Friday 12 September 2014

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Javed Hashmi to contest by-polls as independent candidate

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JAHANIAN (Dunya News) – Javed Hashmi, former president of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI), has decided to contest by-polls from constituency NA-149 Multan as an independent candidate.He stated this during a meeting with political figures from Jahanian. He further said that he will visit Jahanian soon to meet his workers.Javed Hashmi further said that all political parties, including PML-N, PPP, JI and MQM, have extended their support to him in the by-polls.

Section 144 imposed in Rawalpindi

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RAWALPINDI (Dunya News) – The Government has imposed Section 144 in Rawalpindi district with immediate effect due to security concerns. According to DCO Rawalpindi, Section 144 will remain in force till 48 hours.Section 144 bans a gathering of more than four people at one place for rallies and protests and also bans carrying weapons. Pillion riding and use of loudspeaker has also been banned.

Oil prices fall on concerns about oversupply

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NEW YORK (AFP) - Oil prices dropped Friday, resuming a downward tilt due to concerns about a mismatch between lofty petroleum supplies and tepid demand growth. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for October delivery fell 56 cents to $92.67 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.European benchmark Brent oil for October delivery shed 97 cents to $97.11 a barrel in London, its lowest closing price since June 2012.Fridays drop resumed a trend in September towards lower prices that was interrupted by a rally Thursday.The US is essentially drowning itself with oil and the demand is not solid enough, said Oliver Sloup, director of managed futures at iiTrader.Tim Evans, energy analyst at Citi Futures, said the drop in Brent reflects ongoing worries that global demand growth has slowed. Leading energy forecasters including the International Energy Agency this week trimmed their oil demand forecasts due to weak economic conditions in China and Europe.Oil traders were discounting positive news, such as a solid 0.6 percent gain in US retail sales in August, Evans said.The failure to rally on bullish news confirms that bearish market sentiment continues to dominate, he said.

Yen falls further, pound higher as Scotland vote looms

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NEW YORK (AFP) - The yen fell again against the dollar and euro Friday while the pound edged higher amid polls in Scotland showing a small majority against breaking from the United Kingdom.The euro meanwhile gained on the dollar, while remaining below the $1.30 line.Markets remain on edge ahead of the Federal Reserves policy meeting next week -- where a slightly less dovish tone could emerge -- and the Scottish independence referendum next Thursday.The pound sank last week after polls shocked markets by showing an unexpected majority of Scots in favor of breaking away.But that decline was halted on Thursday when a new survey show the electorate leaning against independence.The British Pound is likely to face heavy volatility in the week ahead as the Bank of England publishes the policy meeting minutes, while Scotland takes to the polls to vote for independence on September 18, said David Song, currency analyst at DailyFX.Despite the risk of Scotland leaving the UK, it seems as though the central bank will retain its game plan to normalize monetary policy as (BoE chief Mark) Carney sees the first rate hike coming in the Spring of 2015.

Blue Moon diamond unveiled in LA

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LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Los Angeles Countys Natural History Museum on Friday unveiled the Blue Moon Diamond, a 12-carat gem described as one of the rarest stones in the world.Deep blue and intensely radiant, it was found in South Africas Cullinan mine northeast of Pretoria, where the biggest ever rough diamond was unearthed a century ago.Fancy vivid blue diamonds are extremely rare and the Blue Moon is no exception, said Suzette Gomes, chief executive of Cora International, a leading diamond supplier from whom the gem is on loan.It is a historic stone that is one of the rarest gems with this color and in this size to be found in recent history, she added.Only a few bigger blue diamonds exist, including the Heart of Eternity, valued at $16 million, and the 45-carat Hope worth an estimated $350 million despite having a reputation as being cursed.The value of Blue Moon, which took six months to be cut from a 30-carat rough diamond, is not yet known but Gomez noted that Cora bought the rough diamond for $26 million.The Cullinan mine is where a 3,106-carat diamond was discovered in 1905. It was presented to the British monarch King Edward VII and then cut up, with two of the principal resulting gems forming part of the British crown jewels.These are the First Star of Africa (530 carats) and the Second Star of Africa of 317 carats, now held in the Tower of London.

