Saturday 25 April 2015

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

International aid groups rush to reach Nepal quake victims

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PARIS (AFP) - Countries and international aid groups rushed to respond Saturday to a massive earthquake in Nepal that claimed more than 1,000 lives as aftershocks and severed communications hampered rescue efforts.We do not yet know the scope of the damage, but this could be one of the deadliest and most devastating earthquakes since the 1934 tremor which devastated Nepal and Bihar, said Jagan Chapagain, Asia/Pacific director of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).The United States and the European Union were among those to pledge assistance to the government of Nepal, as messages of support poured in from world leaders including Chinas Xi Jinping, Frances Francois Hollande, Germanys Angela Merkel and Russias Vladimir Putin.The IFRC said it was extremely concerned about the fate of rural villages close to the epicentre of the quake, some 80 kilometres (50 miles) from the capital Kathmandu.Roads have been damaged or blocked by landslides and communication lines are down preventing us from reaching local Red Cross branches to get accurate information, said Chapagain in a statement.We anticipate that there will be considerable destruction and loss of life.Other aid organisations responding to the emergency also struggled to assess the needs with communications cut off around the Himalayan nation.Communication is currently very difficult. Telephone lines are down and the electricity has been cut off making charging mobile phones difficult, said Cecilia Keizer, Oxfam country director in Nepal.People are gathered in their thousands in open spaces and are scared as there have been several aftershocks, she added.French aid group Action Against Hunger (ACF) said in a statement its teams in Nepal were on their way to the affected areas to assess the damage and the needs.Heartfelt sympathiesNations around world have reacted to the deadly 7.8 magnitude quake that rocked Nepal.The United States is sending a disaster response team and has authorised an initial $1 million in aid to address immediate needs, the US Agency for International Development said.Secretary of State John Kerry said the US was working closely with the government of Nepal to provide assistance.To the people in Nepal and the region affected by this tragedy we send our heartfelt sympathies, he said.The United States stands with you during this difficult time.The European Union also said its humanitarian experts were heading to the crisis areas.The full extent of the casualties and damage is still unknown but reports indicate they will likely be high, both in terms of loss of life, injuries and damage to cultural heritage, an EU statement said.German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed her condolences to Nepali Prime Minister Sushil Koirala and said the government stood ready to help, her office said in a statement. Merkel was shaken by the extent of the catastrophe and the high number of victims, it added.Britain and Spain also pledged support and assistance, with Norway promising to provide 30 million krone ($3.9 million, 3.5 million euros) in humanitarian aid.British Prime Minister David Cameron said the earthquake was shocking news and vowed his country, which swiftly sent a team of humanitarian experts to Nepal, will do all we can to help those caught up in it.Israel also said it was sending an aid delegation to Nepal, including a team of paramedics and doctors.Charity Christian Aid launched an appeal for funds and said it was working with partner agencies to reach the worst hit areas.Its clear from what has emerged so far that there is an urgent need for emergency shelters, food and clean drinking water, warm clothing blankets and hygiene kits, said the groups regional emergency manager Ram Kishan in a statement.

