Tuesday 13 May 2014

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Syria peace envoy quits amid new chemical arms fears

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UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - The United Nations peace envoy for Syria threw in the towel on Tuesday after failing to start a meaningful dialogue, as France accused Damascus of continuing to use chemical weapons.In a double blow to the already frozen peace process, Lakhdar Brahimi announced his resignation at UN headquarters as French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius spoke in Washington.Fabius accused Bashar al-Assad's regime of resorting to banned chemical weapons 14 times in recent months, despite having agreed to hand-over its deadly stockpile to international monitors.How much more destruction is there going to be before Syria becomes again the Syria we have known? Brahimi asked as he confirmed weeks of rumors that he was stepping down.Brahimi, who took over from the previous UN peace envoy in August 2012, said it was very sad that I leave this position and leave Syria behind in such a bad state.Asked what his message for Syrians would be, Brahimi said: apologies, once more, that we have not been able to help them as much as they deserve; and, tell them the tragedy in their country shall be solved.The veteran Algerian diplomat, backed by the US and Western allies, had coaxed Assad and Syria's fractious opposition to attend peace talks in Geneva earlier this year.But negotiations broke down after only two rounds amid bitter recriminations. Meanwhile, the war slipped into a fourth year with an estimated 150,000 dead and millions of refugees.He has faced almost impossible odds, Ban said of his 80-year-old envoy, promising to replace him.Ban blamed the failure to find peace on a Syrian nation, Middle Eastern region and wider international community that have been hopelessly divided in their approaches to ending the conflict.Separately, Fabius told reporters in Washington that the 14 reported incidents showed that in recent weeks, new, smaller quantities of chemical arms have been used, mainly chlorine.A UN watchdog, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which is overseeing the removal of Syria's toxic arms, has sent a mission into the war-torn country to investigate.France and other Western nations are currently examining the evidence with the results expected in a few weeks.- France 'regrets' Obama U-turn -Fabius complained that President Barack Obama had failed to carry out threatened strikes against the Syrian regime last year after a sarin gas attack near Damascus killed hundreds of people.We regret it, because we think it would have changed lots of things ... but what is done is done, and we're not going to rewrite history, Fabius told reporters.But a senior US administration official dismissed the criticism, pointing out that -- without airstrikes -- 92 percent of Assad's stockpile has been destroyed by the OPCW in past months.There is no evidence that a strike would have allowed us to remove that amount of chemical weapons, the official said.Citing witnesses and medical staff, Human Rights Watch said Tuesday it has evidence that strongly suggests the Syrian government used chlorine gas on three towns in mid-April.It documented attacks on the towns of Kafr Zita in central Hama on April 11 and 18, Al-Temana in Idlib on April 13 and 18 and Telmans also in Idlib province on April 21. All are areas under rebel control.Evidence strongly suggests that Syrian government helicopters dropped barrel bombs embedded with cylinders of chlorine gas on three towns in northern Syria in mid-April 2014, HRW said.Syrian opposition leader Ahmad Jarba met with Obama during a planned meeting with National Security Advisor Susan Rice as part of an eight-day trip to the United States, seeking to persuade the White House to drop its reluctance to supply the rebels with heavy arms.Jarba has specifically called for anti-aircraft missiles in order to be able to combat what he has called the nightmare of daily barrel bombings.Jarba is also likely to attend a meeting of the Friends of Syria in London on Thursday, in which US Secretary of State John Kerry and Fabius will also participate.Syrian opposition UN representative Najib Ghadbian said that the rebels share Brahimi's frustration with the Assad regime for not engaging constructively in the political process.Forcing Assad to negotiate will require concerted international pressure that has so far been lacking, he added.