Ebola toll hits 2,400 as Cuba pledges medics

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GENEVA (AFP) - The worst-ever Ebola outbreak has killed more than 2,400 people, the UN said Friday, as Cuba pledged the largest foreign medical team deployed so far in the west African health crisis.World Health Organization chief Margaret Chan warned the spiralling epidemic of the murderous tropical virus demanded a stronger, faster response from the international community.In the three hardest-hit countries, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, the number is moving faster than the capacity to manage them, she told reporters in Geneva.As of Friday, 4,784 people had been infected with Ebola and more than 2,400 of them had died, Chan said.She did not specify if the figures also included Nigeria, which has reported 21 cases, eight fatal, since the deadliest Ebola outbreak on record began in Guinea at the start of the year.Senegal has also seen one confirmed case of Ebola -- a Guinean student who has recovered.While hailing that no other cases have yet emerged, WHO cautioned Friday that the country remains a high risk of further transmission.Transmitted through bodily fluids, the tropical virus can cause fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, organ failure and internal and external bleeding, killing more than half of those infected.There are no licenced treatments or vaccines for Ebola, but the WHO has endorsed rushing out potential cures and hopes a tentative vaccine will be available by November.In the meantime, the UN health agency has said blood transfusions from people who have survived Ebola can be used to help boost antibody defence in those infected.Hospital officials said Friday that an American doctor being treated for Ebola in Nebraska had been given such a blood transfusion from another American doctor who recovered from the virus.Rick Sacra, a 51-year-old Christian missionary doctor infected with Ebola in Liberia, had been upgraded from serious to good condition, after a week of receiving plasma from recovered Ebola patient Kent Brantly and an unnamed experimental drug, they said.While experimental treatments raise hope of eventually finding a cure, Chan stressed Friday that the thing we need most of all is people on the ground.She welcomed a pledge from Cuba to send 62 doctors and 103 nurses to Sierra Leone, where more than 500 people have died.The UNs announcement came as health officials in Sweden said they were conducting tests on a patient with a possible case of the virus. Results are expected Saturday from the unnamed patient who comes from a country in west Africa affected by Ebola, a spokesman told AFP.The WHO estimates that another 500 foreign health professionals and around 1,000 local doctors and nurses are needed to stop its deadly surge through west Africa.The Cuban health workers will remain in the region for six months, Cuban Health Minister Roberto Morales Ojeda told the Geneva news conference.All have previously participated in post-catastrophe situations, and all volunteered for the mission, he said.Cuba, which has a long tradition of sending its world-renowned medics to help with situations around the globe, has pledged the biggest team to date to take part in the Ebola fight.The United States has already sent some 100 medics, and the African Union has pledged to send around 100 more, while a range of other countries have pitched in with smaller teams and other aid. WHO and the Doctors Without Borders charity meanwhile each count around 200 international medical experts on the ground in the region, while WHO has 300 more on standby.While welcoming the push in Sierra Leone, Chan said Friday the situation in neighbouring Liberia was especially desperate, without a single bed left to treat Ebola patients.The UN vowed its peacekeepers, who have been there since the country emerged from 14 years of civil war in 2003, would stay the course.The UN mission would help the people of Liberia and its neighbours to get through this terrible crisis, UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous told AFP late Thursday. The UN childrens agency warned Friday that the outbreak was already taking an especially dire toll on children in Liberia, which is expected to face an exponential increase in infections.In addition to falling victim to Ebola themselves, many children are losing their caregivers, with some 2,000 orphaned in Liberia alone, said Sarah Crowe, head of UNICEFs crisis communication in Liberia.Children who lose family members to Ebola meanwhile can face deep stigma, and are often rejected by the community and forced to roam the streets without proper parental care, shelter or food, she said.Around 20 percent of children who have lost family members to Ebola in Liberia are under the age of two, according to UNICEF.