Palestinians shot dead after Jerusalem, West Bank attacks

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HEBRON (AFP) - Israeli security forces on Saturday shot dead a Palestinian man who stabbed an officer in the West Bank hours after a knife-wielding teenager was killed at an east Jerusalem checkpoint.The two incidents were the latest in a spate of apparent lone wolf attacks by Palestinians targeting Israeli civilians and security personnel since last October.They were followed by a suspected deliberate hit-and-run in east Jerusalem wounding three police officers, and a Molotov cocktail thrown at an Israeli bus in the West Bank.Earlier Saturday a border police officer shot dead a Palestinian man who was stabbing a colleague at a checkpoint near the Tomb of Patriarchs, or Ibrahimi Mosque as it is known to Muslims, in the southern West Bank city Hebron, police said.Spokeswoman Luba Samri said the policeman was in moderate condition with stab wounds to the head and chest.The 20-year-old suspected assailant, named by Palestinian media as Assad al-Salayma, died of his injuries en route to hospital in Jerusalem.Just before midnight on Friday, Israeli police shot dead a 17-year-old Palestinian who tried to stab their colleagues at a checkpoint in annexed Arab east Jerusalem, Samri said.The youth from the Al-Tur neighbourhood, identified by Palestinian activists as Ali al-Ghannam, managed to get past one checkpoint but was brought down at a second near Al-Zaim after charging it armed with a cleaver.There were no police casualties.Al-Zaim checkpoint, where the suspect was shot dead shortly before midnight (2100 GMT Friday), lies on the main highway east from Jerusalem.East Jerusalem clashesClashes broke out in Ghannams home neighbourhood on Saturday as young Palestinians in Al-Tur protested against his killing.Dozens of protesters threw stones and rolled burning tyres at Israeli security forces, who responded with tear gas and rubber bullets, an AFP correspondent reported.More than 25 Palestinians were taken for medical treatment, the correspondent said.Samri said one officer had suffered minor injuries from a stone to the face and police had used riot dispersal means to quell the protest.She told AFP no arrests were made.In fresh incidents late Saturday night, an unidentified assailant rammed a car into a group of police officers in Al-Tur, moderately wounding a women and lightly wounding two men, Samri said.The car was found without its driver, who fled the scene.And on the West Bank highway 443, which connects Tel Aviv with Jerusalem, a bus went up in flames, with the army saying the fire was the result of a Molotov cocktail. The army said only the driver was on the bus at the time and he was unhurt.Palestinians in east Jerusalem declared a general strike on Saturday.A Palestinian information centre said that police were refusing to release Ghannams body for burial unless the family agreed to restrictions on the number of mourners.The boys father rejected the Israeli terms, the Silwan information centre said on its Facebook page.Israel routinely places restrictions on the funerals of Palestinians killed in suspected political violence in a bid to prevent them becoming the focus of protests.There was no immediate claim of involvement by any Palestinian militant group in Ghannams actions and he had no known affiliations.The Palestinian Authority condemned the killing of the youth in Hebron, blaming Israel of a deliberately leading the region to a cycle of violence.The PA said Israels crimes in Hebron and east Jerusalem Saturday will not go without punishment, noting in a statement it had reached out to international bodies to halt the Israeli escalation.Tensions have been running high in and around Jerusalem since the killings of Israeli and Palestinian captives in tit-for-tat kidnappings by Palestinian militants and Jewish extremists last summer.Earlier this month, an Israeli man was killed and a woman seriously hurt when a Palestinian driver deliberately rammed his car into a bus stop.In March, five Israelis were injured when a Palestinian drove into a group of pedestrians before getting out of his car to try to stab people.In November, an Israeli border policeman was killed and several people wounded when a Palestinian drove his vehicle into passengers waiting at a tram stop.A three-month-old Israeli-American was among two people killed in a similar attack last October.

Palestinians shot dead after Jerusalem, West Bank attacks

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HEBRON (AFP) - Israeli security forces on Saturday shot dead a Palestinian man who stabbed an officer in the West Bank hours after a knife-wielding teenager was killed at an east Jerusalem checkpoint.The two incidents were the latest in a spate of apparent lone wolf attacks by Palestinians targeting Israeli civilians and security personnel since last October.They were followed by a suspected deliberate hit-and-run in east Jerusalem wounding three police officers, and a Molotov cocktail thrown at an Israeli bus in the West Bank.Earlier Saturday a border police officer shot dead a Palestinian man who was stabbing a colleague at a checkpoint near the Tomb of Patriarchs, or Ibrahimi Mosque as it is known to Muslims, in the southern West Bank city Hebron, police said.Spokeswoman Luba Samri said the policeman was in moderate condition with stab wounds to the head and chest.The 20-year-old suspected assailant, named by Palestinian media as Assad al-Salayma, died of his injuries en route to hospital in Jerusalem.Just before midnight on Friday, Israeli police shot dead a 17-year-old Palestinian who tried to stab their colleagues at a checkpoint in annexed Arab east Jerusalem, Samri said.The youth from the Al-Tur neighbourhood, identified by Palestinian activists as Ali al-Ghannam, managed to get past one checkpoint but was brought down at a second near Al-Zaim after charging it armed with a cleaver.There were no police casualties.Al-Zaim checkpoint, where the suspect was shot dead shortly before midnight (2100 GMT Friday), lies on the main highway east from Jerusalem.East Jerusalem clashesClashes broke out in Ghannams home neighbourhood on Saturday as young Palestinians in Al-Tur protested against his killing.Dozens of protesters threw stones and rolled burning tyres at Israeli security forces, who responded with tear gas and rubber bullets, an AFP correspondent reported.More than 25 Palestinians were taken for medical treatment, the correspondent said.Samri said one officer had suffered minor injuries from a stone to the face and police had used riot dispersal means to quell the protest.She told AFP no arrests were made.In fresh incidents late Saturday night, an unidentified assailant rammed a car into a group of police officers in Al-Tur, moderately wounding a women and lightly wounding two men, Samri said.The car was found without its driver, who fled the scene.And on the West Bank highway 443, which connects Tel Aviv with Jerusalem, a bus went up in flames, with the army saying the fire was the result of a Molotov cocktail. The army said only the driver was on the bus at the time and he was unhurt.Palestinians in east Jerusalem declared a general strike on Saturday.A Palestinian information centre said that police were refusing to release Ghannams body for burial unless the family agreed to restrictions on the number of mourners.The boys father rejected the Israeli terms, the Silwan information centre said on its Facebook page.Israel routinely places restrictions on the funerals of Palestinians killed in suspected political violence in a bid to prevent them becoming the focus of protests.There was no immediate claim of involvement by any Palestinian militant group in Ghannams actions and he had no known affiliations.The Palestinian Authority condemned the killing of the youth in Hebron, blaming Israel of a deliberately leading the region to a cycle of violence.The PA said Israels crimes in Hebron and east Jerusalem Saturday will not go without punishment, noting in a statement it had reached out to international bodies to halt the Israeli escalation.Tensions have been running high in and around Jerusalem since the killings of Israeli and Palestinian captives in tit-for-tat kidnappings by Palestinian militants and Jewish extremists last summer.Earlier this month, an Israeli man was killed and a woman seriously hurt when a Palestinian driver deliberately rammed his car into a bus stop.In March, five Israelis were injured when a Palestinian drove into a group of pedestrians before getting out of his car to try to stab people.In November, an Israeli border policeman was killed and several people wounded when a Palestinian drove his vehicle into passengers waiting at a tram stop.A three-month-old Israeli-American was among two people killed in a similar attack last October.

