Monday 9 February 2015

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Nasir, Rahat Ali left for Australia

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LAHORE (Dunya News) – Left-handed opening batsman Nasir Jamshed and left-arm fast bowler Rahat Ali left for Australia to participate in the ICC World Cup starting from February 14.Nasir Jamshed has replaced Muhammad Hafiz while Rahat Ali was recalled to replace injured Junaid Khan.Taking to media at the Allama Iqbal Airport, Lahore, Nasir Jamshed said that he is confident to perform well during the World Cup.Nasir Jamshed has represented Pakistan in 45 ODIs and made 1413 runs at an average of 33.64 with three hundreds and eight fifties while Rahat Ali has played only one ODI.

Obama delays Ukraine arms decision

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - US President Barack Obama on Monday agreed to hold off a controversial decision on sending arms to Ukraine until German-led efforts to broker a ceasefire with Russia are given a chance. Hosting Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House, Obama said he hoped she could reach a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end 10 months of bloodshed in eastern Ukraine, but warned more punitive measures are in the pipeline.Steep Western sanctions and low oil prices have crippled Russias economy but have so far failed to dissuade Putins government from supporting Ukrainian separatists. Moscow denies it is doing so.My hope is that through these diplomatic efforts those costs have become high enough that Mr Putins preferred option is for a diplomatic resolution, Obama said.I wont prejudge whether or not theyll be successful, he added. If they are not, then we will want to raise the costs. And we will not relent in that.Obama indicated that further sanctions and lethal defense assistance are now on the table. Those comments appeared to draw a distinction between defensive weapons and weapons that can help Kiev take the fight to the rebels.Merkel has opposed sending arms, warning it would further escalate a war that Ukraine cannot win against the much larger and better equipped pro-Russian forces.But she acknowledged that a drive to reach a ceasefire deal with Putin -- even after he reneged on a previous agreement -- may not succeed.We have no guarantee, she said in a joint press conference ahead of further talks this week. I cannot give you a guarantee for the outcome of the Wednesday talks and maybe nothing will come out of it.I, myself, would not be able to live without having made this attempt.The conflict has already killed more than 5,000 people. With violence escalating by the day, the stakes have become ever-higher as Russian-armed rebels have eaten further into Ukrainian territory.If we give up the principle of territorial integrity, we will not be able to maintain the peaceful order of Europe, Merkel warned.Obama lent credence to the view that Ukraine, Russia and the whole of Europe is now at a fork in the road.Were in absolute agreement that the 21st century cannot stand idle, have us stand idle and simply allow the borders of Europe to be redrawn at the barrel of a gun, he said. Republicans lambasted Obama for engaging in more talk and accused him of abandoning Ukraine.President Obamas continual weakness in the face of aggression is making the world a more dangerous place, stormed Republican Senator Lindsey Graham.Its a sad fact that our enemies are seldom challenged while our friends are constantly undercut and abandoned. Officials from Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France are still hammering out the details for a four-way summit slated for Wednesday.Ahead of the possible meeting in Minsk, the European Union decided to hold off implementing new sanctions against Russia, giving space for talks.The implementation was delayed for several days at the request of Ukrainians who wanted that the other side has less pretext to refuse negotiations or negotiate in an unconstructive manner in Minsk summit on Wednesday, if it happens, Lithuanias foreign minister Linas Linkevicius told AFP.EU foreign ministers had been set to formally sign off on adding 19 more people to a sanctions list over Moscows backing of the separatists. Putin has warned that a number of points still needed to be agreed before the Minsk meeting can take place and wrangling was set to be intense as foreign ministry officials from the four nations met in Berlin. Based on a largely ignored peace deal agreed in September in Minsk, the new plan may extend rebel control over territory the rebels have seized in recent weeks, although Kiev is adamant the demarcation line agreed in September should not be shifted. French President Francois Hollande has said the proposal includes the creation of a 50 to 70-kilometer (31 to 44-mile) demilitarized zone around the current frontline.The issues on the table include questions about levels of regional autonomy and future elections in rebel-controlled areas, said German foreign ministry spokesman Martin Schaefer.Fresh fighting over the past 24 hours between Ukraine government forces and pro-Russian rebels left at least 11 civilians and nine Ukrainian troops dead, Kiev said.Ukraines military said that 1,500 Russian troops and convoys of military hardware had crossed into the country over the weekend.

