Tuesday 3 February 2015

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Kohat: Four excise officials gunned down

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KOHAT (Dunya News) – According to details, some unidentified gunmen opened fire at a vehicle of Excise Department at Hangu Road on Tuesday, killing three excise officials on the spot and injuring another official and driver.The dead and injured were taken to District Headquarters Hospital where the injured official of Excise Department succumbed to his wounds. Police and other law enforcement agencies reached the spot and launched search operation.

Mild earthquake jolts Nawabshah

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NAWABSHAH (Dunya News) – A low intensity earthquake jolted Nawabshah and adjoining areas on early Wednesday morning. The epicentre and the actual magnitude of the quake cannot be ascertained.The quake panicked the residents who immediately came out of their homes. However, there are no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

Hong Kong stocks rise at least 0.80%

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HONG KONG (AFP) - Hong Kong stocks climbed 0.80 percent Wednesday following another rally on Wall Street fuelled by hopes that Greece and European leaders can hammer out a deal over the countrys debt mountain.The benchmark Hang Seng Index added 195.98 points to 24,750.76.

North Korea warns US of nuclear strikes, cyber warfare

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SEOUL (AFP) - North Korea on Wednesday appeared to rule out any resumption of dialogue with the United States, threatening to react to any US war of aggression with nuclear strikes and cyber warfare.The statement from the countrys top military body, the National Defence Commission (NDC), came after reported moves by Washington and Pyongyang to revive long-stalled six-nation talks on denuclearisation.The NDC said recent comments from President Barack Obama had revealed that the United States goal was to bring down North Korea.The statement was an apparent reaction to an interview Obama gave on January 22 in which he spoke of the eventual collapse of the North Korean regime, calling it the most isolated, the most sanctioned, the most cut-off nation on Earth.North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, who is head of the NDC, said on the weekend that Pyongyang refused to sit any longer at the table with rabid dogs barking about toppling its socialist system.Since the gangster-like US imperialists are blaring that they will bring down the DPRK (North Korea)... the army and people of the DPRK cannot but officially notify the Obama administration... that the DPRK has neither need nor willingness to sit at negotiating table with the US any longer, the NDC said.If the US ignites a war of aggression and unleashes a nuclear war, North Korea will counter it through its own nuclear strikes, it said in a statement carried by the Norths official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).And if the former tries to bring down the latter through a cyber warfare, it will react to it with its own preeminent cyber warfare and will thus bring earlier the final ruin of the US, said the statement titled US imperialists will face final doom.The Washington Post reported on Monday that US and North Korean nuclear envoys had been secretly discussing the idea of talks about talks, but had been unable to agree on practical arrangements.US State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in response that Washingtons position had not changed and that it continues to offer Pyongyang an improved bilateral relationship provided it takes action on denuclearisation.North Korea carried out nuclear tests in 2006, 2009 and 2013.