Football: Roma defeat edges Juve closer to title

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MILAN (AFP) - Inter Milan defeated AS Roma 2-1 on Saturday to help nudge Juventus closer to a fourth successive Serie A title.If Juventus beat Torino on Sunday and second-placed Lazio lose to Chievo, they will be crowned champions.Juve would be 18 points clear with six games remaining but could not be caught because they hold the head-to-head tiebreaker on both Roma and Lazio.Saturdays result between Roma and Inter -- which featured 10 yellow cards -- also gave Lazio the upper hand in the battle for second place and an automatic Champions League berth.Inter took the lead after 15 minutes when Hernanes fired home from inside the box to give Romas Italian goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis little chance.Roma dominated possession and pushed hard following the goal but had to wait until the 63rd minute to get back on level terms.A sweeping move led to a a cross-field pass that found Belgian midfielder Radja Nainggolan who drilled a fierce low shot past the despairing dive of Slovenian keeper Samir Handanovic.However, the Roma defence collapsed again with two minutes left when Mauro Icardi swept home a loose ball in the box to give Inter three morale-boosting points that lifts them to seventh in the table.We hit the woodwork in the first half, but after the break we played more like Roma, said Roma coach Rudi Garcia.I have nothing to complain about when it comes to the attitude and desire to win in the second half from my lads. We dont have time to complain, as theres another game on Wednesday.Earlier, struggling AC Milan were beaten 2-1 at Udinese as the pressure increased on coach Filippo Inzaghi following what was a ninth league defeat of the season.Giampiero Pinzi opened the scoring just before the hour mark for Udinese when he lashed home a low shot following a corner before Emmanuel Agyemang Badu pounced on a loose ball to put the home side 2-0 up wuth 16 minutes left.Seven-time European champions Milan, who are 10th in the table and a distant 30 points behind Juventus, grabbed a consolation goal with two minutes left thanks to a Giampaolo Pazzini strike but it was too little too late.Udinese climb to 12th as they pick up their ninth win of the season.Inzaghi, in his first season as a head coach and the fifth highest scorer in Italian history with 313 goals, is hanging onto his job with the team well outside the European places and now playing only for pride.

Tribunal tells Ghana to suspend new oil drilling in disputed waters

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FRANKFURT (AFP) - An international tribunal on Saturday ordered Ghana not to carry out any new oil drilling activities in waters disputed with Ivory Coast, pending a final judgement.The African oil-producing neighbours took their case to the Hamburg-based International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea after months of fruitless negotiations.Abidjan had asked the body to suspend all ongoing oil exploration and exploitation by Ghana, but the interim ruling did not go as far that, saying doing so would risk considerable financial loss to Ghana and could possibly harm the marine environment.The body instead told Ghana to take all necessary steps to ensure that no new drilling... takes place in the disputed area.The maritime border between the two countries cuts through offshore oil fields that both nations are eager to exploit, but there are claims the boundary has not been properly demarcated.The area in dispute is believed to hold the biggest hydrocarbon resources discovered in West Africa for the last decade.Ahead of a final ruling on precisely where the maritime border lies, the tribunal ordered both parties to pursue cooperation and refrain from any unilateral action that might lead to aggravating the dispute.Both Ghana and Ivory Coast have denied that the lawsuit signalled a change in relations between the two countries, which are west Africas second- and third-largest economies respectively.Ghana is a major producer of gold and cocoa and began commercial oil production in 2010 from the Jubilee oil field along its western border, which produces 100,000 barrels per day.Russias Lukoil and its US partner Vanco are running the offshore sites.Ivory Coast, which is the worlds largest producer of cocoa, is looking to boost its existing offshore oil production as well as to encourage a revival of its mining and agriculture sectors after a decade of conflict.

