Tuesday 20 January 2015

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Petrol Crisis: Lahore High Court extremely irked over govt's silence

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LAHORE (Roznama Dunya) – Lahore Highcourt on Tuesday expressed extreme indignation over federal government’s inability to provide any answer to various applications submitted against petrol shortage. Lahore High Court while expressing its displeasure questioned why no answer has been submitted by the Federal government even though 4 days have passed.According to the details, the High Court has summoned Secretary or Joint Secretary of the Petrloeum Ministry. The court stated that it wants to know where the actual problem lies in the current petroleum shortage and the reasons behind the crisis.During a hearing, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah remarked even further stating that the court wants to know why this crisis occurred. He stated it was important to know this because if the current crisis is on-going then this may lead to increased severity in electricity crisis in the future.Justice Mansoor Ali Shah stated that apparently it is the responsibility of the government to resolve the petrol problem. On the other hand, the nation’s representatives should raise their voices in Provincial Assemblies and in the Parliament so that this crisis can be resolved.Gohar Nawaz Sindhu and many others who submitted the application against the petrol crisis have expressed that the citizens are facing extreme problems due to the shortage. The government keeps holding meetings after meetings on the other hand, but still no one responsible has been implicated.Only hollow claims are being made in press coferences that current crisis will be resolved. No practical steps have been taken. They also stated that the court should take action against those who have created an artificial shortage of petrloleum.Law officers requested time to submit government’s answer after which further hearing was adjourned till Wednesday.The High Court has demanded an explanation from Federal Petroleum Ministers, Pakistan State Oil (PSO), Punjab Government and Advocate General Punjab. An application has also been submitted for investigation of the current crisis. An applicant Zubair Niazi has also demanded that action should also be taken against companies implicated in the crisis. Oil companies created this crisis intentionally he said. Government and oil companies together are robbing the nation.The Sindh High Court on applications submitted against petrol crisis has also issued notices to Minister for Petroleum, Finance Minister along with others involved and has demanded an answer till 26th January.This story wasalso published in Roznama Dunya on 21-01-2015

Shiite militia attack Yemen president's home, seize palace

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SANAA (AFP) - Defiant Shiite militiamen seized control of Yemens presidential palace and attacked President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadis residence Tuesday in what officials said was a bid to overthrow his embattled government.As the UN Security Council began an emergency meeting to condemn the attack and back Hadi, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said he was gravely concerned and called for an immediate halt to the fighting.Abdul Malik al-Huthi, leader of the militia that bears the name of his late father, was defiant, warning that all options were open against Hadi, whom he accused of supporting the fragmentation of the country.He also said his movement was ready to stand up to any measures the Security Council might adopt.Violence has escalated in the capital, raising fears that Hadi, a key US ally in its fight against Al Qaeda, will fall and the country descend into chaos.Information Minister Nadia Sakkaf said the militia had launched an attack on Hadis residence in western Sanaa, after witnesses reported clashes in the area.Hadi was earlier reported to have been in the building meeting with advisers and security officials.The Yemeni president is under attack by militiamen who want to overthrow the regime, Sakkaf said on Twitter.Witnesses said the fighting outside the residence appeared to have subsided after two soldiers were killed.A military official told AFP the militiamen had also seized the presidential palace in southern Sanaa, where Hadis offices are located, and were looting its arms depots.Prominent Huthi member Ali al-Bukhaiti said on Facebook that the fighters had taken control of the presidential complex.In New York, the Security Council backed Hadi as the legitimate authority and said all parties and political actors in Yemen must stand with by the government to keep the country on track to stability and security.For her part, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said all parties must step back immediately from conflict.But Huthi said all options are open in this action, and that no one, the president or anyone else, will be above our measures if they stand to implement a conspiracy against this country.In a long televised address, he also warned the Security Council that you will not benefit from any measures you wish to take against the Huthis.We are ready to face the consequences, regardless of what they are.While calling for a full ceasefire and a return to dialogue, the council did not threaten any sanctions.In November, it slapped sanctions on two of the militias commanders, and on ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh, but not on Huthi.The fresh unrest shattered a ceasefire agreed after a bloody day Monday that saw the Huthis, who overran Sanaa in September, tighten their grip on the capital.Militiamen and troops fought pitched battles near the presidential palace and in other parts of Sanaa, leaving at least nine people dead and 67 wounded.The militia seized an army base overlooking the presidential palace, took control of state media and opened fire on a convoy carrying Prime Minister Khalid Bahah from Hadis residence.Bahah escaped to his residence, where he has lived since taking office in October, and it was surrounded by the Huthis late Monday.Tensions have been running high in Sanaa since Saturday, when the Huthis abducted Hadis chief of staff, Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak, in an apparent move to extract changes to a draft constitution that he is overseeing.Mubarak is in charge of a national dialogue set up after Saleh was forced from power in February 2012 following a year of bloody protests.Saleh has been accused of backing the Huthis, and a source in the presidential guard told AFP that some troops still loyal to the ex-leader had supported the militia on Monday.Before his kidnapping, Mubarak had been due to present a draft constitution dividing Yemen into a six-region federation, which the Huthis oppose.The militants, who hail from the remote north and fought a decade-long war against the government, have rejected the decentralisation plan, claiming it divides the country into rich and poor regions.Since they seized Sanaa, the Huthis have pressed their advance south of the capital, where they have met stiff resistance from Sunnis, including Al Qaeda loyalists.Yemens branch of the jihadist network, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, is considered its most dangerous and claimed responsibility for this months deadly attack in Paris on French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo.Hadis government has been a key ally of the United States, allowing Washington to carry out repeated drone attacks on Al Qaeda militants in its territory.

