Wednesday 16 April 2014

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

French PM Valls under fire over cuts programme, benefits freeze

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PARIS (AFP) - France's new Prime Minister Manuel Valls came under fire Wednesday after unveiling a freeze in state benefits as part of a plan to cut state spending by 50 billion euros ($70 billion).The Socialist government has pledged to make the savings between 2015-17 to finance a package of payroll and income tax cuts designed to bolster demand, make companies more competitive and attract investment.Known as the Responsibility Pact, the plan is the centrepiece of President Francois Hollande strategy for reviving a flagging economy and cutting unemployment.Hollande first outlined it in January, but the details unveiled Wednesday still shocked those in the ruling party who were dismayed by his appointment of the centrist Valls to run the government.Christian Paul, a lawmaker on the left of the party, said he and fellow Socialist deputies had been floored by the announcement of the benefits freeze and the extension of a ban on cost-of-living increases for public sector workers.Valls, the most popular figure in the government, was installed as premier after the Socialists suffered stinging reverses in municipal elections last month.More than 40 percent of the savings envisaged (21 billion euros) will come from cuts in social benefits and healthcare.Another 18 billion is to be trimmed from government ministries and the remaining 11 billion will come from a rationalisation of local government, Valls said.Benefits, including income support for the young and long-term unemployed, most state pensions and family allocations, will be frozen until October 2015.A pay freeze for France's five million public sector workers has been in place since 2010. Its impact is offset by guaranteed increases many receive under length-of-service agreements.- Revolt threatened -The measures are to be examined by the cabinet next week and presented to parliament on April 30.Paul said he and some other Socialist deputies would be unable to support the government if the package was not amended.We were not elected to organise a reduction in the spending power of pensioners, civil servants and workers who depend on social benefits, the Socialist lawmaker added.The Valls government comfortably won a vote of confidence after its appointment earlier this month. Grumbling within the Socialist ranks has steadily grown over recent weeks, suggesting the parliamentary vote could be tight, but analysts doubt the left would be prepared to effectively bring down the government over the issue.Both the far left and the increasingly popular far right attacked the austerity measures as being driven by the European Union and the rules governing countries that are part of the eurozone.Valls is acting like Brussels' bailiff, said far left former presidential candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon.Florian Philippot, vice-president of the far-right National Front (FN), added: Millions of French people are going to suffer a collapse of their living standard because the government insists on obeying the EU on the euro.Recent opinion polls have suggested the FN could top the polls in next month's elections to the European Parliament.- 'Living beyond our means' -Responding to his critics, Valls said France had to get its public finances under control if its generous system of social provision was to survive, regardless of its euro commitments.Public spending currently accounts for 57 percent of GDP and the national debt has risen from 50 percent of annual output in 2002 to 93.5 percent by the end of last year.We cannot afford to live beyond our means, Valls said. And we have to break with this logic of debt, which stealthily and progressively is tying our hands. We have to reclaim our sovereignty.In comparison to the swingeing benefit cuts implemented in some other European countries in recent years, the Valls proposals are modest.No state benefits are being abolished or cut and with annual inflation currently running below one percent, the impact of the freeze will be limited.Benefits for people who receive the minimum levels of pensions or income support will continue to rise in line with inflation. Despite this, the CFDT trade union federation said many pensioners living on less than the minimum wage would be affected by the freeze.Valls also said there would no be no reduction in the minimum wage, which some employers have called for, and confirmed that Hollande's election promises to create tens of thousands of new posts in education, the police and the prison service would be honoured.

