Saturday 8 March 2014

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Saudi Arabia and Qatar in 'war on Iraq': Maliki

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BAGHDAD (AFP) - Saudi Arabia and Qatar are supporting militant groups in Iraq and have effectively declared war on the country, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said as nationwide violence left 15 dead Saturday.The rare direct attack on the Sunni Gulf powers, with Maliki also accusing Riyadh of supporting global terrorism, comes with Iraq embroiled in its worst prolonged period of bloodshed since 2008, with more than 1,800 people killed already this year, ahead of parliamentary elections due next month.The bloodletting in Iraq, which shares a long border with Saudi Arabia, has been driven principally by widespread discontent among the country's Sunni Arab minority and by the civil war in neighbouring Syria.Maliki, a Shiite, has in the past blamed unnamed regional countries and neighbours for destabilising Iraq.But in an interview with France 24 broadcast on Saturday, the Iraqi premier said allegations he was marginalising Sunnis were being pushed by sectarians with ties to foreign agendas, with Saudi and Qatari incitement.Referring to the two countries, he said: They are attacking Iraq, through Syria and in a direct way, and they announced war on Iraq, as they announced it on Syria, and unfortunately it is on a sectarian and political basis.These two countries are primarily responsible for the sectarian and terrorist and security crisis of Iraq.Saudi Arabia and Qatar have emerged as regional rivals because, while both have provided support to fighters opposed to embattled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the two countries have also sparred in recent weeks over Doha's support for the Muslim Brotherhood of deposed Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi.Saudi Arabia, along with Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, withdrew its ambassador to Qatar this month.Baghdad has long complained that support for militant groups fighting in Syria's civil war finds its way through to Iraq with weapons in particular ending up in the hands of jihadists.Maliki said in the interview that Riyadh and Doha were providing political, financial and media support to militant groups and accused them of buying weapons for the benefit of these terrorist organisations.In the interview, Maliki also accused Saudi Arabia of supporting global terrorism, both inside the Arab world and in other countries.He slammed the dangerous Saudi stance of supporting terrorism in the world -- it supports it in Syria and Iraq and Lebanon and Egypt and Libya and even in countries outside the Arab world.Maliki in January blamed diabolical and treacherous Arab countries but has consistently refused to point directly at particular states.But, as violence has worsened markedly in Iraq -- the death toll from attacks and clashes last month was more than triple that of February 2013 -- and with elections due on April 30, Maliki has taken a hard line, pushing security operations against militants.He has also called for greater coordination against militancy, with Baghdad due to host an international counter-terrorism conference on March 12.On Saturday, violence nationwide killed at least 15 people, including a parliamentary election candidate -- the second murdered this year -- and four children, security and medical sources said.Election candidates have been targeted in the past, with nearly 20 killed ahead of April 2013 provincial council elections.Attacks in Baghdad and north of the capital, meanwhile, left 14 others dead.Violence has killed at least 110 people so far this month, and more than 1,800 since the beginning of the year, according to AFP figures based on security and medical sources.Diplomats and analysts have urged Iraq's Shiite-led authorities to pursue reconciliation with the Sunni minority in addition to security operations, but political leaders have been loath to compromise ahead of elections and have offered little in the way of concessions.And while officials have trumpeted moves against militants for months, violence has remained at its worst since Iraq emerged from a brutal Sunni-Shiite sectarian war in 2008, and anti-government fighters have held control of Fallujah, a major city on Baghdad's doorstep, for more than two months.