Shelling in eastern Ukraine kills at least 6 civilians

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DONETSK (AP) - Shelling in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk killed at least six civilians Tuesday, as fighting intensified between government and rebel forces.AP reporters saw the bodies of two people who were killed while waiting for a bus in the separatist-held city of Donetsk. Separatist authorities said another person died from an attack elsewhere in the city. Regional authorities loyal to the government said six people in total, including the three counted in Donetsk, had died throughout the day.Fighting spiked over the weekend in the bitter battle for control over Donetsks now-shattered airport. The level of artillery exchanges has abated since that peak.In an effort to kick-start a peace process, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier invited his counterparts from France, Russia and Ukraine to a meeting in Berlin on Wednesday to discuss the crisis in eastern Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov plans to attend, the ministry said in Moscow.The resurgence in fighting during the last few days led to a threatening situation, Steinmeier said in Berlin.Negotiating stakes for the warring parties hinge on the terms of a cease-fire deal drawn up in September in the Belarusian capital, Minsk. Agreement was ostensibly reached over a line of contact between the opposing forces, although that has been insufficient to prevent continued fighting.A new truce reached in December swiftly unraveled after the New Year and culminated with the confrontation that is still continuing at Donetsk airport and in surrounding areas. Separatists insist they are entitled to control over the terminal, which now remains little more than a smoldering shell, while Ukraine says the Minsk deal makes no provisions for the airport.The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which was a party to the September deal, on Tuesday issued a declaration calling for an immediate, new cease-fire and for full implementation of the previous agreement.At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said that de-escalation of the conflict will be the main topic at the meeting which will take place in Berlin on Wednesday.He said that Ukraine intelligence reports show that around 2,000 troops entered Ukrainian territory and participated in combat operations.With this type of approach we will never ever reach de-escalation he said.Ukraines military spokesman Andriy Lysenko earlier Tuesday said Russia this week boosted separatist numbers with two battalions, comprising 400 troops each. He didnt detail how that figure was obtained.Russian defense ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov called claims that troops had been sent into Ukraine as absolute nonsense, according to Russias Interfax news agency.While Moscow has routinely denied supplying manpower and weapons to separatists in Ukraine, the sheer quantity of powerful arms in rebel hands has long strained those assertions. Numerous Russian citizens actively participate in combat in rebel formations, but Russia insists they are there on a voluntary basis.The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs cautioned earlier this month that the renewed intensification in hostilities is accompanied by an alarming deterioration of the humanitarian crisis. The U.N. has said it is concerned thousands of people are unable to buy essential food and medicine and that many are living in cold winter conditions.More than 4,700 people have died since the unrest began, according to U.N. figures.