Jordan vows to start executing Islamic extremists

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AMMAN (AFP) - Jordan vowed to begin executing death-row Islamic extremists at dawn on Wednesday, an earth-shattering response to the burning alive of one of its fighter pilots by the Islamic State group.Hours after a harrowing video emerged online purporting to show the captive and caged 26-year-old F-16 fighter pilot engulfed in flames, a security official said executions would begin at daybreak.Would-be Iraqi female suicide bomber Sajida al-Rishawi was named as the first slated to go to the gallows.The death sentence will be carried out on a group of jihadists, starting with Rishawi, as well as Iraqi Al-Qaeda operative Ziad Karbuli and others who attacked Jordans interests, said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity.King Abdullah II, who was visiting Washington as the video came to light, recorded a televised address to his shocked and outraged nation.The king, who was once in the military himself, described First Lieutenant Maaz al-Kassasbeh as a hero and vowed to take the battle to Islamic State extremists, who have executed several captives on camera in recent months, provoking worldwide revulsion.Jordans response will be earth-shattering, Information Minister Mohammed Momani said on television, while the army and government vowed to avenge the pilots murder.Whoever doubted the unity of the Jordanian people, we will prove them wrong.US President Barack Obama, who hosted Abdullah in a hastily organised and brief Oval Office meeting, led widespread international condemnation of the latest graphic murder, decrying the cowardice and depravity of the Islamic State group.The president and King Abdullah reaffirmed that the vile murder of this brave Jordanian will only serve to steel the international communitys resolve to destroy ISIL, a National Security Council spokesman said after the pair met.The Obama administration had earlier reaffirmed its intention to give Jordan $3 billion in security aid over the next three years.Kassasbeh was captured in December when his jet crashed over northern Syria on a mission that was part of the US-led coalition air campaign against the jihadists.Jordanian state television suggested he was killed on January 3, before IS offered to spare his life and free a Japanese journalist in return for Rishawis release.The White House would not speculate on whether the video was released to coincide with Abdullahs visit to Washington.British Prime Minister David Cameron called the murder sickening, while UN chief Ban Ki-moon labelled it an appalling act.Japans Prime Minister Shinzo Abe condemned it as unforgivable.The death marks a further escalation of Islamic States execution shock tactics after a series of brutal hostage beheadings.The highly choreographed 22-minute footage shows Kassasbeh at a table recounting coalition operations against IS, with flags from the various Western and Arab countries in the alliance projected in the background.It then shows Kassasbeh dressed in an orange jumpsuit and surrounded by armed and masked IS fighters in camouflage.It cuts to him standing inside a cage and apparently soaked in petrol before a masked jihadist uses a torch to light a trail of flame that runs to the cage and burns him alive.The video also offered rewards for the killing of other crusader pilots.Shiraz Maher, from the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation at Kings College London, described the footage as simply the most horrific, disgusting thing I have seen from Islamic State in the last two years.They clearly want to make a real point. This is the first individual whom they have captured who has been directly involved with the Western coalition in fighting IS. It is different from the aid workers... This is an act of belligerence.Every time you think they cannot commit anything worse -- they open up another trapdoor.The release of the video came after IS beheaded two Japanese hostages within a week.The Islamic State group last year declared an Islamic caliphate as it rampaged across Iraq and Syria in a brutal offensive of executions and forced religious conversions.The United States, Jordan and other nations responded with Operation Inherent Resolve, an air-led campaign to pummel the jihadist group.Kassasbehs plane was the first loss of an aircraft since the US-led coalition launched strikes against IS last year.US Central Command said that the group still had the ability to conduct small-scale operations, despite months of air strikes.But, it said, their capacity to do so is degraded and their momentum is stalling.Attacks have hit the IS groups ability to command and control forces; recruit, train and retain fighters, produce revenue from oil sales, and maintain morale.

