul ordered the top auditing body, the State Auditing Board, to investigate rules surrounding the wiretapping of communications to assess their compliance with the law.The move comes after audio tapes emerged last week of Erdogan and his son allegedly discussing how to hide large sums of money on December 17 -- the same day as the launch of a graft probe that ensnared the premiers inner circle.Analysts say the tapes -- which Erdogan as dismissed as fake -- have the potential to hurt him at local polls on March 30, a key test for the prime minister ahead of a presidential election in August and parliamentary elections next year.Erdogan has dismissed the recordings as a vile montage by his rivals and accused both prosecutors and police of spying for another country.The investigation will assess the efficiency of the current regulations regarding the fight against corruption and examining the weaknesses of auditing structures and processes in this fight, according to a statement on the presidents website.It will also examine regulations governing Turkeys construction sector, which has been at the heart of the largest corruption scandal in the countrys history.Erdogan has blamed supporters of Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen for launching a major corruption investigation into allegations of bribery in construction projects, gold smuggling and illicit dealings with Iran.In retaliation the Turkish strongman has sacked hundreds of police and prosecutors believed to be linked to the Gulen movement.The Turkish government also said last week thousands of influential people, including the premier, cabinet ministers and journalists, had been wiretapped by Gulen supporters.

Kerry pledges $1 billion for Ukraine

Posted:

KIEV (AFP) - US Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday became the highest-profile foreign diplomat to visit Ukraines interim government, offering a $1 billion support package in the face of an escalating crisis with Russia.Both the visit and the announcement highlighted Washingtons determination to support the authorities in Kiev against Russia as the West grapples with the most serious crisis in the region since the Cold War.On a grey, foggy day, Kerry looked sombre as he visited Kievs Shrine of the Fallen, the flower-laden memorial honouring the nearly 100 people killed during last months Independence Square protests.Surrounded by a large crowd, he said: We are going to help you. We are helping you. President Obama is planning for more assistance.He later met leading politicians including former world heavyweight boxing champion Vitaly Klitschko, who is set to run for president in Mays election.During his brief stopover, Kerry was also expected to meet Ukraines interim president Oleksandr Turchynov and new Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk.Russian-backed president Viktor Yanukovych was ousted after the bloodshed in Independence Square, where protesters massed last year to demonstrate against his failure to ratify a trade pact with the European Union.- Urgent challenges -His toppling and flight to Russia prompted the deployment of thousands of pro-Moscow forces in the autonomous territory of Crimea, where they remain in de facto control.Shortly before Kerry arrived in Kiev, President Vladimir Putin insisted at a press conference Russia had the right to use all means to protect its citizens in Ukraine but denied he had already deployed troops.But the announcement of assistance signalled the US determination not to yield in the battle for influence in Ukraine.The new government of Ukraine has said publicly and committed privately that it has the political will to meet its urgent challenges, US Secretary Jacob Lew said in a statement.The United States is prepared to work with its bilateral and multilateral partners to provide as much support as Ukraine needs to restore financial stability and return to economic growth, if the new government implements the necessary reforms.He said the US offer of $1 billion in loan guarantees aimed to protect the most vulnerable Ukrainian households from the impact of the needed economic adjustment.Russian state-controlled energy giant Gazprom said Tuesday it would end a discount it gives to Ukraine on gas prices from April but proposed a loan of up to $3 billion to cover its debt.Moscow is often accused of using its gas exports as a diplomatic weapon aimed at influencing decisions of ex-Soviet nations that contemplate closer relations with the West.Ukraine relies on imports for about three-quarters of its oil and natural gas supplies.US officials travelling with Kerry also said Moscow could face sanctions within days.I think there will be movement on sanctions very likely later in this week and there is a whole spectrum of sanctions, one said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Obama to unveil election year budget

Posted:

WASHINGTON (AFP) - President Barack Obama will Tuesday propose a budget for the coming fiscal year that has less to do with managing US finances than with stemming Democratic losses in congressional elections.Senior White House officials say the document, to be previewed by Obama at a Washington elementary school, is largely aspirational, given that the presidents top priorities are routinely blocked by Republicans in Congress.Broad government spending levels have also already been set by a two year budget agreement reached by top Democratic and Republican negotiators in the Senate and the House of Representatives in December.Still, Obama will use his budget to add teeth to his current populist political narrative of offering opportunity to all Americans.The president will propose an extra 56 billion dollars in spending above agreed budget levels, which will be financed by closing tax loopholes which benefit the rich and in mandatory spending reform.Obama will prioritize new forms of energy, early education and job creating manufacturing programs.The White House said the budget would include an expansion of the Earned Income Tax credit, which would cut taxes for 13.5 million working Americans and expand tax cuts to the middle class to finance child care and college education.These pro-growth and pro-opportunity tax cuts would be fully offset by closing tax loopholes, including ... provisions that let high-income professionals avoid the income and payroll taxes other workers pay, the White House said in a statement.In effect, the plan would close a loophole that allows wealthy people to treat investment income as capital gains, and avoid the 40 percent top federal tax rate on income.Obama is also anchoring his campaign for elections in November, in which a third of the Senate and all of the House of Representatives is up for grabs, on a raise to the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 -- a proposal that is popular with voters but opposed by Republicans, who say it would squeeze small businesses and cost jobs.A new poll on Tuesday revealed the challenge facing Democrats in November, as they defend tough Senate seats in conservative districts hampered by a president with a 41 percent approval rating and an unpopular health care law.The Washington Post/ABC News poll found out that of 34 states with Senate races, 50 percent of voters favor Republicans and 42 percent favor Democrats.Democrats are seen with almost no chance of winning back the House and are in grave peril of losing the Senate -- a scenario that would guarantee a miserable last two years in office for Obama.The spending blueprint will also effectively rescind an offer from Obama to Republicans to recalculate inflation in a way that would gradually reduce benefits to senior citizens from social programs that are an increasing drain on the budget.The offer -- known as chained CPI -- was included in the budget last year as Obama held out hope of concluding a grand bargain on taxes, spending and the deficit with Republicans on Capitol Hill.But amid acrimony in Washington, the negotiations have collapsed, and senior Obama aides say they have returned to normal budgetary procedures and omitted the concession.In effect, the move means that there is now little chance of a lasting fiscal agreement between Obama and his Republican foes for the rest of his presidency, which ends in January 2017.The budget will also include the latest government projections for GDP growth, unemployment, and the deficit for the coming years.The document is likely to chart the quickening reduction in the deficit, currently falling at the fastest rate since World War II.But the dip may have as much to do with government spending restrictions imposed in an automatic law known as the sequester after Obama and Republicans failed to reach a spending deal as solid economic growth.In its latest budget projections released in February, the non partisan Congressional Budget Office predicted the deficit, which stood at 4.1 percent of GDP in 2013, would fall to 3.0 percent of GDP this year -- at $514 billion -- and 2.6 percent in 2015.

India to announce parliamentary elections' schedule on Wednesday

Posted:

NEW DELHI (AFP) - India, the worlds largest democracy, is expected to announce Wednesday national elections that polls suggest will remove the scandal-tainted ruling Congress party from power.The election commission was expected to announce the schedule for the parliamentary elections at a press conference on Wednesday.The probable dates for the commencement of polling are between April 7 and 10, an unnamed official from the election commission told the Press Trust of India news agency Tuesday.The election commission sent out an invitation to the press conference late on Tuesday, but did not specify the reason for the event.Political observers have predicted the commission would announce the dates of multi-phase elections for Indias decision-making lower parliamentary house by the end of the week.The voting, which is staggered to ensure voter safety in the country of 1.2 billion people that is racked by a host of insurgencies, must be held by May.The elections will mark an end of a political era with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, 81, already having ruled himself out for another term.Opinion polls tip Narendra Modi, the prime ministerial candidate of the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, as frontrunner to be countrys prime minister.The Congress, led by 81-year-old Manmohan Singh, has fallen out of favour with voters after a decade in power due to a string of corruption scandals and a sharply slowing economy.Modi, a fiery orator who is the chief minister of western Gujarat state, is favoured by Indias growing middle class for his reputation for running a corruption-free, business-friendly government.But Modi is also seen as a divisive figure due to his stewardship of the state during deadly anti-Muslim riots in 2002. He has denied any responsibility for the bloodshed.