Schools not linked to police station helpline despite security threats

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Lahore (Roznama Dunya) – Despite the security threat, thousands of schools in Punjab could not be linked to the security helplines of the relevant police stations. Thousands of sims which were supposed to be issued for the purpose of province wide security network were also not purchased.According to educational department sources, as per advice of security institutions schools were supposed to be linked to relevant police stations for a rapid and swift response in case of any terrorist activity . An official announcement has been made for this purpose. But the situation remains unchanged as a week passes after schools have been opened after extended winter holidays.According to the program Head masters of 63 thousand government schools were supposed to buy sims and register their mobile numbers in police stations. After buying sims of the specific mobile network, 55*was supposed to be dialed to notify the relevant police station.According to the government educational department sources these sims will be purchased within 14 days by the school’s headmasters. Executive District Officer (EDO) Education Lahore Pervaiz Akhtar has said that orders concerning security have been given and sims have been purchased for this purpose.This storyhas also been published in Roznama Dunya

Gas pipeline blown up in Dera Allah Yar

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DERA ALLAH YAR (Dunya News) - According to details, some unidentified persons blew up a six-inch diameter gas pipeline near Dera Allah Yar on Tuesday night.Gas supply to several cities, including Dera Murad Jamali, was suspended after the blast. Rescue teams have been dispatched to the area to start repair work.

Karachi: Two accused killed in police encounter

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – According to details, two accused were killed in an alleged police encounter at the Shahra-e-Noor Jehan in Karachi on Tuesday night.Police sources said that the accused were busy in looting people at the Shahra-e-Noor Jehan. The accused opened fire when a police party reached the spot. Police returned the fire as a result both the robbers were killed.

Imran, Reham leave for Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan and his wife Rehan Khan left for Saudi Arabia on early Wednesday morning to perform Umrah.According to sources, the PTI chief will also meet Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri during his stay in Saudi Arabia. Dr Qadri has been staying in Arab for last two days.According to the sources, both the leaders would discuss the political situation of the country and also the next phase of the anti-government movement. Moreover, they would discuss the political situation of the country after the Peshawar attack.

Football: Sterling slalom checks Chelsea in League Cup

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LIVERPOOL (AFP) - Raheem Sterlings magnificent second-half solo goal earned Liverpool a 1-1 draw with Chelsea in the first leg of their League Cup semi-final at a snow-speckled Anfield on Tuesday.With Chelsea leading through Eden Hazards 18th-minute penalty, Jose Mourinhos side were poised to pull off a classic smash-and-grab when Sterling surged through their defence to equalise in the 59th minute.The goal, Sterlings seventh of the season, was a demonstration of the 20-year-old England forwards quicksilver brilliance and was the reward for a committed and industrious display by Brendan Rodgerss men.Im delighted with the performance, disappointed with the result. We thoroughly deserved to win the game, said Rodgers.We showed wonderful character. Some of our play was very impressive and it sets up the second leg perfectly because theyve probably got to open up a bit more.Its still all to play for. It was a great game and that shows the improvements that were making.Sterlings goal prevented Premier League leaders Chelsea from recording a third successive victory at Anfield, where they famously derailed Liverpools title challenge last season.Liverpool appear to have belatedly digested that disappointment, having now lost only once on their last 15 outings in all competitions.But Chelseas away goal means that Mourinho -- seeking to win the trophy for a third time -- will feel he holds the upper hand ahead of next weeks return leg.Its a draw. I am not sad as a defeat, not as happy as a victory. My emotion is in the middle, Mourinho told the BBC.Im not saying we are favourites now. This semi-final was two legs and now its only one match, and thats at Stamford Bridge. We defended well and our goalkeeper was good.The winners will face either Tottenham Hotspur or third-tier Sheffield United in the English seasons first major final on March 1.Predictably, Mourinhos plea for Chelseas fans not to sing their song about Steven Gerrard fell on deaf ears, with the visiting supporters quick to remind the Liverpool captain about his notorious slip in the London clubs 2-0 win at Anfield last April.But Gerrard almost silenced them in the 16th minute, letting fly with the kind of dipping 30-yard shot that was once his trademark, only for the recalled Thibaut Courtois to palm it over the bar.It came after a spell of Liverpool pressure that briefly ignited the freezing crowd, but within two minutes, the hosts were behind.After Cesc Fabregas darted past him, Emre Can stuck out a leg, and Hazard fell over it. Referee Martin Atkinson deemed it a penalty and Hazard sent his Belgium team-mate Simon Mignolet the wrong way from the spot.It was the precursor to some meaty challenges in midfield, but Liverpool were initially unable to lay a glove on Chelsea where it mattered.The ball appeared to strike Diego Costas arm after he went to ground inside the Chelsea box in first-half stoppage time, but the hosts animated penalty appeals were waved away.Chelsea continued to resist early in the second half, Gary Cahill blocking from Sterling, but just before the hour Liverpool drew level with a goal of shimmering quality.Receiving a pass from Jordan Henderson with his back to goal 40 yards out, Sterling span away from Nemanja Matic and then glided past Cahill before drilling home with his left foot.Liverpool had their tails up and a second goal seemed imminent, with Gerrard curling a left-foot shot against the post and Courtois plunging to his right to thwart Philippe Coutinho.Gerrard made way for Adam Lallana with 20 minutes to play, but the home side continued to pepper Courtoiss goal with shots, obliging the giant Belgian to save from Henderson, Sterling and Lallana.