Nawaz, Zardari discuss security, overall situation

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and former president Asif Ali Zardari held a one on one meeting in Islamabad on Wednesday and discussed host of issues, including political situation, national security issues and legislation to cope with terrorism.Both the leaders also discussed on-going operation in Karachi and other matters of mutual interest besides reviewing dialogue process with Taliban.Earlier both the leaders held delegation level talks and discussed overall political situation in the country. Federal Ministers Ishaq Dar and Zahid Hamid assisted the Prime Minister PPP s senior leaders including Khurshid Shah and Mian Raza Rabbani accompanied Asif Ali Zardari.Federal Minister Zahid Hamid briefed the meeting regarding Protection of Pakistan Bill while member of Government committee Fawad Hassan Fawad briefed the PPP delegation on latest update of dialogue with Talban.It was the first meeting between the two leaders since the departure of Asif Ali Zardari from presidency.Talking to media after the meeting, PPP leader Raza Rabbani said that both leaders discussed variety of national issues during the meeting.Raza Rabbani said both leaders agreed to strengthen democratic system in the country and would jointly fight for democracy if it faces some difficulty time.On query was the issue of treason trial against Musharraf was discussed, Rabbani said over all every single important issue came under discussion between meeting of the Prime Minister and former President.He said his party’s point of view is clear on Musharraf issue that law must be equal to everybody in the country.When asked is there fresh govt-military rift over former president Pervez Musharraf’s treason trial, the Senator said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif did not consider any split between two institutions adding that there was no serious matter in this regard.He said both parties had given great scarifies for the democracy in the country and wanted to strengthen this system.Rabbani said Zardari has conveyed concerns of PPP and other opposition parties on Pakistan Protection Ordinance and the Prime Minister assure him to review the issue to make applicable legislation to curb terrorism in the country.He said Nawaz Sharif and Zardari also discussed Taliban peace talks, Pakistan and overall security situation and other matters of national interest.The Senator said that the two sides also discussed the ongoing operation in Karachi and financial crisis which Sindh government is facing now days.

Family dispute motive for kids murder in Abbottabad: police

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ABBOTTABAD (Dunya News) - Dead bodies of two children were found in the limit of Tareet police post near Murree while the third child, Zain, was found injured.An important development has come forward after Zain recorded his statement to police.According to Investigation officer Sadaqat Hussain, accused Nadeem wanted to marry an aunt of the children (his cousin) while mother of the children opposed this and his proposal was rejected.Nadeem got infuriated but did not show his embarrassment while he decided to take the revenge of this insult and killed the children.It is pertinent to mention here that 10-year-old Mehr Ali and four-year-old Qadir Ali, residents of Chitta Pul area of Abbotabad were brutally slaughtered by a cousin of their parents.The six-year-old Zain, brother of the victims, survived in the attack and was shifted to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in critical condition.According to Dunya News, Nadeem took the children to Murree for a picnic on Sunday but all four did not return till late at night.The father of the children tried to contact Nadeed but his received no reply as cell phone of the accused was powered off.Accused Nadeem threw Zain, along with two brothers into a 15-feet deep trench after he slit their throats.According to investigation report, police probed the incident from different angles. The report revealed that the accused slit throat of the children and threw them in a jungle.The post mortem report shows that injury marks were also found on other body parts of the victims.Police have obtained photos of Nadeem and said the accused would be arrested soon.On the other hand, doctors termed the condition of Zain satisfactory after he went through a three-hour-long surgery where doctors successfully patched blood vessels.

