Monday 13 July 2015

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Tennis: Tomic toppled, Karlovic advances at Newport

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NEWPORT (AFP) - Australian John-Patrick Smith won his first ATP main draw victory Monday, upsetting third-seeded countryman Bernard Tomic 6-3, 7-5 in the first round of the Hall of Fame Championships.Smith, ranked 156th, needed only 70 minutes to dispatch Tomic, taking 15 of 23 points off Tomics second serve and surrendering only one service break to the world number 25.Smith had been 0-5 in ATP matches after first-round losses this year to South African Kevin Anderson at Delray Beach and Frenchman Kenny De Schepper in five sets at Wimbledon.Next up for Smith will be 166th-ranked American Jared Donaldson, who beat 125-rated compatriot Austin Krajicek 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-2 in another opener on the grass courts outside the tennis legends honor hall where induction ceremonies will be staged Saturday.Croatian second seed Ivo Karlovic blasted 11 aces and never faced a break point in battling past Ukraines Illya Marchenko 7-6 (7/4), 6-7 (6/8), 6-4. Karlovic took the only break of the match to advance after two hours and 23 minutes.Japans Tatsuma Ito outlasted US wildcard Noah Rubin 6-3, 6-7 (7/9), 6-4 to book a second-round date with US seventh seed Steve Johnson, who downed Germanys Michael Berrer 6-7 (6/8), 6-1, 6-2.Also moving on was Colombias Alejandro Falla, who ousted Spains Adrian Menendez-Maceiras 6-1, 7-5.

Football: Sochi hoping for one million visitors during 2018 World Cup

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SOCHI (AFP) - The Russian resort of Sochi, which hosted the 2014 Winter Olympics, is hoping to attract one million visitors during the 2018 football World Cup finals, city mayor Anatoly Pakhomov said on Monday.We know the importance of a World Cup for the development of the tourist industry. It will be a good promotional vehicle and were hoping for one million visitors during the event, Pakhomov told journalists.The Black Sea resort is one of the eleven host cities for the World Cup in Russia from June 14 to July 15, 2018.FIFA will decide on July 24 how many matches will be played in each city, on the eve of the qualifying draw in St Petersburg.Everyone wants to host the leaders of world football during the World Cup like Spain or Germany, well see during the draw (for the finals at the end of 2017) but the important thing for Russia is that such an event will obviously have an impact on the hearts and minds of people, he added.The matches in Sochi will be played in the stadium where the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2014 Winter Olympics took place, where work is underway to extend it to a 45,000-seater capacity.

