Wednesday 9 September 2015

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Hollande, Merkel, Putin, Poroshenko to hold October summit on Ukraine

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PARIS (AFP) - The leaders of France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine on Wednesday agreed to hold an October summit on ending the conflict in Ukraine, as they welcomed reports that a truce in the east had been generally respected since September 1, the French presidency said.In a phone conversation that lasted for 90 minutes, Francois Hollande, Angela Merkel, Vladimir Putin and Petro Poroshenko said everything must be done to make this situation last and allow the OSCE special observer mission to have permanent, safe and unrestricted access to the affected areas, the Elysee statement said.While the Elysee Palace said the four leaders would meet in early October to hold talks on resolving the Ukraine conflict, the Kremlin said in its own statement issued after the phone call that the summit would take place in Paris in October 2.Foreign ministers from the four countries will meet in Berlin on Saturday to come up with concrete proposals ahead of the summit, the Elysee added.Ukraines army said earlier Wednesday that a new nine-day truce with pro-Russian rebels was holding despite small skirmishes that claimed the lives of two government soldiers this week.The bitter foes agreed on September 1 to more strictly respect an often-broken February armistice agreed in Minsk.The Kremlin confirmed that the four leaders had welcomed efforts to maintain the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine and stressed the need for the withdrawal of heavy weaponry from the frontlines.A withdrawal of armoured vehicles, mortars with a caliber of up to 120 mm and artillery guns with a caliber up to 100 mm along the entire line of contact would facilitate the tasks of de-escalating the situation further and creating pre-conditions for the economic revival of the affected Donbass regions, the statement said.Hope was expressed that a relevant agreement would be agreed upon and put together very soon, the statement added.The Kremlin also said that the leaders had discussed several provisions of the Minsk peace agreement, including the holding of local elections in separatist areas -- an increasingly contentious issue.Under the agreements signed in the capital of Belarus in February, the separatist regions must conduct local elections by the end of the year in accordance with Ukrainian legislation and the law of Ukraine.The rebels, however, want to hold local elections on their own terms, which include barring all pro-Ukrainian candidates and holding the polls on days that do not correspond to local elections planned in the rest of Ukraine on October 25.Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk warned Wednesday that any attempt to hold unlawful elections in rebel-run areas in the countrys east would constitute a breach of a February peace deal.The United Nations estimates that the 17-month conflict on the European Unions eastern frontier has claimed the lives of nearly 8,000 people and injured almost 18,000 -- most of them civilians.Russia denies accusations by Ukraine and its allies of orchestrating and supporting the conflict to try to prevent Ukraine from joining the European Union and possibly NATO at a later date.

Trump, Cruz join forces to slam Iran deal

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - They are rivals on the campaign trail, but Republican presidential challengers Donald Trump and Senator Ted Cruz joined forces Wednesday at a rally denouncing the Iran nuclear deal being debated by the US Congress.Thousands of people converged on the West Lawn of the Capitol to hear the two Republican powerhouses and to protest President Barack Obamas landmark accord with Iran, saying the international agreement could spell the death knell for Israel and threaten the lives of millions of Americans.Trump, the billionaire real estate tycoon and Republican frontrunner, blasted the incompetently negotiated deal and criticized Obamas administration for failing to include the return of four Americans held in Iran as part of the negotiations.If I win the presidency, I guarantee you that those four prisoners are back in our country before I ever take office, Trump boomed, to raucous applause.We are a country that owes $19 trillion.... We lose everywhere, he added, departing from the Iran rhetoric to repeat his claims that as a world-class negotiator he would get America back on a winning track.We will have so much winning if I get elected that you may get bored with winning, he said.Cruz also received a heros welcome from the crowd, which included the grass roots Tea Party movement that helped propel Cruz to victory in his 2012 Senate race.If you vote to send billions of dollars to jihadists who have pledged to murder Americans, then you bear direct responsibility for the murders carried out with the dollars you have given them, Cruz said, referring to frozen funds that would return to Iran when sanctions are lifted.You can not wash your hands of that blood.The July deal struck with Iran by the United States and other world powers provides Tehran relief from crippling economic sanctions in exchange for limits on its nuclear program.Republicans complain the deal does not do away with the program altogether, fails to provide for spot inspections of nuclear sites or force Iran to end support for militant groups like Hamas.Trump-Cruz bromanceCruz is in the middle of the pack in the race for the Republican nomination. He is one of the few GOP candidates who has refrained from attacking Trump, who routinely antagonizes rival Jeb Bush and has angered Hispanics with his immigration rhetoric.When Cruz finished his address, he embraced Trump on stage, highlighting a Republican bromance that Trump himself acknowledged.It is a little bit of a romance, Trump told CNN after his address.When Trump criticized US immigration policy, Ted Cruz was out there, and he really backed me very strongly, the tycoon said. I always respected that.Despite the heated opposition outside the US Capitol and ongoing debate inside, the Iran deal has sufficient support to go ahead.Forty-two Senate Democrats are in favor, more than enough to block a resolution of disapproval against the deal in the 100-member Senate. All Republicans stand opposed.A revolt by House conservatives seeking tougher action forced the Republican leadership to abandon its plan Wednesday to vote on the resolution of disapproval.Instead it will pressure Obama over his failure to provide texts of what critics call secret side-deals to the agreement.According to lawmakers emerging from a caucus meeting, the House will undertake a three-pronged approach: a resolution of approval; a sense of the House that Obama violated the law requiring all documents be presented to Congress before the 60-day review period began; and a resolution preventing the lifting of sanctions.Lawmakers said that because they recognized Congress is unlikely to block the deal through legislation, an effort was developing to sue the president for violating the Iran nuclear review law.Were faced with an option of trying to preserve a legal challenge for the future -- at least try to get something out of this vote series, conservative Republican Matt Salmon told AFP.Were just looking for any way that we can to derail this agreement, added congressman Chris Stewart.Republican aides said the House votes are expected by Friday.