Obama meets Syrian opposition leader Ahmad Jarba

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - President Barack Obama met Syrian opposition leader Ahmad Jarba Tuesday in a show of support for moderate, embattled foes of President Bashar al-Assad.The meeting however came as the administration again voiced concerns that any deadly aid that was provided at the request of rebels in Syria could end up in the hands of extremists.Obama dropped by a meeting between Jarba, president of the Syrian National Coalition, and his national security advisor Susan Rice.The White House said Obama and Rice condemned the Assad regime's deliberate targeting of Syrian civilians through aerial bombardments -- including the use of barrel bombs -- and the denial of food and humanitarian assistance to civilians located in areas under siege by the regime.Jarba, according to a White House statement, thanked Obama for a total $287 million US aid to opposition forces and noted the US role as the largest humanitarian donor to Syrian refugees with a total aid grant of $1.7 billion.But there was no mention in the statement of Jarba's previous plea to the administration for anti-aircraft weapons to combat the barrel bombings unleashed by Assad's forces.US officials privately acknowledged he made the request in talks with Secretary of State John Kerry at the State Department last week, but they refused to be drawn on the response.Washington is worried that such weapons could eventually end up in the hands of groups hostile to the United States or its allies and could even pose a threat to commercial aircraft.White House spokesman Jay Carney said earlier that Washington had worked hard to ensure that the aid that we are providing the opposition is getting into the hands of the moderate opposition and not falling into the wrong hands.This is something that has been a concern and an issue, obviously, since the beginning of the conflict there, but it is one that we take very seriously.Officials say the non-lethal assistance that is being provided includes communications equipment, body armor and night-vision goggles -- but declined to give a detailed inventory of the aid.Jarba's visit came at an inauspicious time for opponents of Assad, after rebels pulled out of the battleground city of Homs and UN and Arab League mediator Lakhdar Brahimi resigned after failing to broker a political solution to the war which has claimed 150,000 lives.Speaking after meeting Kerry last week, Jarba thanked Kerry for Washington's support for the struggle of the Syrian people, for freedom and democracy, and also to lift the injustice and fight oppression and dictatorship that Bashar al-Assad is engaging in. But he stressed the Syrian people were looking for more concrete support from the superpower and country that plays a leading role in the world.Washington has many times warned that Assad has lost legitimacy and must go, but Obama has been wary of embroiling the United States in another foreign conflict, after spending years pulling US troops out of Afghanistan and Iraq.

French Foreign Minister defends sale warships to Russia

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius defended Tuesday in Washington the sale of two warships to Russia, despite US opposition -- while leaving open the door to re-examine the contract in October.Per a 2011 agreement worth $1.2 billion, France is to deliver two Mistral warships -- an advanced helicopter assault ship -- to Russia. The first is due October 2014 and the second in 2015.France has so far resisted pressure to suspend the controversial contract, which has triggered protests from the United States and other NATO allies. France needs firmness lessons from absolutely no one, insisted Fabius. France will do its duty, whether in regard to Ukraine or elsewhere.However, the rule with contracts is that contracts which have been signed are honored, the foreign minister said at a press conference during his two-day visit in Washington.Legally, we don't have the possibility of not honoring them, he added, explaining that Russia has already paid out more than half of the agreed fee. The United States has pushed for France to halt the sale, saying it would be a clear sign of global anger at what they said was the aggression of Russian President Vladimir Putin toward Ukraine.The State Department expressed concerns and the issue was discussed during Fabius' meeting with his US counterpart John Kerry on Tuesday.The French official said Kerry had not formally requested Paris renounce the military contract, and he repeated that the final decision will be made in October.It's at that moment that we will see what the legal context of this decision will be, he said.He suggested that the sale could be hypothetically be halted if new international sanctions were imposed on Russia for its actions in Ukraine, in particular during upcoming May 25 elections.If obstruction makes the elections impossible, at that moment we could consider a higher grade (of sanctions) which could clearly concern any number of subjects -- the subject of energy, the subject of finance, or the subject of defense, Fabius noted.