Zeus, tallest dog in the world, has died

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - Zeus, the Great Dane who in 2012 earned the Guinness World Record as tallest dog in the world, has died at age five, a local US newspaper said Friday.Zeus died last week of old age, owner Kevin Doorlag told the Kalamazoo Gazette, a local daily in the midwestern US state of Michigan. He would have celebrated his sixth birthday in November.The gentle giant, who measured 44 inches at the shoulder and more than seven feet tall when standing on his hind legs, weighed more than 150 pounds, the paper reported.In 2012, when Zeus entered the records book, Doorlag said his massive canine often sparked astonishment when he took him on walks.The most common thing people ask is: Is that a dog or a horse? he recounted, according to NBC news.

Musharraf's dictatorship was better than Nawaz's democracy: Imran Khan

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ISLAMABAD: (Dunya News) – Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan has said that General Pervez Musharraf’s dictatorship was better than Nawaz Sharif’s democracy. He said that if people did not get their rights, the gates of a bloody revolution will be opened.Addressing the protesters at the sit-in in Islamabad today (Friday), Imran Khan said that youth’s future is in danger and the only solution is ‘real democracy’. “You may be able to earn money abroad but will you be able to earn respect”, he saked. Imran said that he had problem with Pakistan’s judiciary. “Judiciary must be free in a free country. Real democracy cannot be achieved without free judiciary”, he added. Imran said that he was at the forefront for restoration of former Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Chaudhry. “Because I believed that justice cannot be attained without a free judiciary”, said Imran Khan.“I had faith in Iftikhar Chaudhry at the time of 2013 elections but he turned out to be the biggest Mir Jafar of Pakistan’s history”, Imran said. He said, “I had warned before elections that the election will not be free and fair”. “Is it not the job of this country’s judiciary to give justice to the people of Pakistan”, asked Imran.Chairman PTI said that law is being misused in order to cover up rigging. “I had forewarned that PTI will come on roads if denied justice”, said Imran. Imran said that he did not need Army’s help. “My people are my army”, he said. He said that peaceful protesters were shot at and arrested. “Where was judiciary”, asked Imran Khan. “Under which law protesters were beaten by the police”, Imran questioned from the judiciary. Imran said that he will get any PTI worker arrested if found involved in attack on Pakistan Television building. “We pay DJ Butt”, said Imran.Imran Khan said that despite Islamabad High Court’s orders, containers are not being removed. “I ask the traders when they will rise for their rights”, he asked. He said that Nawaz Sharif is a coward. He said that he was ready for facing even a suicide attack and was not a coward like the rulers. “If judiciary won’t give justice, where would the people go?” questioned Imran. He asked, “Isn’t it judiciary’s job to protect human rights”. He requested the Chief Justice to take suo moto action and provide justice to the people.“Both the sons of Javed Khan are in jail. I ask Chief Justice where we should go for getting justice”, asked PTI Chairman. He said that Nawaz Sharif is maligning judiciary, Mir Shakeelur Rehman is a pharaoh and both are in an alliance. He said that there was no need for talks with the government anymore.

