Wednesday 25 March 2015

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Facebook bets on Messenger app, opens it to developers

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SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - Facebook is turning its Messenger application into a platform for e-commerce, video and more in a bid to shake up online communication.Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg unveiled Messenger Platform, describing it as a way for software developers to boost appeal to the more than 600 million people using the application.We think this service has the potential to allow people to express themselves in new ways... and to be an important communication tool for the world, Zuckerberg said at the California-based companys annual developers conference that ends Thursday in San Francisco.Facebook executives introduced more than 25 products and tools tailored to help developers build, grow, and monetize mobile applications aimed at the social networks audience of approximately 1.39 billion people.Messenger is being upgraded to allow users to share photos, audio clips, videos, animated snippets and other digital content.Application constellationThe changes underscore Facebooks vision for Messenger as a new communication tool that complements the social network and ramps up efforts to compete with rivals like Snapchat, which is adding media partners to its messaging app.They are trying to make Messenger a full-featured and rich media platform, Gartner analyst Brian Blau told AFP at the conference.I think that they are interested in letting people know that Facebook is not a single app company, it is an app constellation.Along with Messenger and its eponymous social networking application, Facebook owns WhatsApp and Instagram.Blau likened the Messenger move to the rise of Facebook as a platform.Making online shopping personalOne of the Messenger upgrades was designed to build on Facebooks move into e-commerce by weaving chat threads into purchases at websites, essentially turning formerly impersonal Internet shopping into ongoing text message conversations.Were making Messenger a place where you can easily communicate with the businesses you care about in addition to the people you care about, Zuckerberg said.The e-commerce move comes a week after Facebook unveiled a way to use Messenger for peer-to-peer payments, and with the social network testing a buy button to allow users to make purchases directly from their Facebook pages.Marcus saw great promise in using Messenger to connect its 600 million users with the 30 million business pages at Facebook.We want to start conversations between businesses and people, Marcus told AFP.It needs to feel private, not noisy.Messenger chats between customers and shops are meant to provide conversation-thread context to buying things; tracking shipments, and handling customer concerns.Because personalized exchanges such as those require high levels of service, Facebook is starting with a few select partners that promise to hit standards set by the social network, according to Marcus.A real problem to solve is how businesses manage the chats, Marcus said.We will need to see if we can automate common questions without being awkward.Facebook is not making money from connecting businesses and customers in Messenger. The priority is perfecting and expanding the capability, with revenue tactics to be determined in the future.If they can find a niche in business for that very contextual message, they could benefit, Blau said.It is cool that they built a platform to let this experimentation begin.Facebook videos anywhereThe Messenger team is also working with partners including ESPN and the Bad Robot film production company owned by Hollywood director J.J. Abrams to release applications that work on the Messenger platform.Additionally, Facebook introduced a tool designed to make it easy to take public video posted at the social network and embed it at other websites.Partners testing the embedded video player included Huffington Post, according to platform head Deborah Liu.People can now watch and interact with Facebook videos from anywhere on the Web, she said.The social network also told the more than 2,500 developers at the gathering that it is adding push technology that will let applications control smart home devices such as garage doors, locks, lights and more to be in tune with the booming so-called Internet of Things.