Italy frets over the two sides of Balotelli

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MILAN (AFP) - After AC Milan's worst season in decades, Italians will be hoping Mario Balotelli can end his goal drought at the World Cup finals.But no one can be sure how the temperamental striker will perform or react to being in Brazil.Italy has a tough Group D at the finals, against England, Uruguay and Costa Rica. Coaches, players and fans wonder which side of Balotelli's character will be on display.Will it be the Balotelli left in tears on the bench after being substituted during a 3-1 defeat to Napoli in February? Or will it be the Balotelli who, a week later, hit a 35-metre thunderbolt to secure a 1-0 win over Bologna?The incidents illustrate the inner turmoil and genius of a footballer who, according to previous handlers like former Manchester City coach Roberto Mancini, could be a footballing great.The incidents also offer clues to the inner workings of a player known for a rebellious streak which, if controlled, can have devastating effects for the opposition - and devastating effects for his own team if left unfettered.Balotelli firmly established himself as Italy's first-choice striker after scoring four goals, including a brace in the semi-final against Germany, at the 2012 European Championships.He went on to score seven times in World Cup qualifying as Italy finished top of Group B with two games to spare.But his eye for goal is tempered by inconsistency and a lack of discipline.Balotelli has improved this season, provoking nine yellow cards in 25 games compared to seven in 13 encounters last season. But his quick temper and inability to turn the other cheek could prove costly to Italy in Brazil.Still only 23, the man born as Mario Barwuah to immigrants from Ghana has come a long way since being permanently fostered by the white, Italian Balotelli family in his formative years.Only recently Balotelli underwent a DNA test which confirmed that he was the father of a one-year-old daughter Pia by former girlfriend Raffaella Fico, who is based in Napoli.Days later, Milan travelled to Napoli, Milan were outgunned and Balotelli suffered the indignity of being substituted by coach Clarence Seedorf for a mediocre display.A week later, Balotelli's wonder strike against Bologna made amends and Balotelli lashed out at media intrusion into his private affairs.People are looking far too much into my private life. I would advise them not to because I'm the Italy striker and they should leave me alone to live my life as I want so I can perform to my best on the pitch, he said.The battle for striker places in Cesare Prandelli's squad has intensified, with Mattia Destro and Giuseppe Rossi all rivals to Balotelli named in Italy's 30-man squad on Tuesday.Ciro Immobile, who with 22 Serie A goals this season for Torino leads the scoring charts, is also in line.So far, Prandelli has stood behind Balotelli. But the 56-year-old coach warned: Balotelli is an important player for the national team, like a lot of others.But he must come to the World Cup fully prepared. He would do well to listen to Seedorf and channel the emotions he is feeling into something positive on the pitch.

Football: Costa Rica coach Pinto looks for change of World Cup fortune

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SAN JOSE (AFP) - Costa Rica coach Jorge Luis Pinto could be forgiven for thinking the World Cup gods are against him.After failing to take the Central American side to the 2006 finals and then proving equally as unsuccessful with his native Colombia for the 2010 campaign, the 61-year-old now has theft to contend with.Just last month, Pinto's notes for a book he was writing, his iPad, contact details and scouting reports on World Cup rivals England, Italy and Uruguay were all stolen from his car parked outside a restaurant in San Jose.They stole details of all my press conferences, my cellphone, cash, personal papers. They also took a book I have had for 20 years which contained the numbers of friends and people in football, said Pinto.Now where am I going to get those numbers?Such misfortunes are nothing new to pint-sized, 1.65m (5ft 5in) Pinto.In his 30-year coaching career, he has managed Costa Rica and Colombia as well as 12 different clubs -- some of them more than once -- in his native Colombia as well as Costa Rica, Peru, Venezuela and Ecuador.But with a national squad featuring more and more players forging their skills in the tough European leagues -- men like Bryan Ruiz and Joel Campbell -- luck may be turning for Pinto.Costa Rica qualified for Brazil in second spot in the final CONCACAF round, behind the United States but ahead of Mexico who were forced into a play-off.In 10 games in the final phase, they conceded just seven goals and won all five of their home games.The size of the country is not important, said Pinto of the tiny Central American nation which does not even have an army.It's the quality of the football that matters and Costa Rica has that quality. Men, women and children adore the game and that really benefits the team.We all love football. Without that passion there is no success.Costa Rica's best performance in a World Cup came in Italy in 1990 when, under the guidance of the colourful Bora Milutinovic, they defeated Sweden and Scotland in the group stage to reach the last-16 where they fell to the Czechs.Campbell, the Arsenal winger who has spent the last season on loan at Olympiakos in Greece, believes Pinto has managed to gel a winning spirit within the squad which could shock their more-fancied rivals.He has definite ideas about how he wants us to play and we work on those ideas in training, he said.