Golf: Spieth and Fowler set fair for St Andrews

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ST ANDREWS (AFP) - American young guns Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler were arriving at St Andrews on Monday with wins under their belt and British Open glory in their sights.Spieth had a trans-Atlantic flight to undertake following his playoff victory at the John Deere Classic in Illinois. Fowler had a mere car drive up the Scottish east coast from Gullane where he captured the Scottish Open.In the absence through injury of world number one and defending champion Rory McIlroy, Spieth at 21 and Fowler at 26, represent the new generation of golfers taking over from the likes of Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els.Both players are brimming with confidence.Spieth, who has already won the Masters and the US Open this year, was criticised for not coming to Scotland earlier given his lack of experience of playing links golf. He has played just the one round at St Andrews four years ago ahead of a Walker Cup tie in Aberdeen.But he insisted he had gone his own way and and had no regrets.I came here for a reason, and we accomplished that reason, and certainly have some momentum going into next week, he said after his playoff win over fellow American Tom Gillis on Sunday. Only thing Ive heard so far is that its (St Andrews) playing softer than usual.I loved it. I absolutely loved it. I love the town, I loved the R&A Clubhouse. I love the, what do you call it, the Himalayas Putting Green, the entire experience being there (in 2011) for two days was really cool.Fowler won the fourth title of his pro career at Gullane and said afterwards that he was aiming to follow in the footsteps of mentor Phil Mickelson who won the Scottish Open and the British Open the following week two years ago.Phils been a huge help to me. Hes someone I love spending time around on and off the golf course and learning as much as I can from him, he said Sunday.Hes a great professional, on and off the golf course. So he made sure I was well aware of what he accomplished this morning when I saw him this morning, and told him I would see if I could take care of the first leg of it. Got that done.Conditions at the Old Course on Monday once again were damp and cold with the greens and fairways relatively soft and receptive.Nick Faldo, who won the second of his three Open crowns at St Andrews in 1990, said that although he found it hard going, spending as he does these days more time in the commentary box than on the golf course, that might be just as well for the Old Courses vanityIts playing a little tougher than I thought, but if it had been a little firmer you know youll get on the 5th hole (par-5) in two, he said.Theyre going to either drive 9 or 10 (par-4s) depending on the wind, theyre going to drive 12 (par-4). 14 (par-5), theyll get there in two, and 18 (par-4).So if youre driving the ball really well, you are there or very close to six holes under regulation.Mondays draw, meanwhile spilled out some tantalising groupings.Spieth will open his bid to become just the second player to win the first three majors of the year in the company of fellow American Dustin Johnson and Japans top player Hideki Matsuyama.The 21-year-old Texan has already captured the Masters and US Open crowns, and a win Sunday in the British Open would equal the feat only ever achieved before by Ben Hogan in 1953.The threesome will head out onto the Old Course at 9:33 a.m. (0833GMT) to be followed 22 minutes later by Tiger Woods, Louis Oosthuizen and Jason Day.Woods won the Open at St Andrews in 2000 by eight strokes and in 2005 by five strokes, while South African Oosthuizen triumphed by seven strokes the last time it was held at the Old Course in 2010.In the afternoon groupings, 2013 Open champion Mickelson heads out alongside fellow American Matt Kuchar, who tied for second Sunday at the Scottish Open and Swedens Henrik Stenson, still seeking his first major title.Immediately following them will be Faldo, who has said he will be playing the tournament for a final time, and Justin Rose, aiming to become the first English winner since Faldo in 1992 with Fowler making up the threesome.

Cycling: Basso out of Tour de France due to testicular cancer

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PAU (AFP) - Ivan Basso is quitting the Tour de France after revealing on Monday that he has testicular cancer.The former Giro dItalia winner was due to be a key support rider for one of the favourites Alberto Contador in the mountain stages beginning on Tuesday.But instead the 37-year-old said he is heading back to his homeland Italy for treatment.Unfortunately I have a bad announcement to give to you guys, Basso said at the Tinkoff-Saxo teams hotel in Pau on Mondays Tour rest day. In stage number five I had a really small crash and on the crash I touched my testicle on the saddle.For a few days I felt a small pain. Yesterday (Sunday) our doctor spoke with the doctor of the Tour and we decided to go to make a special analysis to the hospital. The examination gave me bad news: I have a small cancer in the left testicle.So its easy to understand that I have to stop and go back to Italy. Our doctor is already in contact with the specialist in Italy to fix the operation as soon as possible.I cant say to you more details because we discovered this two hours ago, so thats all.I have to leave but I want to give my support to our captain (Contador) to be in yellow in Paris and want to say thanks to my team for their support in this situation and the whole Tour organisation and medical staff.