US sees 'path' to long-elusive Iran deal

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LAUSANNE (AFP) - A nuclear deal with Iran capping over a decade of talks is in sight by a March 31 deadline, US officials said, but they remained cautious as top diplomat John Kerry prepared Thursday for down-to-the-wire negotiations.Kerry will push Iran to agree the outlines of the long-elusive deal disabling parts of its nuclear infrastructure by Tuesday, in return for an easing of crippling global sanctions, at renewed talks in the Swiss lakeside town of Lausanne.We very much believe that we can get this done by the 31st, a senior State Department official told reporters travelling on Kerrys plane.We can see a path forward here to get to an agreement, we can see what that path might look like... that doesnt mean well get there, the official cautioned.The framework political accord would be the first in a two-step process, with a final deal due by the end of June.It remains unclear how detailed this framework between Iran and six powers will be, particularly with the US and France appearing split on the issue.A senior European official also said any deal may only be an internal document, a fact sheet -- or not a text at all.The State Department official admitted the format of any deal was under negotiation.We believe and know that we will have to share as many specific details publicly as we can, with the caveat that the work of doing annexes is very tough work, the US official said.March 31 is a real date and it is an important one, the official said, but acknowledged any framework deal would have to be fleshed out by a wealth of detailed, technical annexes by the end of June.Bad tacticKerry is under pressure from a hostile Congress to pin down something concrete after 18 months of intense talks with the Islamic Republic.But Irans supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has criticised the two-step process.Any agreement must come in one step, and include both a general framework and details, Khamenei said in February.And France, seen as the most hawkish among the six powers -- the others being the US, China, Russia, Britain and Germany (the P51) -- has also expressed misgivings.Frances ambassador to Washington, Gerard Araud, said on Twitter last week that aiming to agree something by March 31 was a bad tactic creating pressure to get a deal at any price.Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who will sit down again with Kerry on Thursday, hit out at the P51 for not being able to coordinate its stance.The March and late June target dates were set after negotiators failed in November -- for the second time -- to meet a deadline to turn a November 2013 interim deal into a comprehensive accord.Such a deal, the powers hope, would put an Iranian nuclear bomb out of reach by downsizing Irans nuclear programme after more than a decade of suspect activities.It could also boost relations between Iran and the West after decades of acrimony, potentially including more cooperation fighting Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq.But Iran, which denies wanting the bomb, is loath to dismantle any of its nuclear facilities unless in return the powers dismantle painful UN, US and EU sanctions that have choked its economy.The P51 counter that they can only be suspended -- not terminated -- over a long period, allowing them to be snapped back if Iran violates the deal.Even before a deal is agreed, critics have been lining up to say that it will not do enough to stop Iran getting the bomb.These include Israel, the Middle Easts sole if undeclared nuclear power, as well as Sunni Muslim Gulf monarchies like powerhouse Saudi Arabia, Shiite Irans main regional rival.But the main thorns in President Barack Obamas side have been his Republican opponents who sparked a furore by warning Iran in an open letter that Obama does not have the power to conclude a durable agreement without their backing.Republicans are also readying legislation that could impose fresh sanctions on Iran and oblige Obama to get any deal approved by Congress.Anybody standing up in opposition to this has an obligation to stand up and put a viable realistic alternative on the table, Kerry said before leaving Washington.And I have yet to see anybody do that.

14 killed in scaffolding collapse in central Vietnam

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HANOI (AP) - At least 14 people were killed and 28 others were injured when scaffolding collapsed at a construction site in central Vietnam.Deputy police chief in Ha Tinh province, Bui Dinh Quang, said Thursday that all the victims were Vietnamese subcontractors hired to work on a seaport breakwater project.He said it was not known if any other workers were trapped in the rubble. Police and rescue workers are still searching through the rubble from the Wednesday night accident.Online newspaper VnExpress quoted local official Pham Tran De as saying the scaffolding collapsed when the workers were making a giant concrete block for the breakwater.The newspaper quoted survivor Hoang Huu Thai as saying there were more than 40 people working on the scaffolding at that time.The scaffolding was shaking one or two times before collapsing, Thai was quoted as saying. Some workers were panicking, but somebody calmed us down and everyone continued working. About 20 minutes after the first shaking, the scaffolding suddenly collapsed. I thought I would die. I dont know who pulled me from the rubble.The Son Duong seaport is part of the Vung Ang economic zone where Taiwans Formosa Plastics Corp. is building a multi-billion dollar steel complex.The site was the scene of an anti-China protest last May where killing three Chinese nationals were killed following Chinas deployment of an oil rig in disputed waters in the South China Sea.

Vettori to play valedictory match in World Cup final

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AUCKLAND (AP) - Daniel Vettori says its pretty obvious hell play his last one-day international for New Zealand in Sundays Cricket World Cup final.Vettori flew from to Melbourne with his teammates Wednesday to prepare for the final against the winner of Thursdays match between Australia and India.He will play his 295th one-dayer for New Zealand at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday, 18 years and four days since he played his first.Vettori made his debut for New Zealand against Sri Lanka in 1997, aged 18. He has since taken 305 wickets and scored more than 2,200 one-day runs and will retire, aged 36, as New Zealands most-capped player.Vettori said its not what Im thinking about. Its about enjoying the game, enjoying the build-up to a World Cup final.