Hamburg face Fuerth with proud record at stake

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BERLIN (AFP) - Hamburg host Greuther Fuerth on Thursday in the first of a two-legged Bundesliga relegation play-off with their proud record of never being relegated from Germany's top flight at stake.Hamburg are the last remaining side in Germany's top tier to have never gone down and a clock at their Imtech Arena stadium proudly displays how long they have spent in the Bundesliga.But the 1983 European Cup winners have just 180 minutes to maintain their 50-year stay.Having finished their wretched season 16th in the table, Hamburg will join Nuremberg and Eintracht Braunschweig in the second division if they fail to beat Fuerth.Fuerth are bidding to come straight back up after a season in Germany's second tier, where they finished third in the table, and they host Sunday's return leg.With reported debts of around 100 million euros (US$136.9m), Hamburg's billionaire investor Klaus-Michael Kuehne has had to pledge 10 million euros in order for the club to obtain their licence next season.Relegation would further harm their struggling finances.To compound their problems, Turkey international Hakan Calhanoglu, 20, has been linked to rivals Bayer Leverkusen, who face a play-off for a Champions League place next season.With Leverkusen reported to have offered 12 million euros, both German daily Bild and the Hamburg's Morgenpost newspaper quoted his agent Bektas Demirtas as saying: If he should change within Germany, then Leverkusen has the best cards.This is a club that plays European who wants him and is willing to pay an appropriate price. Calhanoglu, whose contract runs till 2018 and has no exit clause in his deal should they go down, scored 11 goals from midfield this season and is a bright prospect in a struggling team.He took to social media network Twitter to say his focus is purely on Fuerth: I'll be giving my all for the two most important matches in the club's history.But Dutch midfielder Rafael van der Vaart criticised the timing of Demirtas' comments.If an adviser says something like that two days before such an important game, then he is a bad adviser, said the Dutch playmaker.Everyone here has to understand that he must save the club.Such is the interest in these two matches that Sunday's return match in Fuerth will be screened live to a public viewing area in the Hanseatic City with only 2,000 away tickets available for Hamburg fans.As Hamburg's 76-year-old former Germany legend Uwe Seeler summed up: It has often hurt to watch from the stands, but I assume that we have the upper hand against Fuerth and will stay up.

Turkey mine blast death toll rises to 166

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SOMA (Agencies) - At least 166 people have been killed and hundreds more remain trapped underground after an explosion and fire in a coal mine in the western Turkish province of Manisa, the energy minister said Wednesday.The new toll came as rescue operations continued overnight following Tuesday's disaster when a total of 787 mineworkers were trapped. Some 400 people remain underground and four of those rescued were seriously inured, said Energy Minister Taner Yildiz.Rescuers are working through the night to reach hundreds more miners still trapped underground.Worried relatives have gathered near the privately owned mine, about 450km (280 miles) west of the capital Ankara.Energy Ministry Taner Yildiz confirmed the latest death toll on Turkish TV and said some 80 people had been injured.He said that of the workers inside the mine at the time of the accident, only about 360 of them - including those killed - had been accounted for.Mr Yildiz said that carbon monoxide poisoning had claimed many lives. Oxygen was being pumped into the mine to help those still trapped, he added.The electrical fault triggered a power cut, making the mine cages unusable. Those trapped are reported to be 2km (1.2 miles) below the surface and 4km from the mine entrance.The blast happened at about midday on Tuesday. Initial reports said 17 people had died but the death toll leapt later in the day.TV footage showed rescuers helping workers from the mine, their faces and hard-hats covered in soot and dust. Some were carried on stretchers to waiting ambulances.Police were keeping the crowds back to allow emergency services in and out of the area.Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has postponed a trip to Albania over the accident and is to visit Soma instead, his office said.The mine's owners, Soma Komur Isletmeleri, said an investigation was under way but the accident occurred despite the highest safety measures and constant controls.Our main priority is to get our workers out so that they may be reunited with their loved ones, the owners said in a statement.Lignite coal mining is a major industry in the Soma area, helping to supply a nearby lignite-fired thermal power plant.Analysts say the safety record of Turkey's coal mines lags behind that of most industrial nations.The country's worst mining disaster was in 1992, when 270 miners were killed near Zonguldak, on the Black Sea.