European stocks rebound

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LONDON (AFP) - European stock markets rallied on Wednesday, rebounding from the previous days losses on better-than-expected company earnings and Chinese growth data that also lifted Asian indices and Wall Street.Shares had ended sharply lower on Tuesday as the escalating military crisis in Ukraine spooked investors, traders said.In midday deals on Wednesday, Londons FTSE 100 climbed 0.30 percent to stand at 6,561.15 points compared with Tuesdays closing level, as the benchmark shares index benefited also from official data showing British unemployment had reached a five-year low point.Frankfurts DAX 30 won 0.76 percent to 9,243.86 points and in Paris the CAC 40 added 0.86 percent to 4,382.57.A late-session rally in US markets (on Tuesday) meant that we have enjoyed two consecutive up days for Wall Street, and this has provided the foundation for further gains in the UK and Europe, said Chris Beauchamp, market analyst at IG traders.In Europe on Wednesday, earnings updates that were well-received by the market saw shares in supermarket giant Tesco, Britains biggest retailer, climb 2.26 percent to 292.78 pence. Luxury fashion brand Burberry climbed 2.74 percent to 1,461 pence.But in Paris, Danone lost 1.33 percent to 52.56 euros after the French dairy food giant reported a drop in first-quarter sales.Market players continued to closely track the Russia-Ukraine crisis.Russian leader Vladimir Putin warned that Ukraine is on the verge of civil war, the Kremlin said Wednesday, after the Kiev government sent in troops against pro-Moscow separatists in the east of the country.In foreign exchange deals, the euro climbed to $1.3845 from $1.3813 late in New York on Tuesday.The European single currency fell to 82.34 British pence from 82.59 pence on Tuesday, while the pound advanced to $1.6814 from $1.6726.- Gold firms -On the London Bullion Market, the price of gold increased to $1,302.93 an ounce from $1,298 on Tuesday.Asian markets mostly closed higher on Wednesday in the wake of Wall Streets gains and as Chinese economic growth came in slightly above forecasts in the first three months of the year.Japans Nikkei index led regional gains, with a jump of 3.0 percent, thanks to a weaker yen after the head of the countrys central bank said it was on course to meet its inflation target next year.Chinas National Bureau of Statistics meanwhile reported that the worlds number two economy expanded 7.4 percent year-on-year in January-March.The figure was lower than the 7.7 percent seen in the final three months of last year and marks the fourth slowdown in the past five quarters, putting China on track for its worst annual performance since 1990.However, it was slightly up on the 7.3 percent median forecast in a survey of 13 economists by AFP.US stocks finished higher on Tuesday but not before a wild swing lower led by tech stocks that saw the Nasdaq Composite index down nearly two percent at one point.Wall Street had opened strongly on good results from Johnson & Johnson and Coca-Cola but then sank, with analysts at the time citing Ukraine worries.

Oil prices mixed after weak Chinese GDP data

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SINGAPORE (AFP) - Oil prices were mixed in Asia Wednesday after data showed Chinese economic growth slowed further in the first quarter of the year, while investors await the latest US supply report, analysts said.New Yorks main contract, West Texas Intermediate for May delivery, rose four cents to $103.79, while Brent North Sea crude for June eased 16 cents to $109.20 on its first day of trading. Brents May contract expired Tuesday.Chinas economy expanded 7.4 percent year-on-year in January-March, Chinas National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said Monday, weaker than the 7.7 percent expansion in October-December.While the figure exceeded the median forecast of 7.3 percent in a survey of 13 economists by AFP, it is the latest in a string of figures showing the worlds number two economy and key driver of global growth is slowing.The GDP data is better than expected but its lower than the last quarter and I suspect investors will still have the China is slowing down story on their minds, David Lennox, resource analyst at Fat Prophets in Sydney, told AFP. Oil prices will likely remain under pressure as a result, he said.Chinese economic data is closely watched by crude oil investors as the nation is the worlds biggest energy consumer, and a slump in growth would hurt demand and global prices.Dealers are also awaiting the latest US stockpiles report out later Wednesday for clues about demand in the worlds biggest economy.The US Energy Information Administration is expected to report that gasoline stocks fell 1.4 million barrels in the week to April 11, according to analysts surveyed by The Wall Street Journal.Crude supplies are expected to rise 1.5 million barrels, as processing is curtailed by refinery maintenance.

Hi-tech group ASML slashes forecast profit leap

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THE HAGUE (AFP) - Dutch computer chip maker and global hi-tech bellwether ASML slashed its forcecasts despite almost doubling profits in the first quarter.Net profits were up to 249 million euros ($344 million) from 96 million euros a year earlier, largely thanks to sales that were up 57 percent to 1.4 billion euros.The company which supplies global hi-tech giants such as Samsung and Intel nevertheless cut its forecast for the first half of 2014, after some customers put orders for processor makers for next-generation devices on hold.The unnamed customers want to complete development of their new chips before buying more chip-manufacturing machines, an ASML spokesman told AFP.ASML had said it expected first-half sales to reach three billion euros excluding sales of Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) systems for making next-generation processors.But on Wednesday the company said it had cut its first-half forecast to three billion euros including EUV system sales.ASML is one of the worlds leading makers of lithography systems used by the semiconductor industry to make integrated circuits and microchipsThe company, which employs over 13,000 people and operates in 16 countries, is considered a good indicator of conditions in the microprocessing industry.