UN says it plans new Libya talks this week

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TRIPOLI (AFP) - The UN mission in Libya said on Monday it plans to hold new meetings on the future of the troubled North African country this week.UNSMIL -- the United Nations Support Mission in Libya -- said in a statement meetings will be held in both Libya itself and in the Swiss city of Geneva.No precise information was given on the meeting in Libya, except to say that it would take place later this week.The specific venue and exact timing of this round are subject to the completion of the logistical and security preparations, the UN statement said.It said that a parallel dialogue track bringing together Libyan political parties and activists will take place in Geneva, also later in the week.Preparatory talks between the commanders of various armed factions are also planned, it said, again without elaborating.Libya, which is awash with weapons and armed factions following the toppling and death of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011, has two rival governments and parliaments.Rival militias are also battling constantly for control of its cities and oil wealth.A second round of peace talks between warring factions in Geneva late last month ended in a positive atmosphere, the UN has said.Participants at the two-day talks included a range of groups and representatives of civil society, who stressed the need to fast-track dialogue on forming a unity government.Libyas General National Congress, the outgoing parliament which resumed operations under the leadership of the Islamist Fajr Libya militia, boycotted the Geneva meeting, demanding that it be held in Libya. But a diplomatic source said UNSMIL plans to bring together GNC members and their rivals in the internationally recognised parliament that sits in the east inside the country this week.

29 African migrants die of hypothermia off Italian coast: source

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ROME (AFP) - Twenty-nine African migrants intercepted by Italian authorities while trying to reach Europe by boat in rough and icy conditions have died of hypothermia, most after being rescued, sources told AFP Monday.Coastguard speedboats picked up 105 migrants in the Mediterranean overnight, seven of whom were already dead, from a converted fishing boat battered by high winds and waves that hit eight metres (26 feet), said coastguard spokesman Filippo Marini. Due to the bad weather, it was after midday Monday when the rescue boats made it to the island of Lampedusa, located south of Sicily and close to Libya, the migrants setting out point.By then another 22 people had died, raising the death toll to 29, a medical source said. Some of the migrants, who were mostly from sub-Saharan Africa, were then airlifted to better equipped hospitals in Sicily. More than 3,200 people have died in the last year attempting to reach Italy by boat from North Africa. Over 170,000 people, a record number, landed there in 2014.Italy has ended its Mare Nostrum rescue programme, which cost Italian tax payers nine million euros (over $10 million) per month, and replaced it with a cheaper effort dubbed Triton. Horror off of Lampedusa. These people didnt die in a shipwreck, but from cold. These are the consequences of the end of Mare Nostrum, Laura Boldrini, an Italian politician, wrote on Twitter. Most of the migrants are fleeing conflict and repression in the Middle East and east Africa and make their way overland to Libya to board boats operated by people smugglers.Recently the smugglers have begun using bigger boats which can withstand winter storms and make longer journeys, notably from Turkey or Syria. But the people who died on Monday were travelling on a small boat which would have offered little protection from the elements.

Boko Haram kidnaps 20 people in Cameroon, executes 12

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YAOUNDE (AFP) - Suspected members of Boko Haram kidnapped 20 people from a bus in northern Cameroon, then executed 12 of them, a security source and resident said Monday.The kidnapping occurred on Sunday and all of the survivors have since been released, said a resident, on condition of anonymity, whose wife was among those abducted. An official from a local NGO also confirmed the incident.According to the security source, who is based in the region, the victims were travelling in a bus stormed by alleged Boko Haram members.The bus was coming from Koza and was travelling to Mora, the source said, referring to two towns in the countrys extreme north near the Nigerian border.