Lyari gang-war key figure Baba Ladla killed by Iranian border guard

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GWADAR (Dunya News) – A prominent figure of Lyari gang war Baba Ladla was killed by Iranian border guard as Ladla attempted to flee by illegally crossing the border, Dunya News reported.A prominent figure of gang-war of Karachi’s Lyari area Noor Muhammad who went by the alias Baba Ladla was attempting to cross international border between Iran and Pakistan. Ladla, who is also considered deputy to the gang head Uzair Baloch was gunned down by the Iranian border guard.Sindh government had set a bounty for Ladla’s head. Ladla was one of the most wanted criminals having about 120 cases registered against him.The cases registered against him sought various charges including murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, kidnapping for ransom, drugs and extortion.Ladla had married twice. He was a member of People’s Aman (peace) Committee but had parted ways over disputes.Ladla along with accomplices went underground following Karachi operation. According to intelligence sources, Ladla was hit by three bullets while trying to cross into Iran.

Benfica out to exorcise ghost of finals past Jesus

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TURIN (AFP) - Benfica coach Jorge Jesus has called on his players to lay the ghost of an astonishing seven successive defeats in European finals to rest when they face Sevilla in Wednesdays Europa League final.Jesus has steered Benfica to the Portuguese league title, victory in the League Cup and a May 18 final in the Portuguese Cup to put the lisbon side within sight of an historic quadruple haul of trophies.But although mastering one final so far this season - last weeks win against Rio Ave in the League Cup - has given his side an element of serenity, Jesus knows that achievement could mean little if they dont shake off a 52-year-old hoodoo.Since winning a second consecutive European Cup in 1962, Benfica have stumbled at the last hurdle in seven further European finals -- five times in the European Cup, once in the UEFA Cup (1983) and once in its successor, the Europa League (2013).The memory of last years defeat to Chelsea in Amsterdam has been partly erased by domestic achievements this campaign.But despite claiming most of his players are blissfully ignorant of the clubs chequered European history, Jesus knows its time to set the record straight.I dont think we can talk about any kind of curse, Jesus told reporters at Juventus Stadium on Tuesday.Most of the players dont even know about these statistics. Its folklore.In saying that, its something that motivates us further and gives us strength.One day this streak is going to be broken. We have to put the ghost to rest. Lets hope it is tomorrow.- Nervous -Benfica captain Luisao has led by example in the Portuguese giants route to the final, notably heading off the line when keeper Jan Oblak was stranded to help secure a scoreless draw in the decisive second leg of their semi-final tie away to Juventus.Luisao admits to having pre-match butterflies, but the sour taste of last years defeat has the towering Brazilian centre-back relishing a different outcome.Were all feeling a little nervous but that is a good sign, it means were up for the challenge and motivated to get the match started, said Luisao.Last year we werent seen as favourites. And although this year people see us as favourites from the outside, both sides have gone through a lot to make it to the final.Weve been tested, but were all feeling comfortable and ready to give everything. I know what it feels like to win a final (domestic) with Benfica, and Id be more than happy to experience that tomorrow.We believe that we can win.Spanish striker Rodrigo, meanwhile, warned of Sevillas potency -- and against any feeling that his sides successes so far this season means they can rest on their laurels.Of course being here, after wining two trophies, makes us feel more relaxed about things. But tomorrow is a new game, a new final. We start from zero, said Rodrigo.Sevilla are here because they deserve to be. No one gets to a final by luck. They have great players so its going to be a very interesting game, but well be doing our best to make sure we finally get our hands on the trophy.