Surrey confirm Pietersen return

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LONDON (AFP) - English county Surrey on Wednesday confirmed the return of flamboyant batsman Kevin Pietersen, who is bidding to force his way back into the England team.Pietersen was axed by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in February last year, but incoming ECB chairman Colin Graves has suggested a return to county cricket would enhance his chances of an England recall.He agreed a release from the majority of his contract with Indian Premier League side the Sunrisers Hyderabad on Tuesday and will therefore be available to play for Surrey from the start of the county season in April.Im absolutely thrilled to be back at Surrey, Pietersen, who was de-registered by Surrey at the end of last season, told the clubs website.Its a club very close to my heart and (director of cricket) Alec Stewart, (coach) Graham Ford and everyone at the club has been exceptionally supportive.There is a fantastic group of lads here, and I hope we can deliver what the great Surrey fans want to see -- lots of runs and comprehensive victories.Stewart added: A Kevin Pietersen with ambitions to play for England and a real determination to score big runs for Surrey will be a huge asset to us.Pietersen has revealed that he will donate his wages to his own Kevin Pietersen Foundation, which he set up to help under-privileged children.I always said this was not about money, and I will be donating my full Surrey wage to my foundation, Pietersen wrote in his Daily Telegraph column, shortly after his return to Surrey was confirmed.Surrey begin the 2015 County Championship season with a match against Glamorgan in Cardiff that starts on April 19.Pietersen, 34, has agreed to sit out the Sunrisers entire league programme, but he could be recalled if they reach the IPL knockout phase, which runs from May 19-24.The South Africa-born batsman is Englands all-time leading run-scorer in all formats and he reiterated his desire to end his international exile.Even if this does not work out and I do not get back in the England team, I will at least end my career knowing I gave it another shot, Pietersen added in his Telegraph column.I would kick myself for a long time if I walked away now, without having a go. The public support since this all started has been incredible and helped make up my mind to pursue this chance to play for England again.All I am looking for is a fair opportunity to play for England again. I just want a blank sheet of paper, and to be judged on merit.I will be meeting Mr Graves face to face. I think he is open to discussing drawing a line in the sand in terms of whats gone on.However, despite Gravess comments, other figures in the England hierarchy have played down the prospect of a comeback for the outspoken batsman.National selector James Whitaker said last week that Pietersen was not part of our plans, while captain Alastair Cook described the chances of his former team-mate making a comeback as very unlikely.Pietersen was dropped after Englands 2013-14 Ashes series whitewash in Australia, with ECB managing director Paul Downton citing his disengagement with his team-mates during the last Test in Sydney.He subsequently released an autobiography in which he alleged that a bullying culture had taken root in the England changing room.

Victoria win Australia's Sheffield Shield

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SYDNEY (AFP) - Victoria won their 29th Sheffield Shield title after the five-day final against Western Australia ended in a draw at Hobarts Bellerive Oval on Wednesday.Victoria took the title by finishing top of the competitions point standings after the seasons 10 regular rounds.The final of Australias domestic competition was played in the Tasmanian capital because the Melbourne Cricket Ground was unavailable due to the World Cup.Scores: Western Australia 421 and 293 for 2 declared; Victoria 381 and 158 for 4.

Syria destroys three chemical weapons sites

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UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - Syria has destroyed three of its 12 chemical weapons production sites but is unable to dismantle three other facilities because of security conditions, the OPCW chemical watchdog said in its latest report.The report by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) was released on Wednesday to the UN Security Council, which is overseeing efforts to dismantle Syrias chemical weapons program.Syria has agreed to destroy seven aircraft hangars and five underground structures identified by the OPCW as chemical weapons production sites but there have been delays caused by logistical problems.In the report obtained by AFP, OPCW director general Ahmet Uzumcu said his team of experts was able to verify that three tunnels have been destroyed and that work on dismantling a fourth underground structure was under way.Currently, one underground structure and two hangars are not accessible owing to the security situation near these sites, he wrote in the report dated March 23.Despite this hurdle, Uzumcu said he expected the destruction of all five underground tunnels to be completed by June.Concerning the hangars, work has begun on five sites and explosives are to be delivered soon to begin demolishing the structures.The Syrian authorities have continued to extend the necessary cooperation for the dismantling of the 12 sites, the report added.The Security Council is due to discuss progress in dismantling Syrias chemical weapons program at a meeting on April 2.Syria finished disabling the production sites by October 2013, however the structures that house them still needed to be destroyed.After an August 2013 sarin attack outside Damascus that much of the international community blamed on President Bashar al-Assads government, the regime agreed to turn over its chemical arsenal.The United States threatened military action against Damascus over the attack, but held off following the chemical disarmament agreement.A total of 1,300 metric tonnes of chemical weapons have been removed from Syria, with the majority being destroyed aboard the US Navy ship MV Cape Ray.