Yemen rebels, officials to meet with UN to solve crisis

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SANAA (AFP) - Shiite rebels and Yemeni officials met Friday seeking to fine-tune a deal to end a standoff sparked by calls for the government to quit but failed to make headway, a UN diplomat said.Even so, the two sides agreed to meet again in the presence of UN envoy Jamal Benomar, who has been in Sanaa since Thursday, in a renewed effort to clinch an agreement, the diplomat said.Zaidi rebels have been camped out in the capital for weeks, demanding the resignation of the government, which they accuse of corruption, and a reduction of fuel prices.On Thursday sources from both sides said a potential deal had been reached to end the stalemate.That deal, reached late Wednesday, stipulated that a new prime minister will be named within 48 hours and fuel prices be cut further, a presidency source told AFP.Another source in President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadis office said it was an understanding over an agreement that will be finalised by Benomar.Talks to fine-tune the deal were held late Thursday and into the night between government representatives led by presidential adviser Abdelkarim al-Ariani and Mehdi Machchat for the rebels.A source close to the talks said progress has been achieved and that discussions focused on a new premier and cutting fuel prices.- Differences remain -The rebels, known as Huthis or Ansarullah, had been demanding that Hadi consult them before naming a new prime minister.Authorities want the rebels to dismantle protest camps in Sanaa as part of a deal to resolve the crisis.The regime wants the camps dismantled as soon as a new prime minister is named, but we will do this after a new government is formed, a rebel official told AFP.The rebels have battled the government for years from their Saada heartland in the remote north, complaining of marginalisation under former president Ali Abdullah Saleh.Saleh was forced from power and replaced by Hadi in February 2012, after a deadly 11-month uprising.Hadis government is trying to push a plan for a six-region federation, but the rebels and southern separatists have rejected the move.On Friday the source close to the talks said the rebels are demanding a revision of the outline of the future federal state to ensure that their province has an outlet to the Red Sea.Ansarullah also wants the government to apologise for the deaths of eight of its supporters killed in a police crackdown Tuesday, the source added.A rebel official confirmed that differences remain.There are differences but the negotiations to solve the crisis are being held in a positive climate, the source said.The UN diplomat later confirmed that the rebels and officials failed to bridge their differences Friday.It was not possible for the negotiators to overcome their differences, the diplomat told AFP.But they agreed to hold a new round of negotiations in the next two days under the supervision of UN envoy Jamal Benomar, said the diplomat.On the streets of Sanaa, Ansarullah supporters demonstrated on Airport Road Friday while government loyalists held a rival protest, witnesses said, noting that, unlike in past weeks, the rallies were peaceful.

Hollande backs Iraq as world ramps up anti-IS efforts

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BAGHDAD (AFP) - President Francois Hollande said during a visit to Baghdad Friday that France is ready to step up military assistance for Iraq, as global efforts intensified to defeat Islamic State jihadists.It was the highest-profile visit to Iraq since IS-led militants overran large parts of the country in June and sparked international concern over an expanding jihadist threat.And it came as US Secretary of State John Kerry was in Ankara to try to convince NATO member and key regional ally Turkey to allow its airbases to be used in a campaign against the jihadists.Hollande touched down hours after Washington secured commitments from 10 Arab states to help stamp out IS, which the Central Intelligence Agency has said has as many as 30,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq.The United States, which pulled its troops out of Iraq in 2011, began a campaign of air strikes against the group last month.President Barack