Tennis: I've no problem with Djokovic - Murray

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ROTTERDAM (AFP) - Australian Open finalist Andy Murray says there is no need for Novak Djokovic to explain himself after their controversial Australian Open final.Djokovic struggled through to an eighth Grand Slam title eight days ago - looking beaten physically but pulling through for a four-set victory at the expense of a furious Murray, who came close to accusing him of theatrics on court.Everything has been made out to be much bigger than what is was, said the number four Scot on Monday at the Rotterdam World Tennis.That happens all the time these days.In reality, you can go through periods of being very tired, then get better. You can get a second wind.As the finishing line gets closer, you can feel better. If Novak feels he has something to explain, Id be pleased to speak with him, But I dont feel he really needs to explain anything.Murray added that while media may try and beat up the story of his own anger at losing the Melbourne final for a fourth time into a feud, he and Djkoivic remain on excellent terms.Last years Australian Open winner Stan Wawrinka meanwhile said he is happy to shake up his February schedule as he makes a return to Rotterdam for the first time in a decade.The Swiss 29-year-old was to have played here 12 months ago, but a combination of injury plus the sheer shock of lifting a first Grand Slam title kept him away.Now, Wawrinka, whose ranking has slipped to ninth after going out in the Melbourne semi-finals to Djokovic, has come good on his vow to shake up his scheduling.I havent played indoor in February for 10 years, said Wawrinka, who lost in the 2005 second round here to Roger Federer.I used to play in South America and the last few years I havent played in February.Im excited to be back. I feel good. Its important for me to come to play here. it a great tournament, a good indoor court.Wawrinka said that after arriving on Sunday afternoon, he has already had two training sessions at the Ahoy Stadium.He said mixing and matching his calendar serves a good purpose.Its good to change a bit, to see some new tournaments. Even if I played here before, it was so long ago. Its also good to stay mentally fresh.Wawrinka, who stands behind Murray, Milos Raonic and holder Tomas Berdych in the seedings, will open in the first round against Dutch number 250 Jesse Huta Galung, whose best showing at home was reaching the second round three years ago.Ive seen him around for many years, but Ive never played or practised with him. Ill watch a few videos and talk to my coach. The Dutch always play well here.He will be pumped for the first match - hell be ready and dangerous.Everything this week depends on how Im gonna start. If I play my best tennis I can do some good results. Its indoors, so you have to be ready for the first match, Im feeling great so we will see.In the first round, Austrian Dominic Thiem scored a minor upset, beating sixth-seeded friend Ernests Gulbis 6-4, 6-2 to earn his first victory of the season.Spains seventh seed Roberto Bautista Agut beat teenaged German Alexander Zverev 6-4, 6-1.Simone Bolelli advanced past Czech Lukas Rosol 6-3, 6-1.

Tennis: Young ousts French seed Mannarino at Memphis

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MEMPHIS (AFP) - American Donald Young upset French eighth seed Adrian Mannarino 6-3, 7-6 (11/9) Monday in the opening round of the ATP Memphis Open.In a 90-minute showdown of left-handers who both went out in the second round at the Australian Open last month, 67th-ranked Young booked a second-round match against a qualifier by downing the 40th-ranked Frenchman.Young won the only break point of the first set, then took a 3-2 lead as the rivals exchanged five breaks of serve to begin the second set.Mannarino broke back to 4-4 and they fought out a tense tie-breaker that the American finally claimed, having fired seven of his nine aces in the second set.Mannarino, 26, reached a career-high ranking of 36th last month after a run to his first ATP final at Auckland, where he lost to Czech Jiri Vesely.Young, 25, lost to Vesely in the Auckland quarter-finals.Croatian Ivan Dodig, ranked 86th, advanced with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over 72nd-ranked Russian Teymuraz Gabashvili.Dodig fired five aces and never faced a break point in the 58-minute triumph, which set him up with a clash with US third seed John Isner, who had a first-round bye.Top seed Kei Nishikori of Japan, South African second seed Kevin Anderson and Ukrainian fourth seed Alexandr Dolgopolov also received first-round byes.