Twitter rules out Turkey office amid tax row

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ISTANBUL (AFP) - Social networking company Twitter rejected demands from the Turkish government to open an office there, following accusations of tax evasion and a two-week ban on the service.Speaking after two days of closed-door talks with Turkish officials, Colin Crowell, Twitters head of global public policy, told AFP: We did not agree on opening an office in Turkey.Making greater investments here to grow our business has a relationship to whether or not we can count on the continuity of our service, he said.And an investment climate in which our service has been shut off would give any company reservations about making an imminent investment, Crowell said in an interview in Istanbul.The Twitter delegation was in Turkey to ease tensions after Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the firm of tax evasion and blocked it.Twitter, YouTube and Facebook are international companies established for profit and making money, Erdogan said on Sunday. Twitter is at the same time a tax evader. We will go after it.Turkey had criticised Twitter for not opening a physical office in the country and paying domestic taxes.But Twitter has rejected charges of tax evasion, saying the company already has a reseller in Turkey which pays the applicable taxes.That relationship is similar to many companies which do business here, Crowell said.The spat between the powerful social networking tool and Turkey reached its height when Erdogan attempted to block the service after it was used to spread audio recordings implicating the prime minister in corruption.The much-criticised ban was lifted on April 3 after the countrys top court ruled the blockade breached the right to free speech.The government estimates that Twitter generates $35 million (25 million euros) a year in advertising revenue in Turkey.- Opening channels of communication -Ankara also accuses Twitter of ignoring various court orders to remove links deemed illegal, which was the main sticking point in the talks.Crowell declined to comment on media reports that Twitter had shut down some accounts after meeting Turkish officials but said that the content was being suspended in response to due process in the courts, not in response to requests from government.He talked about a company policy known as country-withheld content, which allows Twitter to withhold accounts in Turkey but leave them visible elsewhere.Part of our discussion was explaining these practices (to the government) -- that you do not have to turn off the service to millions of users -- and opening channels of communication if issues arise that they would like to discuss with us, Crowell said.The ban on Twitter -- which has 12 million users in Turkey -- was part of a wider crackdown on media that sparked outrage among the countrys NATO allies and international human rights groups.YouTube was blocked in Turkey three days before key March 30 local elections, which gave Erdogans ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) a crushing victory despite graft claims.But Crowell said he hoped that both parties could put the controversy behind them and stressed: Looking forward, we have a bright future in Turkey.It was clear to us that there was a disconnect and we needed to find a remedy to this disconnect, Crowell said.They (the government) now have a better appreciation of our policies and practices and how to interact with us.

Saudi reports new MERS death, infections in Jeddah

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JEDDAH (AFP) - A Saudi man has died of MERS in the western city of Jeddah, where authorities have sought to calm fears over the spreading respiratory illness, the health ministry said Wednesday.The ministry said five more people were infected with the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, including two medics, all in Jeddah.The latest death of a 52-year-old brings to 71 the total number of people to have died from MERS, out of 205 infections in Saudi Arabia, it added.Health authorities on Tuesday reported the death of a 59-year-old, also in Jeddah, as well as four other infections in the same city, including three medics.Last week panic over the spread of MERS among medical staff in Jeddah forced the temporary closure of an emergency room at a major hospital, prompting Health Minister Abdullah al-Rabiah to visit the facility in a bid to calm the public.The situation concerning the coronavirus is reassuring, said a government statement.The MERS virus was initially concentrated in the eastern region of Saudi Arabia but has now spread across other areas.The World Health Organisation said Friday it had been told of 212 laboratory-confirmed cases of MERS infection worldwide, of which 88 have proved fatal.The MERS virus is considered a deadlier but less-transmissible cousin of the SARS virus that erupted in Asia in 2003 and infected 8,273 people, nine percent of whom died.Experts are still struggling to understand MERS, for which there is no known vaccine.A recent study said the virus has been extraordinarily common in camels for at least 20 years, and may have been passed directly from the animals to humans.