Egypt: Sisi says 'can't ignore' calls to run for president

Posted:

CAIRO (AFP) - Egypts army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi declared Tuesday he cannot ignore demands that he run for president, in a looming election his supporters say he is certain to win.Sisi is seen by his supporters as a strong hand who can stabilise Egypt following three years of unrest ignited by the 2011 uprising that toppled longtime ruler Hosni Mubarak.He emerged as Egypts most popular leader after overthrowing Mubaraks successor, Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, in July following massive protests against the year-long rule of the countrys first freely elected leader.Officials close to Sisi told AFP the recently promoted field marshal would step down as defence minister after a law is passed to regulate the presidential election expected this spring.Field Marshal Sisi said he cannot turn his back when the majority wants his nomination in presidential elections, the official MENA news agency reported.The next days will witness official measures, he was quoted as saying at a graduation ceremony of military cadets in Cairo, without elaborating.All Egyptians must be shoulder-to-shoulder and exert all efforts for building, stabilising and developing the country, said Sisi.The success of Egypt is not linked to the personality chosen by Egyptians, but to their will to build their country and its future.Supporters of Sisi rallied in their thousands in January calling on him to stand for election, and the military itself has said it would back his decision to enter the race.If elected, Sisi may have to take unpopular measures such as streamlining Egypts bloated subsidies for food and fuel.His supporters believe only Sisi, with his relatively broad support base, could pull off such measures.Interim president Adly Mansour is expected to approve the electoral law this week or next week at the latest.- Reviled by Morsi supporters -Sisi is reviled by the Muslim Brotherhood and other Morsi supporters who say he masterminded a coup against the countrys first democratically elected and civilian president.Morsi himself is on trial on various charges after the military detained him on the night of his ouster.On Tuesday, a trial in which he is accused of inciting the killing of opposition protesters in December 2012 was adjourned to Thursday for the court to consider a defence request for new judges.Morsis supporters have repeatedly taken to the streets in protest, often setting off clashes with police and civilian opponents.The violence has cost at least 1,400 lives since Morsis ouster, according to Amnesty International, in a crackdown by security forces on the Islamists supporters.The crackdown, which has targeted his Muslim Brotherhood movement, also saw a Cairo court on Tuesday banning the Palestinian Hamas group, a Brotherhood affiliate, from operating in Egypt.The emergency court also ordered the seizure of Hamass assets.Hamas denounced the court ruling.The move was an attempt to besiege the resistance, and serves the Israeli occupation, Hamas official Bassem Naim told AFP.Egypts decision, which puts it on the side of the Zionist occupier, threatens to distance it from its historic role for the Palestinian cause, he said.Egypt has accused Hamas of colluding in attacks on its territory in the past few years, and aiding the Brotherhood.Morsi, elected in June 2012, was seen as further bolstering the militant groups power in Gaza by mediating a 2012 truce ending week-long fighting with Israel and that lifted some of the blockade restrictions on Gaza.Since ousting him, the Egyptian military has destroyed hundreds of smuggling tunnels under its border with the coastal enclave, alleging they are used to smuggle weapons and militants who have taken part in attacks on Egyptian security forces.Militant groups have escalated a campaign of bombings and other attacks on security forces, killing scores of policemen and soldiers, mostly in the restive Sinai Peninsula.
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)