RugbyU: European Cup rivals Toulon, Clermont slump in France

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PARIS (AFP) - Top 14 leading pair Toulon and Clermont suffered shock defeats on Saturday just a week before they collide in the European Champions Cup final.Defending French and Europan champions Toulon went down 32-29 at La Rochelle.But they remain in top position after Clermont were crushed 31-10 by relegation-haunted Castres.Australian centre Mali Hinganos try in the last move of the match gave La Rochelle a thrilling win over Toulon.The 23-year-old -- one of four try scorers for the hosts -- produced a delightful pivot to go over and touch down and the significance of the score was reflected in the celebrations with head coach Patrice Collazo bursting into tears.Former Springbok international Peter Grant added the extras leaving the losers, who showed 14 changes from the starting line-up that beat Leinster in last weeks European Champions Cup semi-finals, at least the consolation of a bonus defensive point.It is magical, it is for these moments that we play this game, said La Rochelles France international flanker Loann Goujon.It was tough on Toulon fly-half Frederic Michalak who contributed 19 points to give himself a chance of playing in next weekends Twickenham final against Clermont.La Rochelle went ahead with a splendid fourth-minute try by right wing Alofa Alofa who chipped over the Toulon defence and ran on to touch down -- converted by Fabien Fortassin for 7-3.However, Toulon struck back immediately, stretching the La Rochelle defence before Josua Tuisova went in in the right-hand corner -- Michalak converted for 10-7.A pulsating encounter then saw 39-year-old veteran Sireli Bobo display all his experience in seeing a gap and bursting through to touch down under the posts for his 50th try in elite French rugby -- Fortassin converted for 14-10.Mamuka Gorgodze did his prospects of playing some part in the European Champions Cup final no harm when he went over for the visitors second try.Michalak, who had landed a penalty prior to that, converted for 20-14. However, the hosts struck back.Impressive teenage centre Elliott Roudil placed a perfect grubber kick behind the Toulon defence and fullback Kini Murimurivalu had the legs to get to the ball first and touch down.The hosts were denied a clear try five minutes from the break when scrum-half Julien Audy went over but the referee, instead of reviewing the move, awarded them a penalty which Fortassin converted for 22-20.Toulon regained the lead with another Michalak penalty in the 54th minute.Michalak added another penalty but Grant reduced the deficit to a point before Michalak knocked over another three pointer for 29-25.However, that was not enough as the hosts stole it at the end.Castres ran in five tries to defeat second-placed Clermont with winger Remy Grosso grabbing a hat-trick in the bonus point win.Former All Black Sitiveni Sivivatu and prop Yannick Forestier also crossed for the 2013 champions whose margin of victory could have been greater had Rory Kockott not missed four kicks at goal.Grossos second try was a gem, set up by two spectacular off-loads from Remi Lamesat and Thomas Combezou.In my team, honestly, there are players who deserve to be at the World Cup -- Lamerat, Remi Tales, Kockott and Grosso, said Castres coach Mauricio Reggiardo.Second-bottom Castres have 47 points as do Bayonne while Brive and Grenoble are a point further ahead as the relegation dogfight looks destined for a thrilling conclusion.Bayonne improved their survival hopes with a 42-33 win over Grenoble with South African-born French international full-back Scott Spedding scoring three of his teams six tries.Rock-bottom Lyon were effectively relegated after losing 37-22 at home to Bordeaux while Oyonnax boosted their play-off hopes with a 21-16 win over Racing Metro.Oyonnax had stunned Clermont 11-10 last time out and on Saturday were indebted to Argentine fly-half Benjamin Urdapilleta who kicked all their points.