Google EU data case raises censorship fears

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - A European Court of Justice decision ordering Google to delete some personal data on request has raised concerns about online censorship and how Internet search works in various countries.The EUs top court ruled Tuesday that individuals have the right to ask the US Internet giant to delete personal data and to be forgotten online under certain circumstances when their personal data becomes outdated or inaccurate.Analysts who follow the online space said the global impact of the ruling was not immediately clear, but that it could raise some tricky issues in Europe and beyond.The practical implementation seems to be vague and potentially very messy, said Greg Sterling, analyst at Opus Research who follows the search business.Sterling said Google should be able to comply and filter the results, but that means Internet search results could be different depending on where the user is located, in a manner similar to what takes place in China under government censorship rules.This opens the door to people who dont like search results to remove or change their information, Sterling told AFP.The analyst added that it could be problematic trying to determine which results to remove and that this begs the question about what is in the public interest.Danny Sullivan of the website Search Engine Land said the impact may be positive if it only applies to protection of privacy.However, theres a real concern if this turns out to be abused, if done to prevent easy access to legitimate public records, Sullivan added.- Collateral censorship -Margot Kaminski, who heads the Information Society Project at Yale Law School, said in a tweet that the ECJ ruling puts decisions in hands of intermediaries (and) will cause collateral censorship.That point was also made by the British-based advocacy group Index on Censorship.This is akin to marching into a library and forcing it to pulp books, the group said in a statement.Although the ruling is intended for private individuals it opens the door to anyone who wants to whitewash their personal history.Guy Levin of the Coalition for a Digital Economy, a group promoting the British tech industry, said on Twitter that the ruling creates huge uncertainty for anyone using data online - eg advertising, publishing, search. UK startups will suffer as a result.Google said the ruling was a disappointment and dramatically at odds with an opinion last year delivered by one of the ECJs top lawyers.We now need to take time to analyze the implications, it added.Google, which dominates the Internet search industry, has previously argued that it is responsible only for finding the Information.The case highlights growing concerns about so-called online reputation management, which has spawned an industry that helps eliminate or minimize damaging information online.In the United States, a law passed in California allows individuals to erase online content from postings as a minor, but only items the users uploaded themselves.The European ruling would not be possible under US law, said Eric Goldman, who heads the High-Tech Law Institute at Santa Clara University.It almost certainly would violate the (US constitutions) First Amendment, and it would clearly violate current federal law which says websites and search engines cant be liable for third party content, Goldman said in an email.A different view was voiced by Marc Rotenberg, executive director of the Washington-based Electronic Privacy Information Center, who argued that the ruling was very much in the American tradition that people should be able to control information about themselves.This is a very important decision for the privacy rights of Internet users, Rotenberg told AFP.Rotenberg said the decision is in line with a tradition which allows Americans to expunge data such as juvenile criminal records which can be used against them later in life.

Microsoft to offer Kinect-less Xbox at lower rates

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NEW YORK (AFP) - Microsoft said Tuesday it would sell a reduced-price version of its Xbox One console without the Kinect motion detection system.The move comes with Microsoft locked in a tough battle with Sony, which has been leading the game console market with its next-generation PlayStation 4.The Xbox One without Kinect will be sold starting June 9 for $399, the same price as the PS4, according to a blog post by Phil Spencer, head of the Xbox division.Your feedback matters to us and it shapes the products and services we build, Spender said, adding that the console will still deliver access to the best blockbuster games and a range of other content.Microsoft said in April it had sold five million of the Xbox One consoles since last year's launch, well below the seven million PS4s sold by Sony.One of the reasons cited by analysts was the $100 price difference between the two devices.The Xbox One with the Kinect voice control and motion detection will remain at $499.We've heard that you want more choices from Xbox One, Spender said.You want a wide variety of options in your games and entertainment experiences and you also want options in your hardware selection.Spender said the company will offer the Kinect sensor as an add-on for buyers who decide they want that option later.The Xbox One is being sold in 39 countries and is set to launch in China later this year.

Lawyers hired by Pak govt were imposed, Dr Aafia Siddiqui appeals conviction

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NEW YORK (Dunya News) – Imprisoned in United States (US) state Texas, Doctor Aafia Siddiqui on Monday appealed against her guilty verdict awarded in a jury trial in 2010, Dunya News reported.Dr Siddiqui pleaded in the appeal that the attorneys representing her carried out entire defence without her consent. She pleaded the guilty verdict be set aside on the grounds of forceful representation saying that the judge had imposed defence attorneys appointed by Pakistani government on her.Dr Aafia Siddiqui was found guilty of assault and attempted murder and sentenced to 86 years in prison in 2010.Filing appeal against the verdict in New York Federal Court, she pleaded the verdict be set aside on the grounds of inadequate representation.She maintained that her lawyers proceeded with the trial without her consent.She pleaded that her trial and conviction was unfair, adding that it is a grave violation of human rights.According to a US media, Pakistan government paid $15,00,000 (PKR 15 crore approx) to three lawyers it hired.