Obama vowed this week to expand operations, including to Syria, and the Pentagon said combat aircraft would soon start flying out of a base in the countrys north.Obama is seeking to build a broad coalition to defeat IS, which has declared a caliphate straddling Iraq and Syria, attacked minorities, posted videos of gruesome beheadings online and vowed to take the fight to the West.France, which is to host an international conference on Iraq on Monday, has said it is prepared to take part in air strikes against the militants in Iraq if necessary.I came here to Baghdad to state Frances availability in providing even more military assistance to Iraq, Hollande said at a news conference with Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi, whose cabinet was approved by parliament this week but with key security posts unfilled.Hollande later travelled to Iraqs autonomous Kurdish region for meetings with officials, and also visited a church sheltering displaced Iraqi Christians.Speaking at a joint news conference with regional president Massud Barzani, Hollande said that arms France provided to the Kurds were decisive in reversing the balance of power against IS militants.He also pledged to set up a humanitarian bridge, and we will also handle the cases of families facing extreme situations who have links with France and who want to shelter with their relatives.But he earlier said that: The first duty we have is to fight against terrorism, it is not to give in to terrorism by drawing people out of their homeland.- Repudiating their hateful ideology -Ten Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, have agreed to do their share in the comprehensive fight against IS, they said after meeting Kerry Thursday in Jeddah.Along with the Saudis, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are parties to the agreement, as are Egypt, Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon.The fight would include stopping the flow of foreign fighters through neighbouring countries, countering financing of (IS) and other violent extremists, repudiating their hateful ideology, ending impunity and bringing perpetrators to justice.It would also include humanitarian relief, and the US would has pledged an additional $500 million in assistance for victims of the Syria conflict.France, along with the United States and Britain, has pledged to supply arms to the autonomous Kurdish government, whose peshmerga forces play a key role in attempts to recapture the areas IS seized.French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has said France was prepared to take part in US-led air strikes against the jihadists in Iraq if necessary but has stressed that Syria was a different situation.In Ankara, Kerry had a two-hour meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after Turkey refused to allow its air bases to be used for strikes on the Islamists or to participate in combat.Our hands and arms are tied because of the hostages, a Turkish official told AFP on the eve of Kerrys visit.He was referring to the 49 Turks, including diplomats and children, abducted from the Turkish consulate in Mosul in Iraq in June.- Strong recruitment -IS now has about 20,000 to 31,500 fighters on the ground in Iraq and Syria, the CIA said, much higher than a previous estimate of 10,000.This new total reflects an increase in members because of stronger recruitment since June following battlefield successes and the declaration of a caliphate, greater battlefield activity, and additional intelligence, spokesman Ryan Trapani said.The vastly higher estimate underscored the scale of the challenge after Obama vowed to expand an offensive against the extremists.Germany, which has ruled out taking part in air strikes against IS, on Friday outlawed providing active support to IS, warning that the group poses a threat to Europe.Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said the immediate ban covered the recruitment, including on the Internet, of jihadist fighters, the use of IS symbols and social media propaganda.He also reiterated concern over an estimated 400 Germans who have travelled to Iraq and Syria to fight on the side of the jihadists, some of whom have returned to Germany.We must prevent radical Islamists bringing their jihad to our cities, he said.