NBA: Nets claw back in East as Bulls seek sweep

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MILWAUKEE (AFP) - While the Chicago Bulls sought to finish off Milwaukee on Saturday, the Brooklyn Nets made sure their NBA Eastern Conference playoff series against Atlanta will go a little further.The Nets got the win they desperately needed on their home floor on Saturday, using a big second-half run to defeat the top-seeded Atlanta Hawks 91-83 and narrow the gap in their best-of-seven first-round series to two-games-to-one.Brook Lopez, Thaddeus Young and Joe Johnson all recorded double-doubles for the Nets, who parlayed an 18-0 scoring run that bridged the third and fourth quarters into the win they needed after dropping the first two games of the series in Atlanta.Lopez finished with 22 points and 13 rebounds, Young bounced back from a two-point performance in game two with 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Johnson delivered 16 points and 10 rebounds.Bojan Bogdanovic chipped in 19 points for the Nets.With their backs to the wall, the hosts seized a 15-point first-quarter lead, only for the Hawks to erase the deficit and briefly take the lead in the third quarter.But the Hawks shooting woes proved too much to overcome as they connected on just 35.6 percent of their attempts from the floor.Kyle Korver, the Hawks leading scorer through the first two games, was held to two points on one-of-eight shooting.Al Horford was connected on three of 12 attempts for a total of seven points.On Monday, the Nets will try to level the series when they host game four at the Barclays Center.By then, the Bulls will be hoping to have their second-round berth secure.They took a 3-0 series lead into Saturdays game four in Milwaukee after a dazzling game three display from Derrick Rose.Rose scored a season-high 34 points in the 113-106, double-overtime victory that put the Bulls on the brink of advancing.Its an honor to even be in the playoffs, let alone be up 3-0, Rose said.Were playing against a hungry team, a young team that is pushing us. Thats why youve got to love the playoffs, because every game is different.

Protests in Baltimore again after police custody death

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BALTIMORE, April 25, 2015 (AFP) - Protesters returned to Baltimores streets Saturday to vent outrage over the death of an African-American man from injuries he apparently sustained when taken into police custody two weekends ago.Organizers anticipated the biggest outpouring of public anger since Freddie Gray, 25, was arrested on April 12, only to die in a coma seven days later from severe spinal injuries.Several hundred protesters gathered at the west Baltimore housing project where Gray was apprehended and headed toward the district police station that has been the focal point of nightly demonstrations this week.No justice, no peace chanted the crowd, under a forest of banners, including one featuring portraits of African Americans who have died in confrontations with police in recent years.They joined several hundred more on the lawn in front of Baltimores stately city hall for a late-afternoon rally, with many of the participants coming from outside the city and the state.Speakers called for President Barack Obama to launch a national inquiry into police misconduct, and questioned the absence of the citys Democratic mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, who is black.No arrests or incidents were reported, as marchers -- mostly African American, but with many whites as well -- took it upon themselves to direct traffic at some intersections.Tensions have been simmering in the blue-collar Mid-Atlantic port city of 620,000 as investigators try to establish the circumstances that led to Grays death.In a press conference Friday, officials acknowledged Gray should have received medical help at the moment he was detained, when he was seen by bystanders -- and caught on video -- howling in apparent pain.They also revealed that Gray, contrary to policy, was not buckled into his seat in the van, which made at least three unexplained stops on its way to the Western District police station.Gray died Sunday with 80 percent of his spine severed at the neck, lawyers for his family have said. His funeral is scheduled for Monday.Six officers have been suspended with pay as the police investigation inches closer to a May 1 deadline to submit findings to a Maryland state prosecutor, who could decide to press charges.Grays death is the latest in a string of high-profile confrontations between African Americans and police, including the fatal shooting of unarmed teenager Michael Brown in August.The deaths have stoked a national debate about police conduct toward black men and boys in the United States.

Google executive killed on Everest after Nepal quake

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SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - A Google executive and self-described adventurer was among 10 people killed at a Mount Everest base camp in an avalanche triggered by a major Nepal earthquake Saturday, the company and his family said.Dan Fredinburg was killed in the avalanche that buried parts of the base camp where hundreds of mountaineers were gathered for the start of the climbing season.He was with several colleagues who survived the tragedy, Lawrence You, director of privacy at Google, said in a blog post.Sadly, we lost one of our own in this tragedy. Dan Fredinburg, a long-time member of the Privacy organization... was in Nepal with three other Googlers, hiking Mount Everest. He has passed away, You wrote.The other three Googlers with him are safe and we are working to get them home quickly.You said Google.org was contributing $1 million to the response efforts.Fredinburgs sister Megan said he died of a head trauma.We appreciate all of the love that has been sent our way thus far and know his soul and his spirit will live on in so many of us, she posted on his Instagram feed, along with a photo of him scaling a snowy slope.All our love and thanks to those who shared this life with our favorite hilarious strong-willed man. He was and is everything to us, she posted.Fredinburg described himself as an Adventurer, Inventor, and Energetic Engineer @Google on his Twitter page.Photos on his Twitter and Instagram accounts in recent days show him preparing for his trek on the snowy slopes of Everest with colleagues.Ice training with @micbattelli means frequent stops for morning cappuccino, regardless of danger. Everest2015, his last post on Friday read.His Twitter feed said he arrived in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu on March 31.Fredinburgs LinkedIn profile said he was head of privacy at Google X and had previously worked as an engineer for Boeing.Officials have confirmed more than 1,200 deaths after the massive earthquake that tore through Nepal, making it the worst disaster in more than 80 years in the quake-prone nation.