Rebels killed in UN helicopter gunship strike in Mali

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BAMAKO (AFP) - A UN helicopter gunship on Tuesday destroyed a rebel vehicle in northern Mali, causing some fatalities, after UN troops came under heavy weapons fire on the ground, the UN mission said.UN peacekeepers were compelled to use force in response to direct heavy weapons fire on (them) in Tabankort, its MINUSMA mission said in a statement corroborated by a rebel umbrella group joining ethnic Tuaregs and Arabs.MINUSMA noted that its mandate authorises it to use force to protect civilians, its personnel and its property in case of attack or imminent danger.The statement said the peacekeepers fired warning shots on the rebel vehicle that had attacked MINUSMA ground troops stationed in Tabankort, near Gao, the largest city in northern Mali.Despite these warning shots, the shooting continued, so and MINUSMAs attack helicopters reacted, rendering the vehicle harmless, it said.The Coordination of Movements of Azawad (the Tuareg name for northern Mali) said it had been the target of aerial bombardments by MINUSMA aviation (that) led to deaths and injuries.The incident follows fighting in the area that broke out a week ago pitting Tuareg and Arab groups against other armed groups considered Bamako loyalists who want to be included in Algerian-brokered peace talks.Mali descended into crisis in January 2012, when an insurgency by Tuareg rebels led to a coup in the capital Bamako. Militants linked to Al-Qaeda then overpowered the Tuareg to seize control of Malis northern desert.A French-led military operation launched in January 2013 drove the extremists into the bush, while the Tuareg rebels remain active throughout the northeast of the country.The jihadists remain active as well, launching regular raids on UN forces. On January 5, 11 Malian soldiers were killed during an assault on the Nampala garrison near the border with Mauritania.Tuesdays incident came as Algeria was set to host a new round of talks on a peace accord for northern Mali.Algerian-brokered negotiations yielded a ceasefire deal and a roadmap for peace talks in July but subsequent rounds have failed to generate momentum towards a final agreement.