Cricket World Cup highs and lows

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SYDNEY (AFP) - Highs and lows of the cricket World Cup ahead of the 2015 edition which takes place in Australia and New Zealand from February 14-March 29:1975 Hosts: England, Champions: West Indies- Australia had to bank on Gary Gilmours all-round performance (6-14 and 28 not out) to beat England in the semi-finals. Left-arm fast bowler Gilmour became the first player to grab six wickets in a one-dayer as England were dismissed for 93 on a seaming Leeds track.The final will be remembered for West Indies captain Clive Lloyds 102 off 85 balls against Australia and for Viv Richardss brilliant piece of fielding which led to three of the five run-outs.The West Indies posted 291-8 off 60 overs despite a five-wicket effort from Gilmour before Australia lost by 17 runs.1979 Hosts: England, Champions: West Indies- Australia shed much of their strength after TV tycoon Kerry Packer rocked the establishment by luring top players to his World Series Cricket in 1977.The only surprise was Sri Lankas victory over India in a group match which was to help them gain Test status in early 1980s.In the final at Lords, the West Indies were in trouble at 99-4 after being put in to bat by England skipper Mike Brearley, but found saviours in Viv Richards and Collis King who put on 139 for the fifth wicket.King smashed 86 off 66 balls with three sixes and 10 fours. Richards cracked three sixes and 11 fours in his 157-ball 138 not out to set a 287-run target.Englands tactics left a lot to be desired -- openers Geoff Boycott and Brearley put on 129, but consumed more than half of the stipulated overs. The hosts lost by 92 runs.1983 Hosts: England, Champions: India- West Indies were favourites while India were outsiders having won just one match -- against a lowly East Africa in 1975 -- in the previous two tournaments.The tournament began on a sensational note, with India shocking the West Indies in a group match at Old Trafford and minnows Zimbabwe upsetting Australia.India faced many anxious moments -- they were 17-5 against Zimbabwe at Tunbridge Wells when Kapil Dev blazed 175 not out with the help of six sixes and 16 fours to help his team post a competitive 266-8. Zimbabwe eventually lost the match by 31 runs.In the final, India managed only 183 against a formidable pace attack of Andy Roberts, Joel Garner, Michael Holding and Malcolm Marshall.If there were was one moment that swung the final Indias way, it was Devs catch to account for Richards.Richards mis-hooked a Madan Lal bouncer for Dev, who ran back towards mid-wicket to hold the ball and change the course of the match. West Indies were all out for 140 to hand India a 43-run victory.1987 Hosts: India and Pakistan, Champions: Australia- It was not the tournament for the hosts who had left the party in the semi-finals, leaving millions of fans in India and Pakistan disappointed.Australian paceman Craig McDermott stopped Pakistan with a five-wicket haul to lead his team to victory at Lahore. He was also the tournaments most successful bowler with 18 wickets.India were in the mourning the following day at Mumbai when Englands Graham Gooch swept the hosts spinners on way to a superb century which led to his teams win in the other semi-final.In the final in front of 70,000 spectators at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Australia rode on David Boons 75 to post 253-5 and England were strongly placed at 135-2 in reply before disaster struck.Mike Gatting (41) attempted a reverse-sweep off his counterpart Allan Border, an occasional left-arm spinner, only to give wicket-keeper Greg Dyer a simple catch and England fell short by seven runs.1992 Hosts: Australia and New Zealand, Champions: Pakistan- South Africa would have have contested the final on their maiden appearance after more than two decades of isolation due to apartheid if it were possible to score 21 off one ball.Rain halted South Africas chase when they needed 22 to win off 13 balls against England in the semi-finals. The target was revised to a ridiculous 21 off just one ball when the game resumed. South Africa had no option but to accept their fate.In the MCG final, skipper Imran Khan led from the front against England, top-scoring with 72 to help his side post 249-6. Javed Miandad (58), Inzamam (42) and Wasim Akram (33) also chipped in useful runs. England were all out for 227.1996: Hosts: Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka, Champions: Sri Lanka- Arjuna Ranatungas Sri Lankans celebrated when Aravinda de Silva cracked a classy hundred to steer his team to a seven-wicket victory over Australia in the day-night final at Lahore.Sri Lanka were assured of winning two matches even before the first ball had been bowled as both Australia and the West Indies refused to play their opening games in the island nation due to security reasons.Riots took place at Kolkatas Eden Gardens during the semi-final between India and Sri Lanka.India, who had beaten Pakistan in the quarter-finals, were facing defeat against Sri Lanka at 120-8 chasing 252 when disturbances began.The spectators threw missiles on to the field and lit fires in the stands, forcing match referee Clive Lloyd to award the game to Sri Lanka.The tournament saw a shock when little Kenya pulled off a 73-run win over West Indies -- Brian Lara included -- in Pune.1999 Hosts: England, Champions: Australia- South Africa failed to qualify for the final despite not losing their semi-final against Australia which ended in a tie. They bowed out as a result of their inferior net run-rate to Australia in the Super Six stage.In that game, Australia were chasing a stiff 272-run target at Headingley when Steve Waugh, on 56, offered a simple catch to South African century-maker Herschelle Gibbs, who held the ball before dropping it in premature celebrations.The Australian captain needed just that slice of fortune to steer his team to a crucial win with an unbeaten century.The final was an anti-climax, with Australia thrashing Pakistan by eight wickets. Leg-spin magician Shane Warne grabbed four wickets in what turned out to be his last World Cup match as Pakistan were bowled out for just 132.2003 Hosts: South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya, Champions: Australia - The 2003 World Cup was not only about Australias triumph over adversity, but also about protests, boycotts and a drug-ban.Australia suffered a blow even before the show had begun when Shane Warne was ruled out of the tournament after failing a drugs test. England boycotted their match in Zimbabwe and New Zealand refused to play in Kenya on safety and political grounds. The points earned by defaults helped Zimbabwe and Kenya make it to the Super Six stage.Zimbabwean paceman Henry Olonga and batsman Andy Flower were soon to be pushed into exile for their black armband protest against the death of democracy in their country.Shaun Pollocks South Africans bowed out after a miscalculation during their rain-hit match against Sri Lanka.When South African wicket-keeper Mark Boucher hit the penultimate ball off what turned out to be the final over for a six to level the scores, he thought the job had been completed. But his team still needed one more run to win.Kenya made a surprise semi-final appearance but did not have the resources to stretch India who qualified for the final.Ricky Ponting (140 not out) dominated the Johannesburg final with a gem of a knock as Australia set a stiff 360-run target. Despite Virender Sehwags 82, India were bowled out for 234.2007 Hosts: West Indies, Champions: Australia- The 47-day event was not even a one-week old when Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer was found dead in his hotel room in Jamaica. He was initially thought to have been murdered before it was announced he died of natural causes.The former England batsmans death came hours after Pakistans shock defeat against debutants Ireland, the loss eventually leading to the exit of the 1992 champions.Rahul Dravids Indians made a horror start, losing to minnows Bangladesh in their opening match, eventually leading to Indias first round ouster.Disappointment was also in store for spectators in Bridgetown when the rain-hit final between Australia and Sri Lanka ended in semi-darkness.Adam Gilchrist dominated the final, hammering a 104-ball 149 with a squash ball in his left glove which seemed to help him hit straight.Australia posted 281-4 off 38 overs. Sri Lankan veteran Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara made bold half-centuries but their team finished at 215-8 as their target was revised to 269 off 36 overs following a rain interruption.Sri Lanka off-spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan finished with 23 wickets and paceman Lasith Malinga became the first bowler to bag four wickets off as many balls, against South Africa.2011 Hosts: India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, Champions: India- India became the first ever team to win on home soil with a comfortable six-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the final in Mumbai.The occasion also saw Sachin Tendulkar finally win a world title at the sixth attempt and with his 38th birthday just around the corner.The tournament also became a springboard for cricket diplomacy after Indias Prime Minister Manmohan Singh invited his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani to watch the semi-final clash between the arch-rivals in Mohali.Englands high-scoring tie with India in Bangalore breathed life into the tournament, while the English were also defeated by Bangladesh.Pakistan reached the semi-finals despite having had three players banned for corruption and their rights as tournament co-hosts snatched away because of their domestic security nightmare.Ireland scored a sensational victory over England thanks to Kevin OBriens record-breaking century.