Burundi president re-election bid lost opportunity: US

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States on Saturday condemned Burundi President Pierre Nkurunzizas controversial bid for a third term in office, warning that the central African country is losing an historic opportunity to strengthen its democracy.We regret this significant missed opportunity, but the hard work of building democratic practices and institutions must continue, acting State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said, accusing the ruling party of disregarding the term-limit provisions of the Arusha Accords.In that spirit, we urge all parties to participate in the legislative and national elections and ensure these electoral processes are inclusive, transparent, credible, free and conducted in an environment without threats, intimidation, or violence.Burundi only emerged from civil war in 2006 and there are fears that Nkurunzizas effort to cling to power could push the nation back into violence.Opposition and civil society groups in Burundi have branded Nkurunzizas bid to run again as an unconstitutional violation of the Arusha Accords that ended the 1993-2006 civil war.We specifically call on the Burundian government to respect the rights of all peaceful political parties and their candidates to campaign, hold meetings and rallies and express their views, Harf said in a statement, hinting Washington was prepared to act if necessary.The United States will continue to monitor the situation in Burundi closely and take targeted measures, including, where appropriate, by denying US visas, to hold accountable those individuals who participate in, plan, or order violence against the civilian population, she said.Violence has no place in democratic elections, and perpetrators of such violence will not be welcome to travel to the United States and risk being held accountable in a court of law for any crimes for which they are responsible.

I.Coast's Ouattara nominated to seek re-election as president

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ABIDJAN (AFP) - The ruling coalition in Ivory Coast on Saturday nominated incumbent President Alassane Ouattara for re-election in Octobers presidential poll as the country seeks to move on from years of political turmoil.Ouattaras official nomination was announced by former Ivorian head of state Henri Konan Bedie, with Gabons President Ali Bongo Ondimba also attending a grand ceremony held in the countrys biggest stadium in Abidjan.The 73-year-old Ouattara, decked out in a white hat and shirt, made a grand entrance into the 35,000-seat stadium riding in a convertible.He was greeted by the crowd shouting ADO president -- a reference to his initials as Alassane Dramane Ouattara.The Ivorian leader had won the backing of his Rally of Republicans (RDR) party at a congress in March. Its ally the Democratic Party decided not to field its own candidate to help ensure Ouattaras victory.Faced with a divided opposition, the former vice-president of the International Monetary Fund is the favourite in the presidential race.Ouattara took office in 2011 after a bloody post-election crisis sparked by former president Laurent Gbagbos refusal to hand over power, claiming electoral fraud in the 2010 presidential vote. More than 3,000 people lost their lives in the ensuing unrest.The pro-Gbagbo Ivorian Popular Front (FPI) party on Saturday said it would put forward a candidate to run against Ouattara.We will hold our congress in a few weeks and we will have a candidate to face Mr Ouattara, the main opposition partys head Pascal Affi NGuessan said at a meeting in the central city of Bouake.Ivorians are waiting for this election to punish Ouattara, he said.The FPI however remains split between hardliners demanding the release of Gbagbo -- currently awaiting trial in The Hague on charges of crimes against humanity -- before any elections are held, and those in the party who back NGuessan for the presidency.Following a decade of political and military crisis, the economy in the west African nation -- the worlds largest cocoa producer -- expanded by nine percent between 2012 and 2014, with strong investment in the public sector.Ouattara has pledged to maintain similar levels of growth until 2020. But his critics say that the fruits of development have not been well distributed among the population of around 20 million people.Ouattara also claims credit for restoring calm in the former French colony, although opposition figures and civil society activists argue that despite the creation of a truth and reconciliation committee to help heal the wounds of conflict, the results have not been significant enough.I found a country in ruins, which needed to be rebuilt, Ouattara told AFP in a 2013 interview.I made it clear that I am not sure how to finish this work in the time I have left and I will probably seek a second term.