Broad wary of letting slip Ashes lead

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LONDON (AFP) - Stuart Broad believes Englands recent history will help the side guard against complacency when they head into Thursdays second Ashes Test at Lords 1-0 up in the five-match series.England confounded many pre-series predictions with a 169-run victory over Australia in the first Test at Cardiffs Sophia Gardens on Saturday -- a win completed with more than a day to spare.Fast-medium bowler Broad, often a thorn in Australias side, took three for 39 on Saturday including the key wickets of Steven Smith and skipper Michael Clarke as the Ashes-holders lost four wickets for nine runs.However, this year has seen England go 1-0 up only to be pegged back away to the West Indies and New Zealand in series that eventually ended all square. This group of players won in the Caribbean (and) lost the next one, then won at Lords and lost at Headingley (against New Zealand), Broad said at an event for England cricket sponsors Hardys at Lords on Monday.Weve got a huge amount of motivation to put those results right, he added.Having been in a team who have lost the first Test and are all up for winning the next one, if a team comes out and just hits you straight away with skill it can be quite deflating. So we need to start well.It was a point echoed across London by Broads longtime new-ball colleague James Anderson, who also cited the way in which playing at Lords, the home of cricket often acts as an inspiration to touring sides.Every opposition we play at Lords generally picks up their game 10 per cent for some reason. When teams are 1-0 down they generally come back strong in the series, so weve got to be prepared for that, said Anderson at the premiere of documentary film Warriors, of which he is the executive producer.Broad, one of the few England players to acquit themselves well during their 5-0 thrashing of Australia in 2013/14, has been immersed in Ashes cricket ever since childhood.His father Chris, a former opening batsman, scored three Test hundreds on Englands victorious tour of Australia in 1986/87.I grew up on Ashes cricket. I like the battle of it, I suppose, said Broad junior, who in 18 Ashes Tests has now taken 68 wickets at under 30 apiece.Broad became something of a public enemy in Australia in 2013/14 following his refusal to walk for an edged catch during Englands nail-biting win in the Trent Bridge of the preceding Ashes campaign.He then produced a match-winning spell in Durham as England secured the 2013 Ashes on home soil.They like to have a bit of banter with you, which maybe steels me up a bit and gets me into a battle, said Broad of his relationship with Australian fans.It switches you on. Every time you get a bit of a boo, you want to prove them wrong.Broad needs just eight more wickets to become only the fourth England bowler to take 300 in Tests, with Anderson (406) at the head of a list that includes retired greats Ian Botham (383), Bob Willis (325) and the late Fred Trueman (307).Anderson, for one, would be happy to see Broad join the club, saying: You just sometimes forget how dangerous he can be when he snaps into that sort of slightly fuller length, always challenging the outside edge.At pace, with the bounce that he gets, he can be unplayable at times.For his part, the 29-year-old Broad, a veteran of 80 Tests, said: It would be amazing to get 300 wickets.But I dont judge myself on records -- they are for when you look back in 10 years time.Id love to do it in this series... and if I dont, I think Ill get dropped.

Needle-free Ebola vaccine shows promise in animal tests

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MIAMI (AFP) - The first vaccine against Ebola that patients can inhale instead of inject has shown promise in tests on monkeys and should move into human trials soon, researchers said Monday.The study in Journal of Clinical Investigation was led by researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and the US National Institutes of Health. If found to work in people, scientists said the vaccine could be useful in crisis situations or remote areas where it is difficult to find trained medical personnel to administer vaccines.A weakened version of the virus, called parainfluenza virus type 3 (HPIV3), was engineered to contain an Ebola virus glycoprotein in order to stimulate an immune response against Ebola. HPIV3 is a common cause of respiratory tract infections in young children. Researchers gave the vaccine to rhesus macaques by placing a nebulizer mask over their faces, delivering the vaccine into their noses and mouths. Next, when the vaccinated animals were injected with what would normally be a lethal dose of Ebola virus, they survived. The animals showed no ill side effects from the vaccine, known for now as HPIV3/EboGP, according to senior author Alex Bukreyev, professor of virology at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston.This study demonstrates successful aerosol vaccination against a viral hemorrhagic fever for the first time, he said.Other Ebola vaccines are currently being tested, but they are delivered by injection.Bukreyev and colleagues compared the aerosol vaccine to an unrelated injectable vaccine, and found that although both protect macaques, they induced very different types of the immune response.There is no vaccine on the market to prevent Ebola. More study is needed to determine which kinds of vaccines may be most effective.Ebola spread quickly across West Africa beginning in late 2013 and ballooned into the deadliest outbreak in history.A needle-free, inhalable vaccine against Ebola presents certain advantages, said lead author Michelle Meyer, University of Texas Medical Branch postdoctoral fellow in the department of pathology.Immunization will not require trained medical personnel.Researchers hope their vaccine will soon move into a phase I clinical trial in people.According to infectious disease expert Jesse Goodman, a professor of medicine at Georgetown University Medical Center, the study is important and well-done.Goodman, who was not involved in the research, agreed with the study authors that an inhalable vaccine could make administering medicine easier in remote locations and in times of crisis, and could help avoid the problem of needle disposal.For these reasons, this vaccine is a welcome addition to others currently under study, he told AFP in an email.He said studies on humans are needed in order to determine if the anti-Ebola immune response in adult humans, in whom PIV3 infection is frequent during childhood, will be as robust as seen in the non-human primates, or whether it may be reduced in some individuals due to preexisting immunity against PIV3.