Pakistan fired up by rock-steady Misbah, wild thing Afridi

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KARACHI (AFP) - Pakistan one-day skipper Misbah-ul Haq and predecessor Shahid Afridi play for the same team, but come from different worlds.If the unpredictable Pakistanis are to secure a second World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, they need the two heavyweight talents to forge a united front.Misbah is conservative, careful; Afridi is brash, belligerent.Misbah takes time to settle and plays with a straight bat, characteristics which are alien to most fans of the game inPakistan who have still not forgiven him for failing to guide the country to victory over arch-rivals India in the World Twenty20 final in Johannesburg in 2007.His ill-advised paddle-sweep with just five runs needed for victory still rankles.Then at Mohali in the 2011 World Cup semi-finals, Misbah batted out crucial deliveries before scoring 56 off 76 balls as Pakistan again lost to India.If he ever sits in my cab I will ask him why he bats so slowly, said bemused Abu Dhabi taxi driver Kamal Khan during a recent series in the Gulf, Pakistans home-from-home in recent years.Misbah is disliked for his slow batting while Afridi rules hearts because of his aggressive fours and sixes.Afridi tends to throw his bat from the get-go, seemingly caring little for the nature of the pitch, the strength of the bowler or the situation of the match.Once I went to bat and asked Afridi about the pitch and he replied: I dont know, but I am enjoying it as the ball is coming onto the bat, recalled former captain Ramiz Raja.Afridis strength is his lusty hitting -- he hit two last-over sixes to help Pakistan pull off an incredible win over India in last years Asia Cup in Dhaka.When it comes to captaining the side, Misbah and Afridi are poles apart.Despite becoming Pakistans most successful Test captain last year, Misbah is criticized for being defensive. Misbah is overly defensive as captain while Afridi attacks and is very aggressive, former captain Mohammad Yousuf said.Misbah took over from Afridi as one-day skipper in 2011.But when Misbah withdrew from the third and final one-dayer against Australia in Abu Dhabi last year over poor batting form, Afridi grabbed his new opportunity with both hands.But Misbah returned with a bang, equalling the fastest Test century off just 56 balls thus ending speculation that Afridi might replace him as captain for the World Cup.Both men will quit one-day cricket after the World Cup but Misbah will continue to play Tests while Afridi will continue to enjoy the brasher Twenty20.