New tool to foretell heart attack/stroke risk

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PARIS (AFP) - Over the age of 40? Want to know your risk of suffering a fatal heart attack or stroke in the next 10 years? Read on.A new instrument dubbed Globorisk, unveiled Thursday, will allow you to determine your risk simply by inputting your age, gender, blood pressure and cholesterol numbers, whether you have diabetes or smoke, and which country you live in, its developers say.It is hoped such self-scrutiny can spark important lifestyle changes among those at risk, said Globorisks creators, as well as identifying people who may benefit from preventive drug treatment.A risk of about four or five percent on the chart for fatal cardiovascular disease starts becoming high, lead author Goodarz Danaei of the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, told AFP, and risks greater than 10 percent should definitely be taken seriously.The research was published in the medical journal The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, with eight ready-made charts for people in China, Denmark, England, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, Spain and the United States to measure their risk.For the first time, the method used to create the tables can be recalibrated for any country in the world using readily-available national health statistics, said Danaei.Globorisk, which used data from eight other large, long-term studies with over 50,000 participants in total, is meant to have charts for all the worlds nations in a few months.It will ultimately have its own interactive webpage on which individuals from any country can look up their risk -- what Danaei described as the best guess of the likelihood of a fatal cardiovascular event in the coming decade.In the meantime, the eight charts already prepared can be studied at:http://www.thelancet.com/journals/landia/article/PIIS2213-8587(15)70007-0/abstractVast country differencesPrevious tools for cardiovascular risk measurement were developed for particular target populations and could not be extrapolated more widely, the paper authors said.Apart from a tool for individual analysis, Globorisk also allows for global comparisons.When we applied the risk score in national populations, we saw that, at any age and risk factor level, the estimated 10-year risk of fatal cardiovascular disease varied substantially between countries, the team wrote.Risk was lowest in Japan, South Korea, Spain, Denmark and England, and highest in China and Mexico for men and women alike.For example, a non-smoking 65-year-old man with diabetes, a systolic blood pressure of 140 mmHg and a total cholesterol of 6 mmol/L (millimole per litre) would have an estimated 10-year risk of fatal cardiovascular disease of five percent in Japan, versus 24 percent in China, said the article.If the man smoked, his risk in Japan would be nine percent, and in China 36 percent.The World Health Organization advises medical intervention for people with a 30 percent-plus overall risk of developing cardiovascular disease -- which translates roughly to a risk of 10-15 percent for a fatal event within 10 years, as measured by Globorisk.The final online resource will include advice on reducing risk through interventions like quitting smoking, healthier eating and getting more exercise, said Danaei.

Tokyo stocks open 0.71% lower

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TOKYO (AFP) - Tokyo stocks opened 0.71 percent lower Thursday, following sharp drops on Wall Street and weak US data.The Nikkei 225 index at the Stock Exchange gave up 140.60 points to 19,605.60 at the start.The dollar edged lower Wednesday after data showed US durable goods orders fell 1.4 percent in February.The greenback was changing hands at 119.49 yen early Thursday, marginally up from 119.43 yen in New York late Wednesday but still down from 119.62 yen in Tokyo earlier Wednesday.The euro bought $1.0964 and 131.03 yen against $1.0973 and 131.05 yen in US trade.US stocks fell sharply Wednesday with Nasdaq suffering the deepest declines on worries that technology and biotech equities have become overvalued.The tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index, which stood above 5,000 on Monday, fell 2.37 percent to 4,876.52.The blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average sank 1.62 percent while the broad-based S&P 500 slid 1.46 percent.