Euro sags after Greece, creditors strike deal

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - The euro slumped against the dollar Monday after Greece and its official creditors agreed a new bailout deal that, at least for the moment, removed the cloud of crisis from the market.The euro earned a short-lived spike higher after news of the deal, which will keep Greece from dropping out of the euro area, came after 17 hours of intense negotiations between Athens and European leaders.But then the dollar powered higher, adding more than 1 percent from Friday, as the fundamentals of contrasting central bank policies -- tightening in the United States and easing in the eurozone -- returned to the market.The euro jumped to nearly $1.12 in the moments after after the deal was announced, but then steadily fell to the $1.10 level.The euros fall is not at all surprising, said Boris Schlossberg of BK Asset Management. At very least the ECB (European Central Bank) will have to aggressively continue its QE program to simply stabilize demand after the trauma incurred over the past month. That will likely put sustained pressure on the euro in the near term, he said.

Microsoft plans celebratory debut of Windows 10

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SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - Microsoft on Monday announced plans for a celebratory debut this month of Windows 10 operating software designed to spread the US software titans offerings across a broad range of devices.Word that Windows 10 would be welcomed in grand style came less than a week after Microsoft said it will cut 7,800 jobs and write down the value of its struggling mobile phone division acquired last year from Nokia by some $7.6 billion.The announcement represented the second major round of layoffs in a year for the US tech giant, which cut some 18,000 jobs a year ago as part of its effort to integrate the Finnish-based phone group.Microsoft said in a statement that it would restructure the companys phone hardware business to better focus and align resources.Microsoft will make the latest version of its Windows operating system will available July 29 for computer and tablet users.Special events are planned in 13 cities around the world in tribute to those who took part in a Windows software test period, Microsoft executive Yusuf Mehdi said in a blog post.We will celebrate the unprecedented role our biggest fans - more than five million Windows Insiders, Mehdi said.These celebrations will offer hands-on opportunities, experiential demos, entertainment and opportunities to meet the Windows team.The list of cities where Windows 10 launch events will take place includes Beijing, Sydney, Tokyo, London, New Delhi, Sao Paolo, and New York.The new Windows 10 software will come as a free upgrade to people who already use Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 and will be available in 190 countries.Windows 10 will come pre-installed on Microsoft-compatible computers and tablets from July 29 and will be available for purchase later in the year.The move marks a major launch for Microsoft, after the relative failure of Windows 8, which was rolled out in 2013.Microsoft has high hopes for Windows 10, which it wants to see installed in a billion devices around the world by 2018. Windows 10 boasts a common base on which developers will be able to build apps that work on smartphones, tablets, PCs and desktops, and even Xbox.As part of the launch celebration, Microsoft will invest $10 million to support missions of nonprofit groups including Malala Fund, CARE, Code.org, Special Olympics, and The Nature Conservancy.While it still dominates the market for personal computers, Microsoft has struggled in the market for mobile devices, the majority of which are powered by the Google Android system or Apples iOS.Satya Nadella, who became CEO in 2014, is seeking to reinvigorate a company that had been the worlds largest but which has lagged in recent years as Google and Apple have taken leadership of the tech sector.