Golf: Allenby pulls out of Humana Challenge

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LA QUINTA (AFP) - Australian golfer Robert Allenby has withdrawn from this weeks Humana Challenge after being beaten and robbed in Hawaii.Allenby said in a statement on Tuesday that he was skipping the tournament in the California desert east of Los Angeles on the advice of his doctor.On the advice of my personal doctor, I have decided to withdraw from this weeks Humana Challenge, Allenby said. This will enable me to ensure I am fully recovered prior to rejoining the PGA Tour. I anticipate a full recovery and look forward to returning in the near future.On Monday, Allenby insisted that the cuts and bruises on his face were proof that he was kidnapped, robbed and assaulted in Honolulu on Friday.Its such a shame that people are focusing on whether the story is true, Allenby said in the texts, according to the Golf Channel. I say you only have to look at me to see the truth.Allenby believes he was taken from a wine bar near Waikiki, where he had gone with friends after missing the cut in the Sony Open.But he has no memory of the events that took him from the bar to a park where he later found himself, beaten and without his phone or wallet.A passer-by helped him get back to his hotel, and police are investigating the incident.Once again, I would like to thank the local authorities in Hawaii as well as the PGA Tour for their assistance, Allenby said Tuesday. I am also grateful for all the kind words of support I have received from so many people.Any further updates on the investigation will come from local law enforcement, he added.

Canadian soldiers directing air strikes in Iraq

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TORONTO (AP) -Canadian special forces in northern Iraq have been helping Kurdish peshmerga fighters by directing coalition airstrikes against Islamic State extremists work generally considered risky because it means they are close to the battle against the group.The Canadians efforts complement those of the United States, which has conducted the vast majority of the airstrikes against the Islamic State group. But in their new role, the Canadians are performing a task that so far the U.S. has been unwilling to do.Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has repeatedly said the U.S. would consider directing attacks from the ground but that it has not done so.Brig. Gen. Mike Rouleau, the commander of Canadian special forces, said his soldiers have directed 13 strikes.Canada has 69 special forces soldiers in Iraq in what the Canadian government has called an advising and training role. Rouleau said they do about 80 percent of their training and advising well behind the front lines and about 20 percent right at the front lines.In what was apparently the first ground firefight between Western troops and the Islamic State group, Canadian soldiers engaged in a gun battle with militants after coming under a mortar and machine gun attack while at the front lines conducting training over the last week. Rouleau said Monday the Canadian sniper fire neutralized the machine gun and mortar without taking any casualties in what he called an act of self-defense. Two senior officials with the coalition said clashes took place in Kurdish territory near the Mosul Dam. The troops were not directing air strikes at the time, Rouleau said.Rouleau said that directing air strikes does not mean Canada has escalated its mission.He said his troops are doing it because the Iraqis cannot, which has the added benefit of giving commanders confidence that the targets are legitimate. Rouleau said that kind of assurance ultimately makes the process faster and safer not only for local troops, but civilians as well.Canadian Lt. Gen. Jonathan Vance said its not clear how long it will be before Iraqi forces are able to call in coalition airstrikes against the Islamic State group without Canadas help. Vance said he wasnt sure when that specialized training will be provided, but he expects that down the road the Iraqi air force and army will be able to bring in and guide airstrikes.When asked whether directing air strikes would be considered combat and whether Canadian soldiers are doing more than U.S. soldiers in directing air strikes, Julie Di Mambro, a spokeswoman for Canadas defense minister, said the international jihadist movement has declared war on Canada and its Allies. We must confront this threat head on, which is exactly what this government is doing. While I cant speak for the activities of other countries, I will say that we are tremendously proud of the great work that our Canadian Armed Forces are doing fighting the terrorist threat from (the Islamic State group) in Iraq and we stand 100 percent behind them.Opposition parties accused Harpers government on Tuesday of dragging Canada farther into direct combat operations, contrary to what the Harper government has promised.Canada also has six CF-18 fighter jets, a refueling tanker aircraft and two surveillance planes in Iraq as part of the air combat mission.There are currently 2,350 U.S. troops in Iraq, including 1,550 who are training and advising Iraqi forces and supporting that mission, and 800 that are providing security. The U.S. has also been waging a broad and persistent airstrike campaign against Islamic State insurgents, conducting the vast majority of the coalition strikes.As of Jan. 19, the U.S. had struck 765 locations in Iraq and nearly 800 in Syria. The 11 other coalition nations, which includes Canada, have launched strikes on about 360 locations.