Saudi and Arab allies strike Huthi in Yemen

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - Saudi Arabia and a coalition of regional allies launched air strikes against Huthi rebels in Yemen on Wednesday, the start of a military operation to protect the government, the kingdoms ambassador to the United States said Wednesday.The operation is to defend and support the legitimate government of Yemen and prevent the radical Huthi movement from taking over the country, Adel al-Jubeir told reporters in Washington.Al-Jubeir said the coalition involved the countries of an existing alliance, the Gulf Cooperation Council, but that it had been joined by outside countries. We have a coalition of over 10 countries that will participate in these operations to prevent Yemen from falling at the hands of the Huthis, he said.Separately, a statement issued in Riyadh in the name of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates -- the GCC countries without Yemens neighbor Oman -- said they had been asked for help by President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadis embattled government.Al-Jubeir said that for the moment the action was confined to air strikes on various targets around Yemen, but that other military assets were being mobilized and that the coalition would do whatever it takes.The ambassador said he would not go into detail about the support being provided by Saudi Arabias allies, but added we consulted very closely with many of our allies and in particular with the United States.We are very pleased with the outcome of those discussions.We have a situation where you have a militia group that is now in control or can be in control of ballistic missiles, heavy weapons and an air force, he said, arguing that the Huthi advance could not be tolerated.Al-Jubeir said that the legitimate government of Yemen was involved in a political process that had the support of the international community and that no outside militia would be allowed to interfere with that. Yemen has been gripped by growing turmoil since Huthi rebels launched a power takeover in the Yemeni capital Sanaa in February and are now fighting in the port city of Aden.The strife has raised fears Yemen could be torn apart by a proxy war between Shiite Iran, accused of backing the rebels -- who follow a strain of Shiite Islam -- and Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia, which supports Hadi.Yemens acting foreign minister Riyad Yassin warned Wednesday that the fall of Aden would mean the start of civil war as he drummed up Arab military support for Hadi, who was taken to a safe haven within Aden as the rebels closed in.In Washington, Al-Jubeir said: We hope that the wisdom will prevail among the Huthis and they become part of the political process rather than continue their radical approach to take over Yemen.

New tool to foretell heart attack/stroke risk

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PARIS (AFP) - Over the age of 40? Want to know your risk of suffering a fatal heart attack or stroke in the next 10 years? Read on.A new instrument dubbed Globorisk, unveiled Thursday, will allow you to determine your risk simply by inputting your age, gender, blood pressure and cholesterol numbers, whether you have diabetes or smoke, and which country you live in, its developers say.It is hoped such self-scrutiny can spark important lifestyle changes among those at risk, said Globorisks creators, as well as identifying people who may benefit from preventive drug treatment.A risk of about four or five percent on the chart for fatal cardiovascular disease starts becoming high, lead author Goodarz Danaei of the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, told AFP, and risks greater than 10 percent should definitely be taken seriously.The research was published in the medical journal The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, with eight ready-made charts for people in China, Denmark, England, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, Spain and the United States to measure their risk. For the first time, the method used to create the tables can be recalibrated for any country in the world using readily-available national health statistics, said Danaei.Globorisk, which used data from eight other large, long-term studies with over 50,000 participants in total, is meant to have charts for all the worlds nations in a few months.It will ultimately have its own interactive webpage on which individuals from any country can look up their risk -- what Danaei described as the best guess of the likelihood of a fatal cardiovascular event in the coming decade.In the meantime, the eight charts already prepared can be studied at: http://www.thelancet.com/journals/landia/article/PIIS2213-8587(15)70007-0/abstractPrevious tools for cardiovascular risk measurement were developed for particular target populations and could not be extrapolated more widely, the paper authors said.Apart from a tool for individual analysis, Globorisk also allows for global comparisons.When we applied the risk score in national populations, we saw that, at any age and risk factor level, the estimated 10-year risk of fatal cardiovascular disease varied substantially between countries, the team wrote.Risk was lowest in Japan, South Korea, Spain, Denmark and England, and highest in China and Mexico for men and women alike.For example, a non-smoking 65-year-old man with diabetes, a systolic blood pressure of 140 mmHg and a total cholesterol of 6 mmol/L (millimole per litre) would have an estimated 10-year risk of fatal cardiovascular disease of five percent in Japan, versus 24 percent in China, said the article.If the man smoked, his risk in Japan would be nine percent, and in China 36 percent.The World Health Organization advises medical intervention for people with a 30 percent-plus overall risk of developing cardiovascular disease -- which translates roughly to a risk of 10-15 percent for a fatal event within 10 years, as measured by Globorisk.The final online resource will include advice on reducing risk through interventions like quitting smoking, healthier eating and getting more exercise, said Danaei.