Football: Blatter faces three rivals in FIFA election

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LAUSANNE (AFP) - A FIFA electoral committee on Monday approved incumbent Sepp Blatter and three rivals for an election for the presidency of footballs global governing body to be held on May 29.Blatter, who has been in the post since 1998, is opposed by Dutch federation president Michael van Praag, Jordanian Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, a FIFA vice-president, and Portuguese football great and former Ballon dOr winner Luis Figo.A FIFA statement said all four had passed integrity checks so they could be allowed into the election.At the FIFA Congress the winner has to get the majority of the 205 FIFA members.Blatter, who will be 79 by the time of the vote, is strong favourite to win a fifth term but faces a strong European-led opposition, largely over the controversial vote to give Qatar the 2022 World Cup and the subsequent fallout over the report into the bid.However, the Swiss official -- who revised his original pledge not to run for a fifth term -- has had strong public backing from the African and Asian continental confederations.His reign has notably been tarnished by accusations of corruption stemming from the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, the former being awarded to Russia.The controversies have seriously eroded his support and tarnished his reputation in European strongholds like England, Germany and the Netherlands.However, the success of last summers World Cup in Brazil, despite earlier fears over the state of the organisation, has further boosted his status.Figo, 42, and 67-year-old van Praag both announced their candidatures a fortnight ago while Prince Ali, 39, launched his campaign at the start of the year.All three were successful in getting the minimum of five national associations to back their bids. Two others who had been considering standing - former France international forward David Ginola and ex-FIFA executive official Jerome Champagne - both failed to get the necessary backing and were eliminated from the final reckoning last week.

Experimental 'smart' insulin shows promise in mice: study

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MIAMI (AFP) - An experimental smart insulin that acts for 14 hours has shown promise in mice and could be tested in people with type 1 diabetes in two years, researchers said Monday.The product, known as Ins-PBA-F and developed by biochemists at the University of Utah, self-activates when blood sugar soars, according to the research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.Tests on mice with a form of type 1 diabetes showed that one injection could repeatedly and automatically lower blood sugar levels after mice are given amounts of sugar comparable to what they would consume at mealtime, said the study.The drug closely mimicked the way the bodies of normal mice would return their blood sugar levels to normal after eating.This is an important advance in insulin therapy, said co-author Danny Chou, assistant professor of biochemistry at the University of Utah. Our insulin derivative appears to control blood sugar better than anything that is available to diabetes patients right now. People with type 1 diabetes must constantly monitor their blood sugar and manually inject themselves with insulin when needed.Any mistake or lapse can lead to complications, including heart disease, blindness or even death.Ins-PBA-F is a chemically modified version of a naturally occurring hormone.It differs from other smart insulin products in development that use a protein-based barrier, such as a gel or coating, that inhibits insulin when blood sugar is low.After more long-term safety tests in lab animals, the first human safety trials could begin in two to five years.

Young bees try, fail to support foundering colonies: study

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MIAMI (AFP) - When honey bees die before their time, the younger bees among them try to forage for food but often fail, contributing to the worrying phenomenon of colony collapse, researchers said Monday.Scientists are studying a range of factors -- from the use of pesticides to loss of favored plants to disease -- as they try to understand why these important crop pollinators are declining worldwide.The latest study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences points to a social breakdown in the hive as yet another contributing factor to colony collapse disorder, or CCD. Researchers in Australia, Britain and the United States attached radio trackers to thousands of bees to study their movements.Bees usually begin foraging when they are two to three weeks old, but when the colony is hit by disease, a lack of food or other chronic stress factors, the older bees die.Younger bees try to replace them in their efforts, but are less likely to complete their foraging flights, and are far more likely to die during their first trip, they found.This younger foraging population lead to poorer performance and quicker deaths of foragers and dramatically accelerated the decline of the colony much like observations of CCD seen around the world, said the study.Young bees leaving the hive early is likely to be an adaptive behavior to a reduction in the number of older foraging bees, explained Clint Perry from the School of Biological and Chemical Sciences at Queen Mary University of London.But if the increased death rate continues for too long or the hive isnt big enough to withstand it in the short term, this natural response could upset the societal balance of the colony and have catastrophic consequences.Researchers still do not know how to prevent colony collapse, but they may be able to get a good sense of the overall health of a hive by tracking the age at which foraging begins, he said.