Bombers kill five at Iraq provincial govt compound

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RAMADI (AFP) - Two suicide bombers blew up vehicles packed with explosives outside a government compound in the Iraqi city of Ramadi killing five people, police and a doctor said.The twin attacks come as Iraqs security forces battle to win back control of Anbar province after militants overran parts of Ramadi and all of the city of Fallujah, to its east, in early January.The bombers each attacked one of the two entrances to the compound, which includes the governors office, provincial council building and a military headquarters, a police lieutenant colonel and an army captain said.The blasts killed three soldiers, a policeman and a civilian and wounded 12 other people, a doctor said.The crisis in the desert province erupted in late December when security forces dismantled Iraqs main Sunni Arab anti-government protest camp just outside Ramadi, the provincial capital.Militants subsequently seized parts of Ramadi and all of Fallujah, marking the first time anti-government forces have exercised such open control in major cities since the peak of the deadly violence that followed the US-led invasion of 2003.In other violence on Wednesday, a mortar attack on a military base at Saba al-Bur, north of Baghdad, killed two soldiers and wounded nine, while a roadside bomb at a market there killed one person and wounded five, officials said.And in Baghdad, gunmen shot a man dead near his home in the Shaab area.Iraq is suffering a protracted surge in violence that has claimed more than 2,600 lives this year.The heightened unrest has been driven mainly by widespread anger among the Sunni Arab minority, who say they are mistreated by the Shiite-led government and security forces.It has also been fuelled by the civil war in neighbouring Syria.Violence in Iraq has killed at least 380 people since the beginning of the month, according to AFP figures based on security and medical sources.

Former British bank chief charged with drug possession

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LONDON (AFP) - The former chairman of Britains embattled Co-operative Bank, Paul Flowers, was charged with drugs possession offences.Flowers stepped down as Co-op Bank chairman in June last year after reported claims of illegal drug use and concerns about his expenses.The 63-year-old also resigned as a Methodist church minister days before his arrest in November, following newspaper allegations that he was involved in a drug deal.Flowers was charged with two offences of possession of Class A drugs -- considered the most harmful category -- namely cocaine and methamphetamine.He was also charged with one count of possession of ketamine, a drug in the lowest category, Class C.Flowers is to appear at Leeds Magistrates Court in northern England on May 7.He was charged after he answered bail at a police station in the Yorkshire city.Flowers made no comment as he left but his lawyer Andrew Hollas said the former bank chief would make a full statement after his court appearance next month.Its been self-evident that he has been hounded for six months by certain elements of the press and they have included many allegations within their papers that have been completely without foundation, Hollas said.A second defendant, Gavin Woroniuk, has been charged in connection with the incident and is due to attend the same court date.He was charged with four offences of offering to supply a controlled drug as well as one count of possessing criminal property.