Rainstorms mar Zambia's presidential vote

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LUSAKA (AFP) - Heavy rains on Tuesday held up the start of voting in parts of Zambia, where a close-fought presidential election was under way to replace Michael Sata, who died in office last year.Election authorities said voting failed to take place in some remote parts of the country after downpours rendered them inaccessible.A number of polling stations will start tomorrow (Wednesday), elections director Priscilla Isaacs said late Tuesday.Material for more than 140 polling stations and some 1,500 polling officers were to have been airlifted to villages cut off by the rains Tuesday.But not all materials and staff could be moved as extreme thunderstorms grounded the flights.Voters in at least two dozen out of around 6,000 polling stations are expected to cast ballots on Wednesday.The delay in the delivery of polling material led a frontrunner in the vote, opposition candidate Hakainde Hichilema of the United Party for National Development (UPND), to cry foul.Why are there no ballot papers in our strongholds? Someone is scheming around. Its fraud, Hakainde told reporters after casting his ballot in Lusaka.Fifty-two-year-old Hichilema is seen as the main challenger to Defence Minister Edgar Lungu, 58, who represents the ruling Patriotic Front (PF).Cannot control the weatherWe have no control over the weather, Isaacs said.The first counts were expected to begin trickling in overnight, while the final results were to be released by Friday.The interim vote was triggered after Sata died in October last year from an undisclosed illness.At stake is the remaining year and a half of his five-year term in the copper-rich southern African nation.Despite scheduled elections also due next year, Zambians braved rains and chilly temperatures in long queues to cast their votes. Observers suggested a low voter turnout could be blamed partly on the weather.The rivals -- Lungu the lawyer and Hichilema the economist, known as HH -- both drew huge crowds at their final rallies.But in the absence of reliable opinion polls, analysts hedged their bets.Its a two-horse race, said Oliver Saasa, CEO of Premier Consult, a business and economic consultancy firm. Its quite clear this is a very closely run race.My vote is going to make a difference, we are going to remove this...(PF) family, said 55-year-old vegetable vendor Matron Siyasiya. They can claim all the good work, but Gods favour is on my candidate, and that is HH.Grace Nyirongo, who runs a takeaway food business, said she was satisfied with the government and echoed the ruling PFs campaign slogan of continuity.We want the government to continue with the projects started by Sata. Frankly theres no need to start afresh, Nyirongo said.The rains, which also pounded Lusaka did not deter voters in the Zambian capital.Many lined up in rain-drenched clothes, wading through mud or puddles to cast their ballots.Hichilemas camp is seen to have received a boost from the infighting within another major opposition party, the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD), whose candidate Nevers Mumba has little chance.Lungus PF, meanwhile, went into the vote badly fractured by a bitter power struggle after Satas death in October.Two opposing camps -- one led by Lungu and another by interim president Guy Scott -- nominated rival presidential candidates.After many weeks of mud-slinging, Lungu emerged as the sole candidate -- but of a weakened party.Scott, Africas first white leader in 20 years, cannot stand for the presidency himself as his parents were not born in Zambia.With ideological differences between Zambias political parties difficult to pin down, voting patterns are often determined by personalities and ethnicity rather than issues.Despite growth-oriented policies and a stable economy over the past few years, at least 60 percent of Zambias population of 15 million lives below the poverty line, according to World Bank figures.About 5.2 million people are eligible to vote.