Saudi Arabia launches operation in Yemen: ambassador

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - Saudi Arabia and a coalition of regional allies have launched a military operation in Yemen against rebels threatening the government there, the kingdoms ambassador to the United States said Wednesday.The operation is to defend and support the legitimate government of Yemen and prevent the radical Huthi movement from taking over the country, Adel al-Jubeir told reporters in Washington.Al-Jubeir said that for the moment the action was confined to air strikes on various targets around Yemen, but that other military assets were being mobilized and that the coalition would do whatever it takes.The ambassador said he would not go into detail about the support being provided by Saudi Arabias allies, but added we consulted very closely with many of our allies and in particular with the United States.We are very pleased with the outcome of those discussions, he said.We have a situation where you have a militia group that is now in control or can be in control of ballistic missiles, heavy weapons and an air force, he said, arguing that the Huthi advance could not be tolerated.Al-Jubeir said that the legitimate government of Yemen was involved in a political process that had the support of the international community and that no outside militia would be allowed to interfere with that.

Victims of Alps plane crash

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PARIS (AFP) - Germanwings Flight 4U 9525 that crashed with no survivors in the French Alps on Tuesday was carrying 144 passengers and six crew from 18 countries, according to the budget airlines parent company Lufthansa.Most of those on board were Spanish or German but others came from as far afield as Australia and Colombia.Authorities are in the process of confirming the nationalities of the victims, a task complicated by the fact that a number of travellers had dual nationality, which might explain discrepancies in some of the figures.Here is what is known of the victims:GermanyGermanwings confirmed that at least 72 Germans were on board, including two babies, 16 teenage school pupils and their two female teachers from Haltern, a town north of Duesseldorf.The group had been on a week-long exchange trip near Barcelona.Kazakh-German opera singer Oleg Bryjak, 54, who had just performed in Richard Wagners Siegfried in Barcelona, was also among the dead.Spain At least 51 Spaniards died, junior security minister Francisco Martinez told a news conference.However, Germanwings official Thomas Winkelmann said the latest estimate was that 35 passengers were Spanish.Reports named one Spanish victim as Marina Bandres Lopez-Belio, 37, and her baby, a British national. Originally from the Spanish Pyrenees but living in Britain, Lopez-Belio had been attending a relatives funeral in Spain.Other victims included a young married couple as well as numerous Catalan business figures, including four members of the same family.Other EU countriesAt least three British nationals died, according to British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond.The deaths of one Belgian, one Dutch woman and one Dane have also been confirmed by the airline and local authorities.United StatesThree Americans lost their lives in the crash, the State Department said.South AmericaTwo Argentines were on board, according to Germanwings. A third, who lived in Paraguay, also died, according to his brother.Two Mexicans were also on board, the government said.Colombians Maria del Pilar Tejada and Luis Eduardo Medrano died, their countrys foreign ministry said.Two Venezuelans were killed, according to Germanwings.A Chilean woman who was living in Venezuela was also among the dead, Chiles ambassador to France said.AustraliaPrime Minister Tony Abbott said two Australians were on board.JapanThe Japanese foreign ministry said two male citizens were on the passenger list -- Satoshi Nagata and Junichi Sato. Both men lived in Duesseldorf. It is very likely that they were on board, a ministry official told AFP in Tokyo.KazakhstanKazakhstans foreign ministry confirmed that three of its citizens -- Erbol and Adil Imankulov and Aizhan Isengaliyeva -- were among the dead.The ministry said it was trying to confirm whether a fourth passenger held Kazakh citizenship.Middle EastA newly married Moroccan couple headed for a new life in Germany were on the doomed plane, a relative said.Two Iranians were also on the flight, according to Germanwings.One Israeli was also among the victims, the airline said.The lucky onesA Swedish third division football team booked on the flight changed their reservation at the last minute after deciding to change their route home.Upon arrival at Barcelona airport, the Dalkurd FF team from central Sweden decided the stopover in Duesseldorf would be too long and booked themselves on three other flights flying via Zurich and Munich.We were supposed to be on that plane, sporting director Adil Kizil said.