Electoral reforms demanded by whole country, not just Imran Khan: Khursheed Shah

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Opposition leader in National Assembly Khursheed Shah said on Tuesday that the demand of electoral reforms is of entire country and not just of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan. He said that Imran Khan would not want dictatorship in the country, adding that the current election commission should have resigned along with former Chief Election Commissioner Fakhruddin Ibrahim, Dunya News reported.Addressing media outside parliament house, Shah said that political parties other than PTI are also raising questions over Election Commission, adding that the current election commission should have exhibited impartiality by resigning along with the former chief.He said that PTI doesn’t realize what dictatorship is, adding that Imran Khan wouldn’t want dictatorship to rule the country.He said that political parties should sit together to resolve the issues no matter what the circumstances are.He said that Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Chief Altaf Hussain should be given National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP) and Pakistani passport on priority basis. He said he doesn’t know who the problem is but the responsibility falls on the government.PTI chief Imran Khan had demanded electoral reforms in his public rally on Sunday, vowing to keep pursuing the matter until it is resolved. Various political figures had backed Khan’s demands.

Afghan election results may face delay: officials

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KABUL (AFP) - Afghanistan may delay announcing presidential election results as fraud complaints have yet to be processed, officials said Tuesday, though a run-off vote is expected to be held next month.Full results from the April 5 election were released late last month, and the final declaration that was due out on Wednesday will factor in the outcome of weeks of deliberation over fraud allegations.The preliminary results showed former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah in the lead on 44.9 percent of the first-round vote, with ex-World Bank economist Ashraf Ghani on 31.5 percent.None of the eight candidates appeared to have gained more than 50 percent, triggering a run-off between the two top names as Afghanistan undergoes its first democratic transfer of power.We are waiting to receive the conclusion (of the complaints commission), Noor Mohammad Noor, spokesman for the Independent Election Commission, told AFP late Tuesday.The decision to announce or delay the final results depends on when we receive it, and details of the decision since we maintain the right to object to it.There is still a chance for the final results to be announced tomorrow, otherwise there will be a delay.The Independent Electoral Complaints Commission (IECC) said it expected to deliver its work shortly.If we need more time to finalise our work, it is for the sake of more transparency and to have a fair and just outcome, its spokesman told a press conference in Kabul.- Abdullah gains allies -Afghan officials and Kabul-based diplomats say June 14 has been pencilled in for the head-to-head election to choose President Hamid Karzai's successor as US-led troops withdraw from Afghanistan by the end of the year.On Sunday, Abdullah received a major boost with the endorsement of third-placed Zalmai Rassoul, a close ally of Karzai.Rassoul was seen as the favoured candidate of the outgoing president, but his own campaign gained little momentum and he took just 11.5 percent in the first round of voting.Another costly, and potentially violent, election could be avoided by deal-making in the coming weeks, and Rassoul's support for Abdullah increased pressure on Ghani to concede.Karzai, who is constitutionally barred from a third term in office, has stayed publicly neutral in the election.The United Nations' mission has welcomed Afghanistan's conduct of the vote but warned officials that they must address all fraud allegations openly.The 2009 election, when Karzai retained power after defeating Abdullah, was marred by ballot-box stuffing in a chaotic process that shook the multinational effort to develop the country after the ousting of the Taliban regime in 2001.The first-round election last month was hailed as a success, with turnout far better than in 2009 and the Taliban failing to launch a major attack despite threats to disrupt the vote.A run-off vote in June -- at the height of the traditional fighting season -- could prove more difficult for Afghanistan's stretched security forces.The eventual winner will lead Afghanistan into a new era as US-led NATO combat troops end their 13-year war against the Taliban insurgency and international aid money declines.

Polio certificates for travelers applicable from June 1

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Federal government on Tuesday sent guidelines of vaccination certificates with regards to travel restrictions to provincial governments. The condition of obtaining polio vaccination certificate will be applicable from June 1, Dunya News reported.Obtaining polio vaccination certificates for Pakistanis traveling abroad was made mandatory in the wake of recent outburst of polio virus and the restrictions imposed by World Health Organization (WHO).Federal government sent the guidelines in this regard to the provincial government asking them to comply.The guideline has been prepared by Ministry of National Health with consultation from WHO. As per the guideline, the polio vaccination certificate will be valid for one year.It has been made mandatory to get polio vaccination at least four weeks prior to the travel in ordinary circumstances, and one day prior to the travel in case of urgency.Travelers of all age are required to take two drops of vaccination, and no one gets exemption from obtaining the certificate.Pregnant woman will also have to take two drops of polio vaccination prior to traveling abroad. The signature of authorized officers is also mandatory for the certificate.Polio vaccination certificates are applicable from June 1 this year.
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