Football: Beckham's team to temporarily play at university

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MIAMI (AFP) - David Beckhams dreams of seeing his new Miami team gracing a state-of-the-art stadium in a prestigious downtown location seemed further away than ever Tuesday after local authorities suggested the club temporarily play at a university.A year after Beckham announced plans for a new Major League Soccer franchise, the former Manchester United star has been repeatedly frustrated in his attempts to secure a home for his as-yet unnamed team, ahead of the clubs debut season, originally slated for 2017.Miami-Dade County commissioners want Mayor Carlos Gimenez to strike a compromise to house the new team at Florida International University (FIU) in the city in the short term, while negotiations take place to find a more permanent location.It would assist the efforts to identify and develop a permanent location for a soccer stadium facility if a Major League Soccer franchise based in Miami-Dade County began playing professional matches as soon as possible because it would likely increase public support for the franchise and begin building a committed local fan base, said a commissioners resolution.Tadd Schwartz, a Miami Beckham United spokesman, said: Things are progressing in Miami and we are very much on track in our plans.David Beckham is very positive about the future of the club and he continues to enjoy incredible support from the people in Miami.Careful consideration will be given to FIU when we address the opportunities for a temporary facility.Neisen Kasdin, an attorney for the Beckham group in Miami, added: We still remain in the process of identifying a permanent stadium site and that is the priority at this time.Beckham and his investors want the team to play at a 20,000-seat waterfront stadium but they have faced opposition from local interest groups.The FIU Stadium has a 20,000 capacity.

Tokyo: Stocks open 1.23% higher

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TOKYO (AFP) - Tokyo stocks opened 1.23 percent higher on Wednesday following sharp rises on US and European markets backed by higher oil prices and greater optimism over a deal to renegotiate Greeces debt.The Nikkei 225 index at the Tokyo Stock Exchange rallied 213.45 points to 17,549.30 at the start.The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 1.76 percent on Tuesday as US oil prices surged seven percent to the highest level of the year.The higher oil prices eased market fears that the steep drop in the commodity signals major global economic problems.European equities and the euro jumped on hopes of a resolution in Greeces debt talks.Greek officials are pushing the idea of debt swaps that would avoid the need for creditors to accept haircuts on the countrys 315-billion-euro ($361-billion) foreign debt.The euro was firm early Wednesday, buying $1.1456 and 134.81 yen, slightly lower than $1.1479 and 134.96 yen in New York Tuesday afternoon but sharply up from the levels of $1.13 and 132 yen seen in Tokyo on Tuesday.The dollar was at 117.65 yen early Wednesday compared with 117.57 yen in US trade.