NASA counts down to nail-biter Pluto flyby

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MIAMI (AFP) - An unmanned NASA spacecraft hurtling into the unknown will make a close shave past Pluto on Tuesday, offering scientists a close glimpse of the dwarf planets surface for the first time.But there were some jitters Monday as the $700 million spacecraft, called New Horizons, sped toward the last undiscovered frontier in the solar system.According to principal investigator Alan Stern, there is a one in 10,000 chance that the spacecraft could be lost in a collision with debris around Pluto, long considered the farthest planet from the Sun until it was reclassified as a dwarf planet in 2006.The closest approach is set for Tuesday at 7:49 am (1149 GMT), when the piano-sized spacecraft shaves by Plutos surface at a speed of 30,800 miles (49,570 kilometers) per hour.The first spacecraft to visit an unexplored planet since the NASA Voyager missions of the 1970s will be busy snapping pictures and collecting data, and will phone home later.New Horizons will send a signal to Earth at 4:20 pm (2020 GMT). It will take nearly five hours to reach scientists.That means NASA wont announce until about 13 hours after the flyby, at 9:02 pm (0102 GMT Wednesday), whether or not the spacecraft survived the high-speed encounter.While I dont lose sleep over this, the fact is, tomorrow evening is going to be a little bit of drama, said Stern.Until we pass that point tomorrow evening we wont really know with certainty that we cleared the system and that there were no debris strikes.Stern said experts have searched for potential debris and havent found any of concern.But spaceflight is a risky business, and Stern described the Kuiper Belt, where Pluto resides on the edge of the solar system, as more or less a shooting gallery, with lots of small primordial comets and other things much smaller than Pluto.Never before has a spacecraft ventured into the Kuiper Belt, and New Horizons has been on its way there for more than nine years -- a journey of some three billion miles.It will pass by Pluto at a distance of 7,767 miles (12,500 kilometers).We are flying into the unknown, Stern told reporters.What is currently known about Pluto could probably fit on a few index cards, Stern has said. New Horizons data will enable entire textbooks to be written about the mysterious celestial body.Already, the pioneering NASA mission has confirmed the existence of a polar ice cap on Pluto, and found nitrogen escaping from Plutos atmosphere.Stern also said the dwarf planet appears slightly larger than previously thought, with a radius of 736 miles (1,185 kilometers).Stunning visual features are coming into focus for the first time, including a light-colored heart shape nestled near a dark spot nicknamed The Whale.And more detail is expected in the days to come, according to deputy project scientist Cathy Olkin.Right now, we are taking data that if you could transport (New Yorks) Central Park to Pluto you would be able to identify the ponds in Central Park, that is the kind of resolution we will be getting, she said.We are going to be making stereo maps so that we can see how tall the mountains are and how low the valleys are, Olkin added.Next, scientists will watch the sun rise and set behind Pluto, use New Horizons seven instruments to create a full picture of Pluto and its five moons, and study the dust in the outer solar system and the atmosphere around Pluto and its largest moon, Charon.Learning more about Pluto has captured the publics attention because it speaks to the origins of the Earth and the larger questions of whether life could exist elsewhere, according to NASAs John Grunsfeld, associate administrator of NASAs science mission directorate.The Pluto system is a fossil remnant of the beginnings of our solar system, Grunsfeld said.We are going to learn about where we are coming from, he said.It is opening up a new realm of exploration.