Obama calls European leaders over Ukraine crisis

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - President Barack Obama and key European allies expressed grave concern Saturday over Russia's actions in Ukraine as Washington warned further military escalation could jeopardize chances of brokering a diplomatic solution to the crisis.The White House said Obama discussed Ukraine in calls with French counterpart Francois Hollande, British Prime Minister David Cameron and Italian leader Matteo Renzi.The leaders reiterated their grave concern over Russia's clear violation of international law and reaffirmed their support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, a White House summary of the calls said.Obama also hosted a conference call with the leaders of Baltic former Soviet states Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to discuss the ongoing situation.Cameron's Downing Street office said the British premier and Obama agreed there was still a chance for Russia to resolve the situation by engaging with Kiev, returning troops to base in Crimea and backing free elections in Ukraine in May.Both the prime minister and the president firmly believe that the proposed referendum in Crimea would be illegal and that any attempt to legitimize it would result in further consequences for Russia, a spokeswoman said.In a separate development, US Secretary of State John Kerry held a phone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.A State Department official said Kerry emphasized Washington was working to facilitate direct dialogue between Ukraine and Russia.At the same time, he made clear that continued military escalation and provocation in Crimea or elsewhere in Ukraine, along with steps to annex Crimea to Russia would close any available space for diplomacy, the State Department said. Earlier, the French presidency said in Paris that Hollande and Obama discussed new measures against Russia if it failed to act to defuse the crisis.Hollande and Obama insisted on the need for Russia to withdraw forces sent to Crimea since the end of February and to do everything to allow the deployment of international observers, Hollande's office said.If there's a lack of progress in this direction, new measures will be taken which would noticeably affect relations between the international community and Russia, which is in no one's interest.Unrest in Ukraine, which resulted in the ouster last month of pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych, has worsened since the Crimean parliament's decision Thursday to secede and stage a March 16 referendum on joining Russia.Ukraine also said there were now 30,000 Russian soldiers in Crimea -- 5,000 more than allowed under an existing agreement with Kiev.Russia says it has stepped up protection of its naval base on the peninsula and is working together with local self-defense units but refuses to acknowledge deploying extra troops.

'Iran weapons ship' arrives in Israel

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EILAT (AFP) - A ship allegedly carrying advanced rockets from Iran to Gaza that was intercepted by the Israeli navy was escorted into the Red Sea port of Eilat on Saturday.Israeli naval commandos seized the vessel on Wednesday in the Red Sea between Eritrea and Sudan, with the military saying it was carrying an Iranian shipment of M-302 rockets destined for the Hamas-run Gaza Strip.The Panamanian-flagged Klos-C was escorted into Eilat port by two Israeli warships.Thousands of Israelis gathered on a hill overlooking the port broke into applause when the ship came into view.We will dismantle all the containers to verify if they contain other weapons, an army spokesman said, adding that a news conference will be held at the end of operations late on Monday.Israeli radio said that ambassadors and military attaches posted to Israel as well as prominent Israeli figures would be invited to view the weapons seized by the army.This, the radio said, will prove to the world that Iran is providing weapons to terrorists active in the Gaza Strip.Iran has flatly denied any involvement with the shipment, which the Israeli army said was carrying missiles capable of striking anywhere in Israel.At the time of the vessel's capture on Wednesday, military spokesman Brigadier General Motti Almoz told army radio that dozens of the M-302 long-range missiles were on board.From what we understand, it was carrying dozens of M-302 long-range missiles which can reach 150 to 200 kilometres (90-125 miles). It may be carrying other weapons as well, but we can only know this when it reaches Eilat.There is clear and unequivocal information that this (shipment) came from Iran, Almoz said, without elaborating.Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif accused Israel of lying and noted that the announcement of its capture coincided with a speech by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the AIPAC pro-Israeli lobby in the United States.An Iranian ship carrying arms for Gaza. Captured just in time for annual AIPAC anti Iran campaign. Amazing Coincidence Or same failed lies, Zarif wrote on Twitter on Thursday.Netanyahu has been pressing the international community to maintain crippling economic sanctions on Iran over its nuclear drive, and used last week's visit to the US to push his case.The United States said on Wednesday its intelligence services and military worked with Israel to track the ship.White House spokesman Jay Carney said Washington started to work with Israel through intelligence and military channels and at the national security adviser level as soon as it knew the shipment was on the move.World powers have eased the sanctions on Iran as part of a landmark deal struck in November, under which Iran undertook to curb its nuclear activities for six month.The United States, other Western powers and Israel have long suspected Iran of using its nuclear energy programme as a cover for developing atomic weapons, a charge denied by Tehran.