Rivals flex muscles on streets of west Ukraine

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SLAVYANSK (AFP) - Ukrainian and pro-Russian forces flexed their military muscles in the restive east of the country a day ahead of high-level diplomatic talks on the escalating crisis.Armoured vehicles from the rival sides appeared on the streets of two neighboring towns after Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that Kievs decision to send in troops to put down a separatist uprising in its industrial heartland had dragged the country to the brink of civil war.NATO said it planned to deploy more forces in eastern Ukraine in the face of the crisis, while Germany warned of more bloodshed if the four-way talks in Geneva on Thursday fail.An AFP reporter in the flashpoint town of Slavyansk saw at least six APCs and light tanks, some flying Russian flags, parked in the city centre with dozens of unidentified armed men in camouflage stationed around them.Russian media said Ukrainian troops in the vehicles had switched sides to join the separatists but the Ukrainian army told AFP that it had no reports that any of its equipment had been seized.An AFP reporter in the nearby town of Kramatorsk also said Ukrainian forces had deployed a column of 14 armoured vehicles, although these were being blocked by a crowd of pro-Russian protesters.Military jets could be seen flying low over both towns in an additional show of strength.As the situation on the ground appeared to escalate, the authorities in Kiev ratcheted up the verbal attack on Russia, with Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk accusing Moscow of trying to build a new Berlin wall.Yatsenyuk demanded Moscow halt its alleged support for the separatists but said Kiev remained committed to Thursdays crunch talks between the top diplomats of Russia, the European Union, the United States and Ukraine.There is only one directive for the Ukrainian foreign ministry -- the Russian government has to immediately withdraw its commando groups, condemn the terrorists and demand they leave the installations, he said.Ukraines acting Defence Minister Mykhailo Koval on Wednesday headed out to the east to check on the progress of Kievs seemingly stalled bid to oust the separatists.Ukraines military also pledged a firm response after two servicemen were allegedly taken hostage by pro-Russian forces in the Lugansk region.The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) said in a statement that Russian commanders in the east had issued pro-Kremlin militants with shoot-to-kill orders.Elsewhere, pro-Moscow gunmen stormed the mayors office in the regional capital of Donetsk, according to an AFP reporter at the scene.- Sharp escalation -On Tuesday, authorities in Kiev launched what they called an anti-terrorist operation, sending tanks towards Slavyansk -- which remains effectively under the control of pro-Russian gunmen -- in a high-risk strategy sharply condemned by the Kremlin but supported in Washington.The 20 tanks and armoured personnel carriers sent to Slavyansk were the most forceful response yet by the Western-backed government in Kiev to the pro-Kremlin militants occupation of state buildings in nearly 10 cities across Ukraines rust belt.But the move drew a sharp response from Putin in a telephone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.The Russian president remarked that the sharp escalation of the conflict has placed the country, in effect, on the verge of civil war, the Kremlin said in a statement.But both Putin and Merkel emphasised the importance of Thursdays Geneva talks.The Kremlin described the actions of the Ukrainian army in the east as an anti-constitutional course to use force against peaceful protest actions.Kievs response to the insurgency also prompted Putin to tell UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon that Moscow expects clear condemnation from the United Nations and the international community of the anti-constitutional actions by Ukraine.Ban in turn expressed his alarm about the highly volatile situation in eastern Ukraine and told the Russian leader that everyone involved needed to work to de-escalate the situation, his office said.But the White House described Ukraines military operation as a measured response to a lawless insurgency that had put the government in an untenable situation.Washington also said it was coordinating with its European allies to slap more sanctions on Russia over the crisis.Our national security team is in active discussions about the next round of sanctions, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters.She added however that new measures were unlikely before the Geneva talks.- Threat of counterstrike -Kievs untested interim leaders -- who took power in February after four months of pro-European protests ousted Kremlin-backed president Viktor Yanukovych -- have struggled to meet the high-stakes challenge presented by the coordinated series of raids that began in the industrial hubs of Donetsk and Lugansk and have since spread to nearby coal mining towns and villages.The breakaway move could potentially see the vast nation of 46 million people break up along its historic Russian-Ukrainian cultural divide.Moscow last month annexed the largely Russified region of Crimea after deploying military forces there and backing a hasty local referendum calling for the Black Sea peninsula to be absorbed into the Russian Federation.But a forceful military response by Kiev could prompt a devastating counterstrike by Russian troops who are waiting to act on Putins vow to protect Russian-speakers in the neighbouring state.Ukraines acting President Oleksandr Turchynov told an agitated session of parliament on Tuesday that the country was facing an eastern enemy rather than domestic discontent.They want to set fire not only to the Donetsk region but to the entire south and east -- from Kharkiv to the Odessa region, he said.

PM Nawaz summons national security meeting on Thursday

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has summoned an important meeting on Thursday.According to PM House spokesperson, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif would chair an important meeting on national security.The heads of the armed forces, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, DG ISI and DG IB, PM’s Advisor on Foreign Affairs, Defence Minister, Interior Minister and Information Minister will attend the meeting.According to the sources, the matters relating to national security, process of negotiation with Taliban and overall situation in the region will be discussed during the meeting.