Oil prices drop as dollar firms on Greek bailout deal

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NEW YORK (AFP) - Oil prices slipped Monday as traders weighed reported progress in negotiations on Irans nuclear program, Greeces tough bailout agreement with its European creditors and a mixed OPEC report.US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for August delivery closed at $52.20 a barrel in New York trade, down 54 cents from Fridays settlement.Brent North Sea crude for August shed 88 cents at $57.86 in London.The crude oil market is on the defensive in Monday trade as investors sort through the headlines since Friday, said Tim Evans of Citi Futures.Marathon talks between six major powers and Iran over Tehrans nuclear program were making real progress but issues remained, the United States said Monday, suggesting the Vienna talks would stretch into another day.A deal could result in the lifting of sanctions that have sharply curbed Irans oil exports.The oil market is wary that an Iranian nuclear deal could mean more supply, although it wont be right away, said Evans. Greeces bailout deal meanwhile lifted the dollar, which makes dollar-priced crude oil less attractive to buyers using other currencies.Oil traders are more concerned that the euro is weaker and the dollar stronger on the news, said Evans.Meanwhile in its July monthly report, OPEC raised its forecast for growth in crude demand this year by 100,000 barrels to 1.28 million barrels per day.In 2016, demand is expected to pick up by 1.34 million barrels per day, hitting 93.94 million barrels per day, thanks to stronger economic growth, according to the OPEC report. OPEC raised its demand forecast... but with the stout supply picture, the market still has a bearish sentiment to price, said Brian Swan, commodity analyst at Schneider Electric.

South Africa's Rossouw fined for Tamim contact

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DHAKA (AFP) - South African batsman Rilee Rossouw has been fined 50 percent of his match fee for a code of conduct breach during a one-day international against Bangladesh, the International Cricket Council said on Monday.Rossouw, 25, was found to have been involved in a shoulder barge with Bangladeshs opening batsman Tamim Iqbal, who was walking back after being dismissed during Sundays second international in Dhaka. Rossouw pleaded guilty over charges of inappropriate and deliberate physical contact laid by match referee David Boon and he accepted the penalty, the ICC said in a statement.Rilee was very mature in discussions relating to the charge, Boon was quoted as saying in the statement. He felt it was inappropriate, but not deliberate, an explanation to which I agree.However, there is no place for any form of physical contact in our game and such actions should be punished, he said.The amount that Rossouw has to pay was not made known.Bangladesh beat South Africa by seven wickets to level three-match series 1-1.The third and final match of the series will be held in Chittagong on Wednesday.

Cases registered against Altaf Hussain for provocative speeches

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JACOBABAD, KHAYRPUR MIRUS: (Dunya News) – 5 cases have on Monday been registered against Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain for provocative speeches in Jacobabad and Khayrpur Mirus. According to the FIR registered, Altaf Hussain made provocative speeches against a security agency, reported Dunya News.FIRs were registered against the MQM chief in 3 police stations of Jacobabad. A citizen named Abdul Khaliq registered an FIR against Altaf Hussain in Airport police station. In Saddar police station, the case was registered by a citizen named Ejaz Shah while a man named Muhammad Mitthal registered a case against him in Dodapur police station. All the cases were registered under Section 153.According to the text of the FIR, Altaf Hussain used derogatory terms for Pakistan’s security agencies and targeted Pakistan’s national security and its institutions. It says that the MQM chief wanted to create problems in Sindh and Karachi with his provocative speeches.On the other hand, cases against Altaf have also been registered in Khayrpur’s Three Meervah and Faiz Ganj police stations. Various citizens have filed applications under which more cases are being registered.