Tennis: Top seed Li into Indian Wells third round

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INDIAN WELLS (AFP) - Australian Open champion Li Na overcame familiar foe Zheng Jie 6-1, 7-5 on Saturday to reach the third round of the Indian Wells hardcourt tennis tournament.Li, women's top seed in the combined ATP Masters and WTA tournament, breezed through the opening set in just 29 minutes, but found the going tougher in the second when she was broken twice to trail 2-4.She finally got her nose in front of her Chinese compatriot with a service break for 6-5 and sealed it in the next game after one hour and 34 minutes.Li's current world number two ranking is the highest ever for an Asian player on the WTA Tour.Zheng, now ranked 58th, was the first Chinese player to crack the top 15, back in 2009, and Li and Zheng played the first all-Chinese WTA final back in 2006.So Li wasn't surprised that things got tight in the second set.Because we know so much about each other, me and Zheng Jie, she said. We always train together with the national team for, like, 100 years.Li next plays Czech Karolina Pliskova, a 7-5, 6-2 winner over compatriot Klara Zakopalova.

Football: Chelsea pull clear, Man United bounce back

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LONDON (AFP) - Quick-fire goals by Samuel Eto'o and Eden Hazard inspired Chelsea to a 4-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday that sent them seven points clear in the Premier League.Eto'o put Chelsea ahead in the 56th minute and Hazard added a penalty four minutes later after Younes Kaboul had been sent off for a foul on Eto'o. Demba Ba added a late brace.Eto'o's opener was gifted to him by Jan Vertonghen and both of Ba's goals also stemmed from errors, as Spurs' 23-year wait for victory at Stamford Bridge went on.Chelsea now lead Liverpool and Arsenal by seven points, but both teams have a game in hand, while fourth-place Manchester City, who are nine points off the pace, have three fixtures to fulfil.Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho continued to play down his side's title chances, saying: I would prefer to be in Man City's position, because they have three matches in hand.We don't have control of our destiny. If we win all our matches, then maybe we are not champions. If Man City win their games, they are champions.After Fernando Torres was injured in the warm-up, Eto'o came into the starting XI and he gave Spurs an early scare when he raced through and rounded Hugo Lloris, only for an offside flag to stop him in his tracks.Hazard also took the ball past the Spurs goalkeeper moments later, but could only shoot wide, while at the other end, Nabil Bentaleb dragged wide from a promising position and Petr Cech saved from Sandro and Kaboul.Spurs were very much in the game, but Vertonghen's blind pass 11 minutes into the second period enabled Eto'o to run through and score.The Cameroon star celebrated with relish, referencing Mourinho's recent comments about his age by staggering towards the corner flag like an old man.Kaboul's innocuous challenge from behind on Eto'o saw him dismissed and enabled Hazard to add a second, before Ba struck twice in the dying stages.His first, in the 88th minute, saw him pounce after Sandro was unable to cut out a low cross from Oscar and a minute later a calamitous back header from Kyle Walker allowed the Senegalese striker to complete his brace.Defeat left Spurs four points below fourth-place Manchester City, who have three games in hand on them, and manager Tim Sherwood was scathing in his assessment of his team's display.You can't legislate for the capitulation -- you can't have that, he told Sky Sports.Lack of characters, too many of them too nice to each other, and you need to show a bit more guts and not want to be someone's mate all the time.Earlier, Manchester United kept their fading hopes of Champions League qualification flickering with a breezy 3-0 victory at West Bromwich Albion.Goals from Phil Jones, Wayne Rooney and substitute Danny Welbeck gave United back-to-back league wins for the first time since December, following their 2-0 success at Crystal Palace last month.Victory inched the defending champions to within nine points of Manchester City, although they have played two more games.I thought our forward play was very good, United manager David Moyes told BT Sport.I thought both Robin (van Persie) and Wayne were excellent today, and Juan Mata and Adnan (Januzaj). But it also needed a good defensive performance as well, so all round we were pleased.West Brom sit above the relegation zone on goal difference alone after Cardiff City moved level on points with Pepe Mel's side by beating Fulham 3-1 in a basement battle at the Cardiff City Stadium.Steven Caulker scored twice for Cardiff, either side of a Lewis Holtby equaliser, before Sascha Riether's own goal sealed a victory that left Fulham four points adrift of safety at the foot of the table.We have got nine games and 27 points to play for, which is a lot, but in our situation we have to win our home games like Cardiff have done today, said Fulham manager Felix Magath.Palace are only two points above the bottom three after losing 1-0 at home to Southampton, who prevailed thanks to a breakaway strike from Jay Rodriguez in the 37th minute.Meanwhile, Jonathan Walters went from hero to villain for Stoke City in their 1-1 draw at Norwich City.The Republic of Ireland international converted a 73rd-minute penalty to cancel out Bradley Johnson's header, but was then sent off for an ugly foul on Norwich midfielder Alexander Tettey.