Scientists unravel mystery of snake venom

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MIAMI (AFP) - Scientists have unraveled the mystery of how the Costa Rican coral snakes venom causes seizures in its victims, a finding that could boost research into schizophrenia, epilepsy and chronic pain, researchers said Monday.The recipe involves a pair of proteins called micrurotoxins (MmTX) that bind to pores on nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord known as GABA(A) receptors, resulting in potentially deadly seizures, according to the study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a peer-reviewed US journal.What we found are the first known animal toxins, and by far the most potent compounds, to target GABA(A) receptors, said Frank Bosmans, assistant professor of physiology and neuroscience at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.Once they bind to the receptors, they dont let go.MmTX was found to bind to GABA(A) receptors more tightly than any other compound known, and also attached to a unique site on the GABA(A) receptor protein.When that happened, the receptors pore opened permanently and the nerve cell was never able to reset, causing it to misfire.Researchers hope their findings will help advance study of epilepsy, schizophrenia and chronic pain, which are caused by errors in the GABA(A) receptors.Anti-anxiety medications like diazepam and alprazolam bind to GABA(A) receptors too, but they cause relaxation instead of seizures because they bind much more loosely, said Bosmans.The study was funded by Frances Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique.Experts on the research team came from Aix Marseille University in France, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf in Germany, Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, the Universidad de Costa Rica and the Universitat des Saarlandes in Germany.

Dollar dips as traders eye Greek talks

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NEW YORK (AFP) - The dollar Monday retreated against the euro and the yen in a move attributed to profit-taking after Fridays surge.The greenback rallied Friday after the Labor Department reported the US economy added a surprisingly lofty 257,000 jobs in January and raised its tally the prior two months. There were no major US data releases Monday.Considering the lack of negative news flow, todays pullback represents nothing more than profit taking after strong gains on Friday, said a note from analyst Kathy Lien of BK Asset Management. Lien said trade in the euro will remain tied to the perception of the likelihood of a deal between Greece and the eurozone and other lenders that would avert a Greek default.The euro should advance this week if eurozone meetings show progress, Lien said.However if Greece and Europe continue to play their game of chicken waiting to see who blinks first, the threats from both sides will keep the euro under pressure, she said.

Solidarity with Altaf: MQM to take out rally today

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KARACHI (Dunya News) - Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) will take out a rally today in Karachi to show solidarity with their leader Altaf Hussain against PTI chief Imran Khan’s remarks.Joint in charge of the MQM Rabtaa Committee, Dr. Khalid Maqbool, while addressing the party workers at Nine Zero said that the people of Karachi will come out to show solidarity with their leader. The rally will start from Aisha Manzil at 2:00pm and culminate at Mazar-e-Quaid to show their love for MQM chief Altaf Hussain.

PPP, MQM decide to jointly contest senate election

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LONDON (Dunya News) – Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) has decided to jointly contest upcoming senate elections.This was decided after a meeting between PPP leader and senator Rehman Malik and MQM chief Altaf Hussain in London on Monday. Talking exclusively to Dunya News after the meeting, Rehman Malik said that it was decided in principle during the meeting that PPP will contest senate election from Sindh on seven seats whereas the MQM will contest on four seats.Rehman Malik further said that the MQM has also decided to rejoin Sindh government in broader national interest. He also said a four-member committee comprising two members from each party, will be formed to settle the issues between the two parties.

Oil prices extend gains as OPEC cuts output forecast

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - Oil prices advanced further on Monday as OPEC forecast a reduction in US output amid a dip in North American crude production. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for delivery in March jumped $1.17 to $52.86 a barrel compared with Fridays close.Brent North Sea crude for March won 54 cents to stand at $58.34 a barrel in late London trade.Oil prices gained fresh support after OPEC lifted its non-OPEC supply forecast for 2015, said Jasper Lawler, analyst at dealing group CMC Markets.OPECs forecasts may be self-serving but this latest one does have some basis in fact. The US rig count has been coming down and most major oil companies have announced cuts to expenditure, Lawler said.The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries forecast non-OPEC oil supply growth of 850,000 barrels per day for 2015, down from its previous estimate and led by a cut in US output.A survey by US oil services firm Baker Hughes Inc released Friday showed that the number of rigs drilling for oil in the United States fell by 83 to 1,140 in the week to February 6. The dip followed a cut of 94 rigs the previous week.The drop, coupled with announcements of deep cuts in capital spending by major oil companies, suggests tighter supplies in the future.Oil prices are down by about 50 percent from their June peaks, largely owing to a surge in global reserves boosted by robust production of oil from US shale rock.
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