International diamond thief detained in Switzerland: Interpol

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PARIS (AFP) - A suspected Chinese jewellery thief accused of stealing millions of dollars worth of diamonds across the world has been arrested in Switzerland during another robbery, Interpol said Friday.Chinese national Jianguo Meng, 46, is linked to over a dozen heists since 2012, including the theft of a diamond ring worth $1.5 million (1.15 million euros) from Bahrain last year, and was subject to an Interpol Red Notice, the international police organisation said.Meng and an accomplice were arrested in Zurich when a jewellery store employee recognised him from the industry alert and called police, it said in a statement.He now faces extradition to Bahrain.According to Interpol, Meng is suspected of carrying out robberies in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Malaysia, Monaco, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, and always operated in tandem with another individual.In each case, two suspects entered the store and asked to be shown a selection of high-end diamond rings, the statement said.When a number of rings were out on the counter or table, the suspects would distract the salesperson by asking for directions or a business card, and then steal one of the rings when the vendor turned away.Interpol said it was investigating at least two Chinese organised criminal groups operating in a similar manner to Meng.

Eurozone ministers seek 'balancing act' to boost growth

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MILAN (AFP) - European ministers struggled to strike a balance on Friday between turning around a moribund eurozone economy with more spending and cutting bloated national budgets burdened with debt.Eyes at a eurozone group meeting in Milan were especially on France, the blocs second-biggest economy, and increasingly a European problem-child, mired in high unemployment, stagnant growth and ballooning public deficits.The French government on Wednesday warned it would need until 2017 to work down its deficit to the EU limit of three percent of gross domestic product (GDP), the third year running Paris will ask Brussels for leniency.This is the start of the debate, not the conclusion, said Dutch Finance Minister and Eurogroup chief Jeroen Dijsselbloem, in a cautious note.France has to finalise their budget and we will see where they stand and whether they have done enough to respect the pact, he said.France had promised Brussels it would return to three percent next year, but French Finance Minister Michel Sapin on Wednesday said the deficit in 2015 would come in at 4.3 percent, far off the mark.Obviously, Frances partners want to work with us on this question, Sapin said after the talks.2014 is difficult for everybody, he added.The Stability and Growth pact, a strict set of EU rules, was significantly strengthened during the debt crisis in an effort by Brussels, backed by Germany, to keep member states in line and avoid the busted budgets that brought on the crisis.But the rules are now blamed for not only bringing economic hardship to once comfortable citizens, but also causing a return to recession, with growth in the 18-country currency bloc falling to zero percent in the second quarter.- More investment needed -European Economic Affairs Commissioner Jyrki Katainen admitted in an op-ed on Friday that a balancing act would be required, softening his usual hardline on budgets.Defending the pact, Katainen said EU overseers will take into account economic developments and the efforts each country is making with fair treatment for all countries, large or small, northern or southern.But he also reiterated the Commissions firm stance that structural reforms, despite the political challenges, must be pushed through.Without real reforms, effectively implemented, we will not have sustainable growth and job creation, he said in a news conference.Germany, the eurozones most powerful country, also signalled that more needed to be done to fight the stagnating economy, despite its own zero-tolerance for public over-spending.We have economic conditions that demand more investment everywhere in Europe, in Germany too, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said.On Saturday, when ministers from all EU countries meet, Germany and France will jointly introduce a working paper providing options towards boosting investment, with Berlin urging a focus on longer-term spending on infrastructure and research.European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi, also at the talks, said a policy mix involving monetary, fiscal and structural policies was needed to jump-start the economic recovery in the euro area.However, he warned: No monetary stimulus, indeed no fiscal stimulus, can be successful unless accompanied by the right structural policies -- policies that foster potential growth and instil confidence.The tensions between budgetary hawks and the pro-growth lobby were underlined on Friday by an outburst from Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi.With Italy now in its third recession in less than a decade and also beset by deflation, the ECB has this week cast doubt on whether Rome will meet its own target of reducing its budget deficit for this year to 2.6 percent of GDP.Renzi responded on Friday via Twitter.We dont need lessons from Europe, but we do need the 300 billion (euros) investment, he tweeted, in a reference to incoming European Commission president Jean-Claude Junckers call for a 300-billion-euro ($388 billion) programme.

Archaeologists uncover vast ancient tomb in Greece

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ATHENS: (Reuters) - Archaeologists have unearthed a vast ancient tomb in Greece, distinguished by two sphinxes and frescoed walls and dating to 300-325BC, the government announced on Tuesday.The tomb, in the country s north-eastern Macedonia region, which has been gradually unearthed over the past two years, marks a significant discovery from the early Hellenistic era. A culture ministry official said that there was no evidence yet to suggest a link to Alexander the Great – who died in 323 BC after an unprecedented military campaign through the Middle East, Asia and northeast Africa – or his family.The official said the Amphipolis site, about 65 miles north-east of Greece s second-biggest city, Thessaloniki, appeared to be the largest ancient tomb to have been discovered in Greece.Archaeologists began excavating the site in 2012 and expect to enter the tomb by the end of the month to determine who was buried there.It looks like the tomb of a prominent Macedonian of that era, said a second culture ministry official. Alexander the Great died in Babylonia, in modern Iraq, and his actual burial place is not known.Archaeologists have found two sphinxes, thought to have guarded the tomb s entrance, and a 4.5-metre-wide road leading into it, with walls on both sides covered by frescoes. It is circled by a 497-metre marble outer wall.Experts believe a five-metre-tall lion sculpture previously discovered nearby once stood atop the tomb.It is certain that we stand before an especially significant finding. The land of Macedonia continues to move and surprise us, revealing its unique treasures, the prime minister, Antonis Samaras, said on Tuesday during a visit to the site.