TTP refuses to extend ceasefire

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HANGU (Dunya News) - Banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on Wednesday announced that it would not extend ceasefire with the government.A statement issued by TTP spokesman Shahidullah accused that the government did not respond seriously to the just and reasonable demands of Taliban.He blamed that the government even did not consider the demands of the TTP in a serious way.He said that the TTP had reached a ceasefire agreement with the government despite the opposition of its fellow commanders but the government did not suspend operation‘rootout’ against Taliban.The statement said that around 50 Taliban have been killed during the ceasefire.Shahidullah Shahid further said that the TTP is serious in continuing meaningful talks with the government.He said that the TTP would respond positively to any progress made by the government regarding talks but it would not extend ceasefire.On Tuesday, while talking to media in Peshawar, Jamiat Ulma-e-Islam JUI-S chief Mualana Samiul Haq said he hoped that Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) would extend ceasefire with the government.He said that Taliban did not fire a single bullet after the announcement of ceasefire. He expressed the hope that TTP would extend ceasefire with the government.The JUI-S chief said that differences among rival Taliban factions would not affect the peace process however their differences have ended.Meanwhile, talking to media in Lahore on Tuesday, Chairman Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) Maulana Akhtar Sherani said that the negotiation with Taliban could be successful if held via tribal jirga. He prayed for the success of the peace negotiations.On the other hand, a meeting of banned Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) shura held at an undisclosed location on Monday.Key Taliban commanders attended the meeting and discussed matters including ceasefire and prisoners release.The meeting expressed concerns over the delay in release of non-combatant prisoners and govt refusal over formation of peace zone.A pamphlet was distributed among the participants of the meeting of shura. The pamphlet said that there were no differences among Taliban groups.The statement further said that all members of the shura were united. It said that the enemies were planning to murder key Taliban commanders and all such plots would be foiled.Meanwhile, Afghan Taliban has expressed concerns over the clashes among different factions. They appealed rival factions to end their differences.Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Umar in statement said that the rival factions should end their clash.Two groups of TTP, Shehryar Mehsood and Khalid alias Sajna clashed over the issue of South Waziristan leadership.According to the sources, more than 40 members of both factions have been killed during these clashes. However, TTP statements have been differing in this regard.Tehreek-e-Taliban spokesperson Shahidullah Shahid in a statement said there were no differences while in another he said that media was exaggerating number of killings in the clashes while both groups have ended.There were reports that a delegation of Taliban reached Afghanistan to hold meeting with Mullah Fazlullah to settle the rift of leadership between Khalid Sajna and Hakimullah groups in South Waziristan.A key Taliban commander Haji Daood said that Khalid Sajna had forcefully controlled leadership of TTP in South Waziristan by force without any announcement by Fazlullah. Haji Dawood also said that majority of the commanders in shura had opposed ceasefire.It is pertinent to mention here that Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) announced a ceasefire with the government for a month that was later extended for another ten days.