Football: Barcelona suffer shock defeat, Atletico go top

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MADRID (AFP) - Barcelona slumped to their third defeat in seven league games as they lost away to relegation-threatened Valladolid 1-0 on Saturday.Italian Fausto Rossi scored the only goal of the game as he slammed home from close range after 17 minutes.Atletico Madrid took advantage of Barca's slip up to move top of the table thanks to their better head-to-head record against Real Madrid as a double from David Villa handed them a 2-0 win over Celta Vigo at Balaidos.However, Real can retake their place at the top and move four points clear of Barcelona with victory over Levante at home on Sunday.Victory for Valladolid had significant consequences at the other end of the table as La Pucela moved out of the relegation zone with just their fifth league win of the campaign.What we lacked today is normally what distinguishes the team; our circulation of the ball and our movement off the ball to find space. As a consequence of that we lacked penetration, Barca boss Gerardo Martino admitted.We lacked ideas, movement and penetration, but I didn't in any way see a lack of attitude.Defeat means the Spanish champions will likely have to beat Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu in two weeks time to have any chance of retaining the title.And with his side's Champions League last 16, second leg with Manchester City just four days away, Martino admitted his side are a long way off their best form.It is clear that right now we are not in our best form and we need to be to be able to beat Real Madrid. There are still 15 days to go until that match for us to find ourselves. Right now we have the Champions League to worry about.Today we didn't play well, just like we didn't play well in the game straight after the Manchester City game, in San Sebastian (a defeat to Real Sociedad). We will try to make sure it is the reverse on Wednesday.Despite the majority of his squad having been away on international duty in midweek, Martino named almost his strongest starting line-up with only Jordi Alba and Andres Iniesta missing out.However, after lionel Messi had forced goalkeeper Diego Marino into an early save at the end of a swift counter-attack, it was Valladolid who had the upper hand in the opening half hour.Rossi opened the scoring with his first goal for Valladolid as he took advantage of a ricochet off two Barca defenders inside the area to fire past Victor Valdes.Barca reacted as the first-half drew to a close and Marino had to be alive to deny Messi twice from range before Cesc Fabregas also tested the keeper with a drive from the edge of the box.Marino made another good save just three minutes after the restart as the Argentine squeezed a shot towards goal with his weaker right foot from a narrow angle.Barca's best opening dropped at the feet of Neymar as he was brilliantly played in by Fabregas, but he blasted over from close range.Atletico, meanwhile, recovered from their own travel sickness as they put two consecutive away league defeats behind them in Vigo.After a first-half short on clear-cut opportunities, Villa pounced on a defensive error from Jonathan Castro to fire low past Yoel Rodriguez just after the hour mark.The Spanish international then made the game safe barely two minutes later with another composed finish from Jose Sosa's cut-back for his 15th goal of the season.