Los Angeles: Former US navy officer arrested over bribery scandal

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LOS ANGELES (AFP) - A former top US Navy officer was arrested Tuesday over a bribery scandal centered on a Singapore-based contracting firm, in which seven people have already pleaded guilty, officials said.Paul Simpkins, 60, was arrested in Virginia and charged with conspiracy to commit bribery for his alleged role in a scheme to steer contracts to defense contracing company Glenn Defense Marine Asia (GDMA).Between 2006-2012 he is alleged to have accepted several hundred thousand dollars, travel and entertainment expenses, hotel rooms and the services of prostitutes in return for steering Navy contracts to GDMA.US prosecutors are seeking his transfer to southern California to face justice there, where other plea deals have been arranged.With the arrest of Paul Simpkins, who was recently among the Defense Departments high ranking civilians, we have uncovered yet another tentacle of this pervasive bribery scheme, said US Attorney in San Diego Laura Duffy.The more we learn about the extent of the greed and corruption, the more determined we are to eviscerate it, she added.The Malaysian contractor at the center of the scandal pleaded guilty to fraud charges last month, admitting to bribing officials with cash, prostitutes, Cuban cigars and Kobe beef.Known as Fat Leonard, 50-year-old Leonard Francis of GDMA confirmed he presided over a decade-long scheme involving tens of millions of dollars in bribes, prosecutors said.To date, seven individuals including Francis and GDMA itself have entered guilty pleas as part of the investigation, according to a prosecutors statement.

Dense fog blankets parts of Punjab

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LAHORE (Dunya News) – Fog has blanketed the several cities of Punjab, including Lahore, on night between Tuesday and Wednesday. Life has been badly affected due to the problems being faced by the locals as fog clouds the plain areas of the province.The Allama Iqbal International airport’s operations have been shut down and all the incoming international and domestic flights have been diverted to other airports.The Motorway police have appealed the drivers to use fog lights and drive at very slow speed. They have also requested people to stay home and avoid unnecessary travelling.

Mexican president launches investigations into houses

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MEXICO CITY (AFP) - Battling favoritism accusations, Mexicos scandal-hit President Enrique Pena Nieto announced on Tuesday an investigation into houses that he, his wife and his finance minister bought from government contractors.Pena Nieto, who has been under fire over the purchases of the luxurious homes, denied that there were any conflicts of interest in the transactions with companies that have won lucrative government contracts.I am conscious that the reports have generated the appearance of something wrongful, he said.This has never been the case in my responsibility as president or in my previous public offices, Pena Nieto said in televised remarks announcing a series of measures to combat corruption in Mexico.Reaffirming my commitment with transparency and accountability, I have asked the public service ministry to investigate and resolve whether there were, or not, conflicts of interest, Pena Nieto said.The Mexican leader presented a new anti-corruption czar, minister for public service Virgilio Andrade Martinez, and asked him to form a panel of experts to review the results of the investigation.But experts said the president should have launched an independent investigation instead of putting it in the hands of a ministry.What will the new minister find? Nothing. A subordinate will hardly question his boss or the most important minister of the cabinet, Marcos Hernandez, researcher at the non-profit research organization Mexico Evalua, told AFP.Mexican investigative journalists revealed in November that first lady Angelica Rivera, a former soap opera star, bought a multimillion-dollar Mexico City mansion from a government contractor six months before her husband was elected president in 2012.A scandal erupted because a few days before the news report, Pena Nieto canceled a $3.7 billion contract that had been awarded to a Chinese-Mexican consortium that included the contractor, Grupo Higa.Then in December, Finance Minister Luis Videgaray acknowledged that he had also bought a home from the same contractor two months before Pena Nieto took office in December 2012.In January, The Wall Street Journal reported that Pena Nieto bought a house from another government contractor in a golf course in 2005, when he was starting his term as governor of Mexico State.Pena Nieto, Rivera and Videgaray have all denied any wrongdoing.But the revelations came as Pena Nieto faces the biggest challenge of his presidency over his administrations handling of the presumed murder of 43 college students by gang-linked police.Andrade Martinez, a former economy ministry and elections official, said his job is not to investigate the real estate contracts per se.He told local radio he would look into the deals between the government and the companies to check and conclude if they respected all the rules and if from the combination of relationships ... we can determine that there is a conflict of interest.