US House approves balanced budget with $20bn military hike

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - The House of Representatives approved a US budget Wednesday that shaves $5.5 trillion in spending over a decade, repeals the Obamacare health law and eliminates the federal deficit in nine years without raising taxes.The Republican blueprint for fiscal year 2016 is seen as a compromise between the partys fiscal conservatives, who want to slash the debt by virtually any means possible, and defense hawks calling for increased military spending amid rising extremism and unrest worldwide.The House debated several budget proposals Wednesday, including a few Democratic alternatives and one favored by deficit hawks, but they were voted down.The main Republican budget, which prevailed 228 to 199 with all Democrats voting no, would bring the federal deficit from 2.8 percent of gross domestic product in 2014 to zero by 2024.Aside from cutting health programs such as Medicaid and childrens insurance programs, and abolishing Obamacare, the budget would trim $1.1 trillion from other mandatory programs such as food stamps and capping Pell Grants for college students.The nearly $3.8 trillion budget for 2016 includes an extra $20 billion in military funding demanded by national security hawks, and with no offset requirements.Hard-core fiscal conservatives are known to balk at cooperating with mainstream Republicans on major legislation.But many remained on board with this budget, largely because passing one will allow the chambers to enter negotiations to bring the two versions into line.Though Congress could send a repeal of the Affordable Care Act to President Barack Obamas desk, it would likely earn his veto.The Senate is expected to pass its own version of the budget this week, before Congress goes on recess for two weeks.The House version essentially transforms Medicare, the federally mandated health insurance program for the elderly, into a voucher-like system, something Obama and other Democrats have consistently opposed.It would also overhaul the tax code -- a provision that the top Democrat on the House Budget Committee, Chris Van Hollen, argued merely provides more tax breaks to the folks at the very top end of the income scale.But House Budget Committee chairman Tom Price, who shepherded the measure to the finish line, declared it a budget that credibly addresses our fiscal and economic challenges.Passing a budget resolution is crucial for Republicans, who pledged to ease Washington gridlock now that they control both chambers of Congress.Obama unveiled his 2016 budget in February, a $4 trillion wishlist that would blow through mandatory spending caps, raise taxes, and spend nearly $500 billion on improving infrastructure.While Republicans slammed Obamas budget as one that would never balance, it could be seen as a first draft of the Democrats election manifesto for the upcoming presidential campaign.

NY arrests subway sex attacker after victim's online campaign

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NEW YORK (AFP) - The 21-year-old woman was asleep on the New York subway when a man sexually assaulted her.Fellow passengers at the time did nothing -- apart from one who filmed the assault.Now, after two years and an online campaign led by the victim, a suspect has finally been arrested.Elisa Lopez had initially slept on, unaware what was happening.When she suddenly woke up, she punched her attacker in the face and ran off the train in Midtown Manhattan. That was October 20, 2012.It was only when a friend called to say there was a video of her circulating online that Lopez realized the extent of the attack.Unbeknown to her, a passenger filmed the assault on his cell phone and uploaded the footage to the Internet where it appeared on YouTube, porn sites and even the news.I was in disbelief, Lopez told Cosmopolitan magazine in an interview last December. This cant be me. I felt sick to my stomach. I was yelling, screaming. I was hysterical.After police failed to make an arrest, the student eventually took matters into her own hands, launching a social media campaign to track down the assailant.Now, at last, she has some peace.Last week police arrested and charged Carlos Chuva, 43, from Queens with one count of sexual abuse in relation to the incident.A police spokesman confirmed his arrest to AFP and said he had been apprehended following a crime-stoppers tip.In her emotional online appeal, Lopez said it was important to tell her story. Im tired of being afraid, she said, doling out words of advice to other survivors of similar assaults.The thing that haunted me the most was the realization that people couldve helped me, she said.The passenger who filmed her assault was criticized for not doing more, but claimed that he had tried to wake Lopez up.There were 10 other people on the train that didnt do anything. I was the one that did the most, he has said.
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