Golf: Tiger leaps into hunt at Doral with sizzling 66

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MIAMI (AFP) - Top-ranked Tiger Woods fired a six-under par 66, the best round of the week at the Cadillac Championship, to charge into contention Saturday at the $9 million World Golf Championships event.Woods stood on one-under 215 after 54 holes, leaving him in a share of fourth after three rounds, three off the pace.American Patrick Reed shot a 69 to lead on 212 with countrymen Jason Dufner and Hunter Mahan two back and Woods and Welshman Jamie Donaldson another stroke adrift.A week after pulling out of the final round of the US PGA Honda Classic with back spasms, Woods displayed the form that has made him a 14-time major winner but has been seen inconsistently of late.I played well, Woods said. I got off to a good start. I held it together and made some putts.But Woods, 38, admits he still fights twinges of back pain even in a good round.It's a little bit better, Woods said. Each day it gets sore and progressively more sore as the day goes on.Woods, who has won the event at Doral's Blue Monster seven times, did not play a practice round after days of treatment to ease his back pain, reduced only to chipping and putting practice and a walk of the course on Wednesday.Given Woods' record at Doral, that would not normally be a huge problem, but new owner Donald Trump spent the past year revamping the layout and many holes were completely new to Woods and the elite field.Woods said it is really hard to know how to read the greens in only two days, but after an opening 76 and a 73 in round two, Woods mastered them.Woods sank a four-foot birdie putt at the par-5 opening hole. He birdied the third with a 13-foot putt, missed a four-foot putt to bogey the par-3 fourth, then answered by making an 11-foot birdie putt at the fifth.After a birdie at the par-5 eighth, Woods added back-to-back birdies at 11 and 12, sinking putts of 16 and 22 feet respectively.Woods found a bunker at the par-3 13th and took bogey but responded with a 35-foot birdie putt at the par-3 15th that brought back the Woods fist pump celebration of his glory days.It went right to left and a little faster than it showed, Woods said. I was happy to pull it off.Woods added a birdie at the 16th and closed with back-to-back pars, including a testy 10-footer at 17.While Woods jumped 25 spots in the field, he could not catch 36-hole co-leader Reed, who seeks his third career victory.Reed's first title came last August at Greensboro, North Carolina and his second was this past January at the Humana Challenge.Reed took a bogey at the third but sank a 41-foot eagle putt at the par-5 eighth then began the back nine with back-to-back birdies.After a bogey at the par-3 15th, Reed birdied the 16th and parred the last two holes to secure his spot in Sunday's final group.

Athletics: Briton Kilty wins men's world indoor 60 metres

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SOPOT (AFP) - Briton Richard Kilty, only racing as a replacement for injured teammate James Dasaolu, was a shock winner of the mens 60m gold at the World Indoor Athletics Championships on Saturday.Kilty, 24, made a storming start and held his form to time a personal best of 6.49 seconds for a remarkable gold and said he thrived on his underdog tag in the lead-up to the race.The rest of the eight-strong field came charging in within nine-hundredths of a second in a tight finish at a packed Ergo Arena in the Polish Baltic Sea resort town of Sopot.Im stunned, I cannot believe it, said Kilty. I went into the final relaxed and focused because after the semi-final I felt I could get close to 6.50sec.At the finish line I felt that the others were far behind. Even yesterday, people were telling me I should be happy to be here and I felt like an underdog.Nobody was thinking of me as a favourite and I showeed them they were all wrong.Kilty said his triumph made up for seasons of disappointment in not making the UK team.Its a big compensation for me, he said. Over the last four years Ive been knocked off the British team.Here, I managed to improve my personal best in every start and I know this is just a good push towards the outdoor season.Rising US star Marvin Bracy, who also plays as an American football wide receiver for the Florida State Seminoles out of Florida State University, took silver in 6.51sec and was left delighted.I had a great race, he said. Im only 20 years old and I can come back many times.Nigerian-born Qatari Femi Ogunode claimed bronze (6.52) in a photo-finish with Chinas Bingtian Su and Zambias Gerald Phiri.British veteran Dwain Chambers was sixth in 6.53, just ahead of Jamaican favourite Nesta Carter, the fifth fastest man of all time over 100m.They were two disappointing results for Chambers and Carter, an ever-present on the all-conquering Jamaican 4x100m relay team who won silver in the world indoors in Istanbul in 2012.It could also mark an international swansong for the 35-year-old Chambers, who was caught using the designer steroid THG in 2003 and banned for two years, but who came back to win 60m bronze in Istanbul, gold in Doha in 2010 and silver in Valencia two years before that.