U.S. agencies back DigitalGlobe bid to sell sharper images

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TAMPA (Reuters) - The U.S. intelligence community has thrown its support behind a bid by commercial space imagery provider DigitalGlobe Inc to sell higher resolution images from its satellites, the leading U.S. intelligence official said Tuesday.DigitalGlobe has pressed the government for years to allow it to sell such imagery but U.S. government agencies worried that giving public access to them could undermine the intelligence advantage they have from even higher resolution satellite images.The green light from the U.S. intelligence community follows rapid advances by non-U.S. space imagery companies that have raised concerns DigitalGlobe could lose market share if it is not allowed to compete on high resolution images.Director of National Intelligence James Clapper told an industry conference that U.S. intelligence agencies had agreed to allow commercial providers to sell higher resolution imagery but that the decision still needed approval by other agencies.Clapper said the recommendation certainly bodes well for the industry.DigitalGlobe applied nearly one year ago for a license to increase the resolution of its imagery from 50 cm to 25 cm. It welcomed Clappers remarks and said it hoped the U.S. government would act quickly to finalize the decision.The difference would allow observers to discern not just a car seen by a satellite, but also the make of the car.Clapper did not specify what exact resolution the intelligence agencies had approved, but two sources familiar with the process said they expected him to approve a phased implementation over the course of this year.Letitia Long, director of the U.S. governments National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, told reporters that American spy agencies have essentially endorsed that request by DigitalGlobe to sell 25-cm imagery.The Colorado-based company is preparing to launch its new WorldView 3 satellite in August, which would allow the company to sell imagery accurate to 31 cm, a company spokesman said.DigitalGlobe appreciates the intelligence communitys support for reforms to the current U.S. regulations, said Walter Scott, founder and chief technical officer of DigitalGlobe.We are hopeful that the administration will act promptly on this issue to advance the nations commanding lead in this strategically important industry, he added.Jeffrey Harris, a former director of the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office and industry expert, said the decision to allow sales of higher resolution commercial imagery would help industry and the U.S. government by increasing transparency.Allowing commercial providers to sell more accurate imagery at an affordable price would allow the U.S. government to spend its money and energy on higher-end government-owned capabilities, said Harris, who was elected Tuesday as president of the U.S. Geospatial Intelligence Foundation.Long said the advances by non-U.S. companies were a significant factor in the intelligence community decision to endorse DigitalGlobes request.If you survey the world and what is going on in the international arena, many countries are making progress, she said. We want our U.S. companies to be able to compete.Long would not predict how long the White House review of the matter would take.A second source familiar with the imagery market said officials from the Defense and Commerce departments, intelligence agencies and the White House met to discuss the matter on Friday.More senior officials must still approve the move, said the source, who was not authorized to speak publicly, but it was not immediately clear when that could occur.

Teenager uses Facebook to save Romania's stray dogs

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BUCHAREST (Reuters) - When French film actress Brigitte Bardot began a campaign to spare the thousands of stray dogs in Romanias capital from being put down, she did it with a $150,000 donation scheme.A similar campaign is being waged by Ana-Maria Ciulcu, a 13-year-old schoolgirl with braces on her teeth who uses Facebook to appeal to dog lovers all over Europe - and to make sure the dogs go to the right homes.I like to know that my dogs will be spoiled, and will be allowed to sit on the sofa ... so one of my first questions would be: Are you going to chain him?, Ciulcu told Reuters.Ciulcu was a baby when Bardot started her sterilization campaign in 2001. Now she speaks fluent German and has a grasp of the Internet, and shes used both to rescue 150 strays and ship them to Germany, Austria and Belgium since September.But Bucharests state-funded wards now hold 2,800 dogs, and 2,000 dogs have been euthanized in the past two months, according to Romanias Authority for Animal Surveillance and Protection. Foreign citizens, mainly German and British, have directly adopted about 30 dogs since September, ASPA Director Razvan Bancescu told Reuters.Some 60,000 strays roam Bucharest. Last year, a four-year-old boy died after he was mauled by a stray beside a Bucharest park. Street protests demanded something be done about the dogs. The authorities began enforcing the euthanasia rules, which enable city halls to put down dogs caught in public spaces if they are not adopted within two weeks.The strays are thought to be a legacy of the dictator Nicolae Ceausescus decision to bulldoze Bucharests historic center in the 1980s to make way for a gargantuan House of the People. Thousands of guard dogs were abandoned by residents who had been forcibly relocated into small apartments.SPURRED TO ACTIONCiulcu collects strays on the street. They go to a temporary private shelter, or to the backyard of her home on the capitals outskirts. She has a veterinarian vaccinate them and give them microchip identification tags and eventually gets international passports for them.All costs, from medicines, vaccines and neutering to identification chips and passports, are covered by Ana-Marias family - about 150 euros ($210) per dog. Transporting the animals to their destinations is covered by the new owner.She spends up to about two hours a day selecting owners from among thousands of would-be pet owners who visit her page (www.facebook.com/anamaria.ciulcu). Few Romanians are among them.Romanians generally want to adopt only a pure breed, she said.Ciulcu, who wants to become a doctor, believes keeping animals together in state-funded shelters is not a solution, just an extermination plan. Until she takes up her medical studies, her ambition is to save as many dogs as she can.
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