Flights disrupted as Chile volcano spews more ash

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PUERTO VARAS (AFP) - Ash from Chiles spewing Calbuco volcano threatened Saturday to spell travel misery in the region and beyond after it triggered the cancellation of domestic and international flights in several cities.A sleeping giant for more than 50 years, the volcano sprang to life in spectacular bursts of ash and lava Wednesday and Thursday, forcing 6,500 people living nearby to evacuate and blanketed southern Chile in suffocating volcanic debris.It coughed out more fire and ash Saturday, with an ash cloud drifting eastward over Patagonia and Argentina, reaching Buenos Aires 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) away, where some airlines canceled flights to and from the United States and Europe.In the Chilean capital Santiago, domestic flights operated normally but some international flights were scrubbed.A handful of flights were scrapped at Montevideos Carrasco International Airport, and authorities urged people to use face masks to avoid inhaling ash particles.The volcano remains unstable and eruptions, principally ash, will continue for now, Chiles National Geology and Mining Service said in its latest report.Experts have cautioned that a third eruption could still follow.A state of emergency has been in place since Wednesday and authorities emptied a 20-kilometer radius around Calbuco, which is located in Los Lagos, a region popular with tourists for its scenic mountain landscapes dotted with volcanoes and lakes with black-sand beaches.More people were ordered out from towns near Calbuco that were deemed at risk of flooding from snow and ice melting high in the mountains due to the volcanos heat. Authorities said they planned to evacuate about 4,000 sheep and cattle.Im afraid and still thinking about leaving, but over the long term, I would still return to my land, said Carolina Bayern, who took refuge in a school with other evacuees.Raul Rangel, who also was staying at the school, said he was no longer afraid of the volcano after it took out his home.I respect it, he added. My house collapsed, and everything is destroyed, and I feel such great sadness.Blanketed in ashSouthern Chiles verdant landscape has turned gray as ash has settled over vast expanses of farm land, especially in the immediate disaster zone around the volcano.There are fields that will be unusable for a long time, Agriculture Minister Carlos Furche told Radio Cooperativa.The government said it is weighing whether to provide emergency payments to the hardest hit farmers, who fear they face financial ruin.On the other side of the expanding security perimeter, the evacuation area was turned into a scattering of ghost towns blanketed with ash up to one meter (three feet) thick, an AFP photographer said.In La Ensenada, a town of 1,500 people that was the first to be evacuated, workers used heavy trucks to plow the roads clear as a handful of residents ignored the evacuation order to shovel the ash and debris off their rooftops.The 2,000-meter volcano last erupted in 1961 and showed light activity in 1972, according to official data. There have been no known fatalities from this weeks eruptions.It is the second volcano to erupt in Chile since March 3, when the Villarrica volcano emitted a brief but fiery burst of ash and lava.Chile has about 90 active volcanoes.The long, thin country has been hit by a series of natural disasters in recent months, from flooding in its usually arid north, home to the worlds driest desert, to wildfires in its drought-hit southern forests.