Militants want to damage Pakistan's image worldwide: Farooq Sattar

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LAHORE (Dunya News) – Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) senior leader Farooq Sattar said that so called torchbearers of religion are misguiding people adding that militants want to damage Pakistan’s outlook worldwide, Dunya News reported.Addressing media after reviewing ‘Sufiyah Yakjehti Conference’ (Sufi Solidarity Conference) arrangements, Farooq Sattar said that militants want to destroy Quaid-e-Azam’s Pakistan which represents moderate and civilized social state worldwide.He said that aims of such militant conspirators will be buried after MQM’s Sufi conference adding that the aim is to introduce peaceful Sufi image of the country to the world.

Iraq attacks kill 13, including parliament candidate

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BAGHDAD (AFP) - Attacks across Iraq killed 13 people on Saturday, including a parliamentary candidate and four children, officers and medical sources said, as the country suffers its worst violence in years.Iraq has been hit by a year-long surge in bloodshed that has reached levels not seen since 2008, driven principally by widespread discontent among its Sunni Arab minority and by the civil war in neighbouring Syria.In Sharqat, north of Baghdad, gunmen shot dead Mohammed Hussein Hamid, who was standing in parliamentary elections scheduled for next month on Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al-Mutlaks list.Hamid was the second parliamentary candidate to be killed this year, after gunmen murdered Hamza al-Shammari last month.Election candidates have been targeted in the past, with nearly 20 killed ahead of April 2013 provincial council elections.In Samarra, also north of Baghdad, a shooting at a checkpoint killed two secondary school students and a policeman, while a roadside bomb blast in a village south of Sharqat killed two children.Gunmen attacked a checkpoint in Sharqat, killing a police major and a policeman, while a roadside bomb in Khales killed army Lieutenant Colonel Abbas al-Rubaie and another soldier.Iraqi soldiers and police are frequently targeted in bombings and shootings by militants opposed to the government.In Baghdad, a car bomb exploded near a market in the Qahira area, killing at least two people and wounding four.And a shooting killed one person in the northern city of Mosul, one of the most dangerous parts of the country.Violence has killed at least 110 people so far this month, and more than 1,800 since the beginning of the year, according to AFP figures based on security and medical sources.

Tharparkar drought: Sindh govt didn't reject Punjab assistance offer, says Sharjeel

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KARACHI (Web Desk) - Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon has rejected reports about Sindh government having refused to accept Punjab government’s offer aid for drought-hit district Tharparkar.Speaking to media, the minister said that neither the Punjab government extended such an offer nor the Sindh government rejected that.“There is a no question of accepting or rejecting an offer when it was not extended,” he added.Memon said that the provincial government was using all the resources to cope with the situation in Tharparkar.People in Tharparkar, the desert area of Sindh, are facing famine-like situation in most of the areas where at least 32 malnourished children are reported to have died owing to food shortage.At least 193 children have died in Thar over the past three months.