Dollar firms vs euro, yen on outlook for Fed rate hike

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NEW YORK (AFP) - The dollar gained ground against the euro and yen Tuesday as the market expects the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates this year as the US economy continues to strengthen.The Feds policy path was underscored by the International Monetary Funds latest economic growth estimates that showed weaker momentum in nearly all major economies, except the United States.The IMF reduced its global economic growth forecast for this year to 3.5 percent, and to 3.7 percent in 2016. By contrast, the IMF raised the US growth estimate for this year to 3.6 percent from 3.1 percent.The Fed, which holds its first monetary policy meeting of the year next week, is expected to lift its key rate in the first half of the year, from near zero where it has been pegged since December 2008 to help support the US recovery from the deep 2008-2009 recession.The euro remained stuck in long-running weakness against the greenback ahead of the European Central Bank monetary policy meeting on Thursday. The ECB is expected to further open the liquidity floodgates and announce a program of sovereign bond purchases, known as quantitative easing, to prop up the sagging 19-nation eurozone economy.The greenback was on sound overall footing at one-week highs against the yen and near its best levels in 11 years versus the euro. Markets will be in a central bank frame of mind over the coming week, a narrative that in recent months has supplied the US currency with outsized appreciation, said Joe Manimbo at Western Union Business Solutions.Confirmation from the Fed that a mid-2015 rate hike is on the table would keep a strong pillar under the dollar, he said.2200 GMT Tuesday MondayEUR/USD 1.1553 1.1606EUR/JPY 137.24 136.44EUR/CHF 1.0119 1.0207EUR/GBP 0.7627 0.7679USD/JPY 118.80 117.56USD/CHF 0.8756 0.8795GBP/USD 1.5147 1.5113

FARC demands Colombia stop ceasefire 'abuse'

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HAVANA (AFP) - The communist FARC guerrillas demanded on Tuesday that Colombias government do more to respect a unilateral ceasefire begun last month, as the sides work to end a half-century of civil war.The governments military actions in the weeks since the ceasefire go against the national mood and contradict President Juan Manuel Santoss desire to de-escalate the conflict, the FARC said.You cannot abuse the good faith with which we undertook the ceasefire, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) said in a statement posted on its website and attributed to its peace delegation in Havana, where the two sides are in talks.FARC said on December 20 it would observe an indefinite, unilateral truce so long as its forces do not come under attack. The Colombian government has refused to agree to a ceasefire until a comprehensive peace agreement has been reached.The leftist guerrillas have refrained from initiating new hostilities thus far.Colombian officials said the ceasefire is holding with only isolated incidents of violence where FARC rebels are active.This is a gesture of humanity in response to widespread outcry by the victims of the conflict and national expectations for achieving the end of the confrontation, the ceasefire text said.The Bogota government and the FARC have been negotiating for more than two years in Havana to bring an end to the groups 50-year-old insurgency, but key issues remain unresolved, including disarmament and how any agreement should be ratified.The peace talks being held in the Cuban capital opened in November 2012.They were recently derailed after FARC took captive a general and several soldiers. Talks resumed in December following the generals release.Since 1964, more than 220,000 people have died in the fighting in Colombia.

US Congress slams deadly attacks in France

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - US lawmakers Tuesday roundly condemned the recent attacks in France that killed 17 people, and called on governments worldwide to support free speech and counter violent extremism.Hours before President Barack Obamas State of the Union address before both chambers of Congress, the Senate and House of Representatives each unanimously passed a resolution condemning the bloody attacks in Paris.The resolutions extend sympathies to all those impacted by the attacks on the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazines office in Paris and a kosher market in the capital city.With this condemnation also comes a commitment to stand with France and our allies in confronting the grave threat radical Islam poses to our security and way of life, House Speaker John Boehner said.We must rise to this moment.The resolutions also call upon countries to join a global effort to battle violent extremist ideologies and terrorist groups.The Senate text slammed the cowardly attacks, and noted the priority of reaffirming fundamental freedom of expression in their aftermath.But the lawmakers actions expressing support for France also highlighted the increasingly complicated effort to battle Islamist-driven extremism and the need to show resolve in the face of terror.The unfortunate reality is that these attacks in Paris are indicative of a resurgent terrorist threat from radical Islamist extremists, House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Ed Royce said in a statement.Our intelligence sharing with allies -- already strong -- will need to get sharper; border checks improved; and coalition efforts to destroy ISIS will need to be stepped up, he said, referring to the Islamic State extremist group.House Democrat Eliot Engel told the chamber that while lawmakers grieve with France, our oldest ally, the resolutions send a potent anti-terror message.Whether in Paris or New York, Moscow or Jerusalem, whether homegrown or imported, whether targeting Jews, Muslims, Christians, or anyone else, violent extremism has no place in a civilized world, he said.
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