Two dykes breached to save Multan, Muzaffargarh

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MULTAN (Dunya News/Web Desk) – Authorities have made two breaches at the Head Mohammad Wala Bridge to save Multan from flood water.First 200-feet wide breach was made in Akbar Bund towards Kot Addu side to protect Head Muhammad Wala Bridge and help minimize flood pressure.The second 100-foot wide breach was made in the same bund towards Muzaffargarh to decrease water pressure on Muhammad Wala Bridge to save Multan City.While, Shershah dyke has also been blown up to save Muzaffargarh.The breach in Akbar Bund, the road link between Multan and Muzaffargarh has been disconnected. However, Multan-Muzaffargarh carriage way via Chenab Bridge is operational for traffic.A water torrent of 450,000 cusecs is passing through Head Mohammadwala and has reached Sikandri nullah near Multan, inundating several villages including Mamrot Basti Sial, Qasim Bela, Mohammadpur Ghota and Nawabpur.On the other hand, water level in River Chenab at Head Trimmu has decreased but Athara Hazari and adjoining villages are still inundated.Water level is continuously rising in Indus River. Nishtar Ghat’s temporary bridge has been swept away, suspending road link between Rajanpur and Rahim Yar Khan.A massive flood torrent is expected to reach Sukkur between September 16 and 17. Due to flood threat, authorities have ordered evacuation in Ghotki, Kashmore, Khairpur, Shikarpur and Larkana’s rural areas.There is high flooding in River Ravi at Head Sidhnai. Dozens of areas including Toba Tek Sindh, Kamalia, Sahiwal, Harrapa and Chichawatni are still inundated in floodwater.On Thursday, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said more than 1.8 million have been affected by the raging torrents -- a figure that includes both those stranded at home and those who fled after the floods hit.The floodwaters are moving downstream through Pakistan s Punjab province, inundating huge swathes of farmland in the country’s breadbasket and most prosperous area.The military, which often plays an important role in disaster relief efforts, said troops had rescued 22,000 people stranded by floodwaters around Punjab and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.Pakistan has suffered deadly floods around the same time every year since 2010, when the country was hit by the worst inundations in its history.The waters that year swamped 160,000 square kilometres (62,000 square miles) of land -- an area bigger than England -- and cost the country nearly $10 billion, the equivalent of 6.5 percent of GDP. Around 1,800 people were killed and 20 million affected.But an analysis this week by Topline Securities, a Karachi-based investment company, said this year’s floods do not appear to be on the same scale.Seeing the preliminary numbers... reported by NDMA, magnitude of the flood looks like 2012 and 2013, but much lower than 2010, the report said.The floods of 2012 killed nearly 600 people and affected 4.6 million, while those in 2013 killed around 300 and affected some 1.5 million. On the other hand, the Sindh government has put irrigation and other authorities on high alert and evacuated people from Kacho (riverbed) area in Dadu district. The government has also directed authorities to evacuate people from Sukkur, Ghotki, Khairpur and Dadu districts.Currently medium flooding is being witnessed at Guddu and Sukkur barrages as peak flood is expected to start passing from Sindh barrages from Monday.The Guddu barrages is expected to hold up to 700,000 cusecs, Sukkur barrage up to 600,000 cusecs while Kotri barrage over 600,000 cusecs.Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Wednesday visited the Sukkur and Guddu Barrages as well as other protective embankments of River Indus in different areas.Speaking to media he claimed that all embankments of River Indus are intact and the required precautionary measures have been taken to avoid any untoward situation.Meanwhile, army relief and rescue operations continue in flood hit areas in Jhang, Multan, Bahwalpur and Rahim Yar Khan. Army troops have dropped 52.176 tons of rations through helicopters in flood hit areas of Jhang, Multan and Bahawalpur areas.Since start of flood relief operation 29,295 people have been rescued by army troops through helicopters and boatsThree medical camps established in Jhang, Chiniot and Trimoo are providing medical treatment to the flood affectees.Four mobile medical Units comprising of army doctors are providing medical treatment to flood affectees in Multan and Bahwalpur areas.

Pleasant relations with Islamabad China's top priority: Chinese President

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DUSHANBE: (Dunya News) – Chinese President Xi Jinping has said that pleasant relations with Islamabad have always been China’s top priority. He said that he is waiting to visit Pakistan.While meeting Prime Minister’s advisor on national security Sartaj Aziz in Tajikistan’s capital Dushanbe today (Friday) on the occasion of Shinghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Xi Jinping said that Pakistan-China relations have always remained pleasant. Both leaders discussed several issues of mutual interest. He said that China and Pakistan are close friends and both countries have supported each other on every important issue.Chinese President said that China is determined to improve strategic cooperation with Pakistan. Chinese President said that the concerned parties in Pakistan have the capacity to end their differences through talks and keeping the national security intact. He also offered to help Pakistan’s flood victims.
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