Nepal quake kills 1,200, sparks deadly Everest avalanche

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KATHMANDU (AFP) - A massive earthquake killed more than 1,200 people Saturday as it tore through large parts of Nepal, toppling office blocks and towers in Kathmandu and triggering a deadly avalanche at Everest base camp.At least 1,170 people are known to have died in Nepal, officials said, making it the quake-prone and impoverished Himalayan nations worst disaster in more than 80 years.But the final toll from the 7.8 magnitude quake could be much higher, and dozens more people were reported killed in neighbouring India and China.Offers of help poured in from governments around the world, with the United States and European Union announcing they were sending in disaster response teams, as emergency workers fanned out across Nepal to rescue those trapped under collapsed homes and buildings.The death toll has reached 1,170, Nepal police spokesman Kamal Singh Bam told AFP.Deaths have been reported from all regions except the far west. All our security personnel have been deployed to rescue and assist those in need.The Red Cross (IFRC) said it was concerned about the fate of rural villages close to the epicentre of the quake northwest of the capital Kathmandu, where a historic tower collapsed.Roads have been damaged or blocked by landslides and communication lines are down preventing us from reaching local Red Cross branches to get accurate information, said IFRC Asia/Pacific director Jagan Chapagain.Everest chaosAt least 10 people were killed when an avalanche buried parts of Mount Everests base camp in Nepal where hundreds of mountaineers have gathered at the start of the annual climbing season, officials said.Google executive Dan Fredinburg was the only climber killed so far identified.Lawrence You, director of privacy at Google, said Fredinburg was with three other Google employees, who all survived. He added that Google.org was contributing $1 million to response efforts.Experienced mountaineers said panic erupted at base camp, which had been severely damaged, while one described the avalanche as huge.Huge disaster. Helped searched and rescued victims through huge debris area. Many dead. Much more badly injured. More to die if not heli asap, tweeted Romanian climber Alex Gavan from base camp.Gyanendra Kumar Shrestha, an official in Nepals tourism department, told AFP: We are trying to assess how many are injured. There might be over 1,000 people there right now, including foreign climbers and Nepalese supporting staff.AFP Nepal bureau chief Ammu Kannampilly, on an assignment to Everest together with a colleague, was among those caught up in the chaos.We are both ok... snowing here so no choppers coming, she said in an SMS on an approach to base camp. I hurt my hand - got it bandaged and told to keep it upright to stop the bleeding.Historic tower collapsesKathmandu was severely damaged, and the historic nine-storey Dharahara tower, a major tourist attraction, was among buildings brought down.At least a dozen bodies were taken away from the ruins of the 19th-century tower, according to an AFP photographer who saw similar scenes of multiple casualties throughout the city.It was difficult to breathe, but I slowly moved the debris. Someone then pulled me out. I dont know where my friends are, Dharmu Subedi, 36, who was standing outside the tower when it collapsed, said from a hospital bed.At least 42 people were known to have died in India, including 30 in the eastern state of Bihar, while buildings in the capital New Delhi had to be evacuated.Chinas official Xinhua news agency said that 13 people, including an 83-year-old woman, were killed in the Tibet region.The United States Geological Survey said the shallow quake -- initially measured at 7.5 magnitude and later adjusted to 7.8 -- struck 77 kilometres (48 miles) northwest of Kathmandu at 0611 GMT.The quake ripped through the middle of highways in the capital and also caused damage to the countrys only international airport, which was briefly closed.Kari Cuelenaere, an official at the Dutch embassy, said the impact had swept the water out of a swimming pool at a Kathmandu hotel where Dutch national day was being celebrated.It was horrible, all of a sudden all the water came up out of the pool and drenched everyone, the children started screaming, Cuelenaere told AFP. Some parts of the city fell down, there was dust rising... There were many (rescue) helicopters.Aftershock tremors could be felt more than two hours after the initial quake.Nepal and the rest of the Himalayas are particularly prone to earthquakes because of the collision of the Indian and Eurasia plates.An 6.8 magnitude quake hit eastern Nepal in August 1988 killing 721 people, and a magnitude 8.1 quake killed 10,700 people in Nepal and eastern India in 1934.Offers of supportA spokesman for Nepals home ministry said the government had released around $500 million as emergency funds for rescue operations.India dispatched two military transport planes to help with the rescue and relief efforts and there were similar offers from around the region, including Sri Lanka and Pakistan.The US Agency for International Development (USAID) said a disaster response was being flown to Nepal and that the Obama administration had authorised an initial $1 million to address immediate needs.Britain, Germany, Norway, Spain and Israel also pledged support and assistance, as international aid groups, including Action Against Hunger (ACF) and Christian Aid, mobilised funds and teams to send to Nepal.Pope Francis said he was deeply saddened by the tragedy, in a telegram sent by his Secretary of State Pietro Parolin to the Nepalese Catholic authorities.

Supporters rejoice as candidates get victory in Cantonment Board elections

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LAHORE (Web Desk) – Results of various Cantonment Board elections have been announced on Saturday evening, which are being celebrated by workers of various parties as they take to the streets, reported Dunya News.Celebrations are gaining peak in various cities as supporters of different parties are jubilant at the victory of their party and candidates.Some people are coming out to the street and dancing to the sound of drum while others are shouting slogans to show their support. Sweets are being distributed as well.Endless streams of congragulations have also been given to the candidates who have won the local body elections from their areas.

PM Nawaz calls Nepal PM, expresses grief over earthquake damages

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif called PM of Nepal Sushil Koirala from London to express his grief on the damages caused by the earth quake on Saturday. Nawaz Sharif is constantly in touch with the officials about the dispatch of relief goods for Nepal. PM was told in the briefing that 4 aircrafts are ready to fly for Nepal with relief goods and as soon as Kathmandu airport becomes functional, the planes will leave for Nepal.Pakistan’s ambassador for Nepal Arshad Saud Khosa said that Pakistanis living in Nepal are safe while Crises Management Cell has been started in the Pakistani embassy to help Pakistanis in Nepal.Spokesperson of Pakistan’s Foreign Office (FO) Tasneem Aslam said that Pakistan is with Nepal and India in this time of trouble, she said that Pakistan is ready to help both of the effected countries.Pakistan’s embassies are also asked to keep the FO updated about the details of the causalities and damages done by the fatal earth quake. According to FO, the relief goods being sent to Nepal include medicines, tents, blankets and dry food while the teams of doctors and nurses will also go to Nepal.
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