Sindh govt busy in singing, dancing while children starve to death: Imran Khan

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan termed Sindh government responsible for Tharparkar’s drought tragedy on Saturday, Dunya News reported.Government is busy in cultural festivals while thousands of citizens suffer from shortage of food, he said.PTI Chief expressed concerns over conditions of drought-stricken citizens of Tharparkar. He said that Sindh government, despite having all resources, handed over the Tharparkar citizens to drought and famine adding that it is highly regrettable.Imran Khan demanded of Sindh government to provide immediate medicine and food items to the affectees. People are targeted by terrorism in Karachi while poor are killed by food shortage and poverty in rural areas of Sindh, he said.It merits mentioning here that Tharparkar drought has worsened to a dangerous level, raising the death toll of starving children to 33, Dunya News reported on Thursday.Reportedly, shortage of food and drought has left people of Tharparkar fighting for their lives.The famine is ongoing for the past 3 years in Chachru Tharparkar; and according to Mathi hospital sources, the death toll of starving children has reached to 32 only in the past one month.According to Dr Abdul Jalil Bargari, starvation has caused death of 121 children thus far.Confirming the number of deaths, the health department has expressed concerns. At least 6 districts of Tharparkar desert is hit by the famine and drought causing the situation to turn extreme.Meanwhile, no notice by the Sindh government has been taken thus far despite dozens of deaths.It is pertinent to mention here that Sindh government has dozens of employees dedicated to a number of projects related to food security and crises management with studies sponsored by Asian Development Bank and United Nations.According to Sindh government’s finance department’s Public Private Partnership (PPP) Unit website, the government lacks wheat storage capacity by 40-50% which causes ‘intense’ wastage of food.

COAS Raheel Sharif, Dar discuss Pak Army's budget

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RAWALPINDI (Web Desk) - Finance Minister Ishaq Dar Saturday called on Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen. Raheel Sharif and discussed issues related to development programme of Pakistan Army.Budgetary requirements of Pak Army for the next financial year figured during the meeting.According to ISPR, the Finance Minister said that present government accords topmost priority to national security and shall provide every possible assistance to the armed forces so that they can carry out their assigned mission of defending the motherland.

Ukraine's envoy, Russia deputy FM meet in Moscow

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TEHRAN (AFP) - EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who coordinates nuclear talks between Iran and world powers, arrived in Tehran on Saturday, media reported.Her visit comes amid a recent thaw in Irans strained relations with the West following last years election of moderate Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and over its controversial nuclear programme.Rouhani vowed to constructively engage with the West, and a historic interim nuclear deal struck in November came into force in January.The interim deal requires that the Islamic republic curb its nuclear activities for six months in exchange for some sanctions relief.Negotiators are aiming to reach a comprehensive agreement by July 20, when the interim accord is due to expire.Ashton and her political and economic delegation arrived in Tehran and were officially welcomed by Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, official IRNA news agency said.Araqchi is Tehrans chief nuclear negotiator in the talks with world powers.Ashtons visit is the first to Iran by an EU policy chief since 2008.She is scheduled to meet Rouhani, Parliament speaker Ali Larijani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Sunday.Sources close to her delegation said that later Saturday she was also due to meet representatives of civil society, mainly women.Ashtons trip -- which follows official visits by top diplomats from Italy, Sweden, Belgium and Spain -- will also take her to Isfahan on Monday, Iranian media reports said.The European Union is a key player in the nuclear negotiations with Iran, and Ashton is credited as playing a pivotal role.Talks aimed at reaching a comprehensive and permanent deal are to begin in New York next month.The United States, other Western powers and Israel have long suspected Iran of using its civil nuclear energy programme as a cover for developing atomic weapons, a charge denied by Tehran.In return for eased sanctions, Iran undertook to limit enrichment of uranium to five percent purity, halting enrichment to the higher levels that had prompted Western concern on whether its intentions were entirely peaceful.It also undertook to neutralise existing stockpiles of higher-enriched uranium and to suspend work on a heavy water reactor it had been building.

Three Americans on missing Malaysia Air jet: US

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - Three Americans were aboard a Malaysia Airlines jet that went missing off the coast of Vietnam, a US State Department spokeswoman confirmed Saturday.At this time, we can confirm that three US citizens were on board, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement.Officials from the US embassies in Kuala Lumpur and Beijing are in contact with the individuals families, Psaki said, adding that Washington is working to assess whether additional US citizens may have been on board the flight.We extend our deepest condolences to the loved ones of those on board Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, she continued, adding that the US government is providing no additional information about the Americans on the missing flight out of respect for them.Rescue planes on Saturday were searching for the missing Malaysia Airlines jet, which was carrying 239 passengers.Officials in Vietnam have said two large oil slicks have been spotted, the first possible sign that the missing twin-engine Boeing 777 jetliner could have gone down somewhere in the waters between southern Vietnam and northern Malaysia.
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