Twitterati honor great Pakistanis with GloriousTalesOfPakistan

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LAHORE: (Web Desk) – Pakistan is the land of serene beauty and fiery passions. It is a land where the most melodious of voices and the fiercest of speakers have born. It is the land of great Sufis and revered war heroes. Sportsmen, scientists, engineers, philanthropists have all been a part of this nation and they just keep coming.Twitterati trended GloriousTalesOfPakistan on Monday to honor all these heroes and though they may not have highlighted all of them, they certainly highlighted some of the greatest stories that belong to this land of the pure.Most definitely, it has to start with the great philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi, the man to have set up the largest ambulance netwrok in a third world country with charity only.GloriousTalesOfPakistan My true Hero Abdul Satar Edhi pic.twitter.com/77Es4MnlA9— Ahmad Mansoor (@mensoor) July 13, 2015 The young martyred heroes of Army Public School (APS) Peshawar were remembered by the tweeps.Lest We Forget. ABC GloriousTalesOfPakistan pic.twitter.com/i7H6xTf7KN— Alpha Bravo Charlie (@AnonymousFauji) July 13, 2015 The only Pakistani Nobel laureate, a genius called Abdus Salam, was also remembered.A genius called AbdusSalam was the cover for The illustrated weekly of India, Feb 1, 1981 GloriousTalesOfPakistan pic.twitter.com/0VSMFIHQrj— Bilal Mahmood (@bilalmahmooduk) July 13, 2015 The man who holds the record of shooting down most number of planes in minimum time Air Commodore MM Alam was paid a rich tribute.Air Commodore MM ALAM (Late) has a world record of shooting down 5planes in less than a Mint GloriousTalesOfPakistan pic.twitter.com/Wl1WVuVS0W— FaRah IdRees (@FarahIdrees) July 13, 2015 Arfa Karim may have died but the enthusiasm and passion for information technology that she instilled in the hearts of the young Pakistanis cant die that easily. A stream of young Microsoft certified professionals have followed after her.GloriousTalesOfPakistan The worlds youngest certified Microsoft expert Arfa Karim. pic.twitter.com/UnGwpG8tzV— Rameez Murtaza (@ramizmurtaza) July 13, 2015 Great wrestler Bholu Pehlwan was paid a rich tribute.Bholu Pehelwan .....Rustam e Pakistan GloriousTalesOfPakistan @AnonymousFauji @mqbutt786 @boltsherdil pic.twitter.com/CW7q0TkssA— Sarfarosh_ (@Sabre17167) July 13, 2015 Namira Salim is the first Pakistani to reach the North and South poles.NamiraSalim is a 1st Paki who reached North n South Pole 1st Asian 2 Skydive over MEverest GloriousTalesOfPakistan pic.twitter.com/vPqYa6O9zJ— Roheena Murad (@RoheenaMurad) July 13, 2015 Modern heroes of Pakistan cricket Shahid Afridi and Misbahul Haq are loved by almost everyone. Or at least, everyone is a fan of at least one of these two.Misbah & Afridi GloriousTalesOfPakistan pic.twitter.com/isWv4kKHTg— Saad Awais (@SaadAwais22) July 13, 2015 Pakistan army is skilled. It is one of the strongest standing armies of the world.This Is Not Bollywood Scene. This Is Real. This Is Our Proud Army. ABC GloriousTalesOfPakistan pic.twitter.com/N1Zl5EALbh— Alpha Bravo Charlie (@AnonymousFauji) July 13, 2015 Civil engineering was introduced to new horizons through the Silk Road.Being there done that. Its an awesome place to be at. KKH GloriousTalesOfPakistan pic.twitter.com/BWakcsiXRa— Engr Ahmad M. Malik (@ahmdmm) July 13, 2015 Pakistan is prettier than any other part of the world. No other country can match the beauty of this country.GloriousTalesOfPakistan Its not Italy...its old Lahore pic.twitter.com/0Deup1pXRb— Xeus (@sajjad_irfan) July 13, 2015

UN chief 'very disappointed' by Yemen truce failure

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UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - UN chief Ban Ki-moon is very much disappointed by Yemens failed ceasefire but was clinging to hope that the fighting might still be halted, his spokesman said Monday.A UN Yemen truce aimed at delivering desperately needed aid to millions threatened with famine failed to take hold Saturday as clashes and Saudi-led coalition air strikes persisted against Huthi rebels.The six-day ceasefire came into effect just before midnight Friday, but fighting between the Iran-backed Shiite rebels and fighters loyal to exiled President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi hit several areas while coalition strikes targeted rebel positions.The secretary general is very much disappointed that the humanitarian pause did not take hold over the weekend, spokesman Stephane Dujarric said, adding that we continue to reiterate our call for an unconditional humanitarian pause.We have not lost hope and discussions are ongoing, Dujarric said.He also defended the UNs decision to call the ceasefire.The UNs Yemen envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed had received the commitments he felt were necessary for us to come out with this announcement, Dujarric said, adding that it was incumbent on all the parties involved to abide by those commitments.Dujarric said that the envoy had contacted Saudi officials and that Hadi had assured that he would accept the truce and inform the Arab-led coalition of his support.The UN is continuing our contacts at different levels, Dujarric said.On Monday, Saudi-led warplanes bombed Yemeni rebels who clashed with pro-government fighters in the countrys south, while medical sources said 10 civilians were killed in pre-dawn raids on the capital Sanaa.