Los Angeles: Pilot dies due to taking selfies in cockpit

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LOS ANGELES (AFP) - A pilot who died when he crashed his small aircraft was distracted because he was taking cell phone selfies in the cockpit, likely contributing to the fatal accident, US investigators said Tuesday.The 29-year-old and a passenger were killed instantly when his Cessna 150K smashed into a field on May 31 last year.A National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) probe, using GoPro video taken in the cockpit, indicated that the pilot repeatedly took selfie photos with his phone leading up to the accident.The evidence is consistent with an aerodynamic stall and subsequent spin into terrain, said an NTSB report.Based on the evidence of cell phone use during low-altitude maneuvering... it is likely that cell phone use during the accident flight distracted the pilot and contributed to the development of spatial disorientation and subsequent loss of control.

UN chief decries 'appalling' IS killing of Jordan pilot

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UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday condemned the apparent burning alive of a Jordanian pilot by Islamic State militants, calling it an appalling act.Ban labeled the IS group a terrorist organization with no regard for human life and urged world governments to redouble their efforts to combat the scourge of terrorism and extremism, according to his spokesman Stephane Dujarric.First Lieutenant Maaz al-Kassasbeh was captured in December when his F-16 jet crashed over northern Syria, a mission that was part of the US-led coalition campaign against the IS fighters.The secretary-generals thoughts are with Mr al-Kassasbehs family and loved ones, Bans spokesman said. He shares their sorrow and stands today in solidarity with the government and people of Jordan in denouncing this appalling act.A slickly produced 22-minute video surfaced online showing a man who appeared to be the pilot engulfed in flames inside a metal cage.Jordanian state television said that Kassasbeh was killed on January 3.The 15 members of the UN Security Council also denounced the apparent killing, saying such continued acts of barbarism perpetrated by ISIL do not intimidate them but rather stiffen their resolve to counter extremist movements.The council also demanded the immediate, safe and unconditional release of prisoners held by IS, the Al-Nusra Front -- Al-Qaedas Syrian affiliate -- and other groups with links to Al-Qaeda.Jordan is a non-permanent member of the council.

Delay in donations may be responsible to spread Ebola: Study

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PARIS (AFP) - Delays by international donors in providing money promised to fight Ebola may have allowed the disease to spread, driving up the amount of the final bill, a study said Wednesday.The analysis, conducted by Karen Grepin, a specialist in health policy at New York University, tracked both requests for funding by the UNs World Health Organisation as the crisis escalated, and when payment of donations pledged was actually made.Substantial donor support did not reach affected countries until October, more than six months after WHO was alerted to the outbreak, the study said.These delays in disbursements of funding may have contributed to spread of the virus and could have increased financial needs, said the paper, published online in The BMJ medical journal.After being informed by Guinea on March 23 last year of a rapidly evolving Ebola outbreak, WHO sent the West African country an initial batch of protective equipment and medical supplies.In early April, WHO appealed for $4.8 million (four million euros) in aid, a request that was swiftly met and exceeded by the international community.By August, the amount needed for controlling the outbreak had risen to $71 million. Later it was announced $490 million was required to support a six- to nine-month containment roadmap -- an estimate that surged further still to $600 million.On September 16, meantime, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) calculated total needs at nearly $1 billion.By mid-November, after the creation of the UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response, the official request made for funding was $1.5 billion.However, Grepin said, it took until at least mid-October before the affected countries received $500 million and until at least December before they got $1 billion.As at December 31, donors had pledged a total of $2.89 billion, of which only $1.09 billion was actually paid.The problem has not been the generosity of the donors, but that the resources have not been deployed rapidly enough, said Grepin.The lesson from that, she noted, is that the world needs a mechanism for a far quicker disbursement of money when Ebola and other dramatic health threats suddenly emerge.Her figures comes from the official OCHA donation register, which does not take into account domestic resources, or donations given in kind or in the form of loans.Analysis of the register found that, at the turn of 2014, the United States was the largest donor, with over $900 million in pledges, of which 95 percent had been funded.Second was Britain, with pledges of $307 million, and third was the World Banks $230 million.According to the latest WHO toll, the epidemic has left 8,810 dead, mainly in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, out of more than 22,000 infections registered.On January 29, the UNs health agency said weekly infections in West Africa fell below 100 for the first time in more than six months, boosting hopes that the worst-ever outbreak of the virus was winding down.
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