Poroshenko faces new security crisis in western Ukraine

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KIEV (AFP) - President Petro Poroshenko confronted a fresh crisis Monday as a deadly standoff between interior ministry units and armed Ukrainian ultranationalists entered a third day in a western enclave near Hungary.The EU-backed leader convened his military cabinet of top generals to try and diffuse tensions between two forces vital to his bid to stamp out a separatist insurgency 1,000 kilometres (more than 600 miles) away in eastern Ukraine.The Pravy Sektor (Right Sector) nationalists played a small but instrumental role in three months of pro-European protests that eventually toppled the Kremlin-backed leadership in February 2014.They then formed the heart of some of the best-equipped -- and allegedly most ruthless -- units to wage war against pro-Russian militias that overran parts of Ukraines eastern industrial heartland in the wake of the Kiev revolution.Interior ministry battalions are also at the forefront of the 15-month battle against separatist fighters that has claimed more than 6,500 lives.But mistrust between volunteer units and Ukraines armed forces has been building as Poroshenko tries to follow through on a February peace deal whose terms -- including partial self-rule for the insurgents -- are anathema to the nationalists.Pravy Sektor members also cast themselves as Robin Hood figures who defend the public against corruption that has ravaged Ukraines political establishment and police since the Soviet Unions collapse in 1991.The weekend battles were sparked by Pravy Sektors self-proclaimed bid to prevent Hungary and Slovakia from being flooded with any more contraband cigarettes that have already enriched local politicians and their security overlords.Pravy Sektor reported the death of two of its members in a shootout with what appeared to be a mixture of security personnel and armed local thugs.The interior ministry -- backed up with armoured personnel carriers and military trucks -- said one civilian had also died in circumstances that were unclear.The battle broke out after a dozen or so Pravy Sektor members came to what was meant to be a round of negotiations equipped with grenade launchers and machine guns.Both sides accuse the other of being the first to open fire. The Pravy Sektor groups claims to have slipped through a security cordon and established new positions in the surrounding woods.- Order through force -Pravy Sektor leader Dmytro Yarosh -- a bombastic parliament member who was wounded in eastern Ukrainian clashes and whom Moscow identifies as a neo-Nazi -- pleaded for calm.We are working with the Ukrainian Security Service in order to stabilise the situation, he wrote Monday on Facebook.The gun battle erupted in a rural region split from the rest of Ukraine by the Carpathian Mountains and has ancient cultural ties to Hungary.The Zakarpattia (Trans-Carpathian) province has often wound up siding with pro-Russian political parties because many locals also mistrust the Ukrainian nationalists.About half of the regions residents also carry Hungarian passports and have few political links to either Moscow or Kiev.The Ukrainian governments near silence on the crisis was broken Monday when Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk came out firmly on Pravy Sektors side.Yatsenyuk has issued orders to dismiss all Zakarpattia customs service employees, his office said in a statement.Th politically more cautious Poroshenko appeared to prefer the middle ground by blaming both sides.The president opened Mondays security meeting by accusing the Zakarpattia smugglers of throwing down a challenge to all of Ukraine.But he also blamed Pravy Sektor -- whom he called true patriots -- of allowing banal criminal gangs enter its ranks.A senior Ukrainian security service source said most in the government believed Pravy Sektor was far less innocent than it claimed.Pravy Sektor itself is trying to win a piece of the contraband business, the security source said.The problem for Ukraine is that there are a lot of armed people who view themselves as heroes and try to establish their brand of order through force, said the source.Something like this was bound to happen -- and it did.
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