EU unveils 'bold' plan to take 160,000 refugees

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STRASBOURG (AFP) - The EU unveiled plans Wednesday to take 160,000 refugees from overstretched border states, as the United States said it would accept more Syrians to ease the pressure from the worst migration crisis since World War II.As fresh unrest in Hungary underscored the scale of the problem, Germany pushed Europe to go further and agree long-term binding quotas with no limits on actual numbers to deal with a surge of asylum-seekers.With Greece, Hungary and Italy struggling to cope, European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker urged the continent to look to its history, ignore populist parties and take decisive action.Now is not the time to take fright, it is time for bold, determined action for the European Union, Juncker said.In response to appeals for help from an increasingly strained Europe, Secretary of State John Kerry said the United States was studying how it can resettle more refugees fleeing the conflict in Syria.We are committed to increasing the number that we will take, Kerry said. And we are looking hard at the number that we can specifically manage with respect to the crisis in Syria and Europe.Australia said it would take an additional 12,000 refugees and several South American countries also agreed to help.The migrants plight has touched hearts around the world, spurred especially by pictures last week of three-year-old Syrian Aylan Kurdi, whose lifeless body washed up on a Turkish beach.Norways Prime Minister Erna Solberg on Wednesday proposed hosting an international donors conference to help the millions of Syrians displaced by war.Police lines brokenWithin Europe, mandatory quotas have faced stiff opposition, especially from eastern EU states such as Hungary which have seen a huge surge in migrants trying to get to Germany.German Chancellor Angela Merkel -- whose country is leading the way by saying it could take half a million refugees annually over several years -- said Europe needed a binding long-term deal for the fair sharing of the burden.In Hungary, at least 400 desperate migrants broke through police lines at the flashpoint town of Roszke on the Serbian border, yelling No camp as they scattered in all directions.We dont want to live any longer in the camps in Hungary or elsewhere, the conditions are horrible, said a young man from Damascus.In Denmark meanwhile, police ordered the suspension of all rail services to and from Germany as hundreds of migrants refused to disembark from trains arriving from Denmarks southern neighbour, demanding to continue on to Sweden instead.With pressure mounting, Juncker urged EU interior ministers who are meeting next Monday to back his new plan for the relocation of 120,000 refugees from Hungary, Greece, and Italy, and a plan dating from May to relocate 40,000 others in Italy and Greece.It is 160,000 that Europe has to take into their arms, this has to be done in a compulsory way, said Juncker.Countries that refuse could face financial penalties.Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico was among the most vocal opponents of the quota plan Wednesday, vowing that his country would not bow to pressure from either Germany or France.I dont want to wake up one day and have 50,000 people here in this country about whom we know nothing, he said.Children who died with Aylan buriedThe plans must be approved by a majority of EU states, and Berlin said it was open to a special EU refugee summit after the ministers meeting and ahead of the next scheduled EU summit on October 14.Germany would take more than 31,000 migrants, France 24,000 and Spain almost 15,000, under the plan.A Spanish government source told AFP that Spain had agreed to take in 14,931 refugees, in addition to 2,749 who were accepted in July, bringing the countrys total to 17,680.Britain for its part reaffirmed that the 20,000 Syrians it has promised to take over five years will come from refugee camps outside the EU and not other EU states.Junckers proposals also include a permanent relocation system, and possible revision of the EUs Dublin Treaty, under which asylum claims must be processed by the first country that refugees arrive in.He also unveiled a list of safe countries including Turkey and the Balkan states that migrants would generally have to return to, plus a 1.8 billion-euro ($2.0 billion) fund to help poor sub-Saharan countries, the source of many migrants.More than 380,000 people have arrived in Europe by sea this year, figures from the UNs refugee agency showed Tuesday, including close to 260,000 in Greece and 121,000 in Italy.The human cost of the tragedy was highlighted as an Iraqi family caught up in the boat accident that claimed the life of Aylan Kurdi buried their two children who drowned along with the Syrian toddler on their way to Greece.Everyone was talking about this route, so we decided that we would leave, to provide them with a better life, said Zainab Abbas, the mother of eight-year-old boy Haidar and 12-year-old girl Zainab, who died in the accident off the coast of Turkey.

Is 'El Chapo' in Costa Rica? Maybe... maybe not

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MEXICO CITY (AFP) - Was the son of fugitive Mexican druglord Joaquin El Chapo Guzman foolish enough to give away his fathers hideout on Twitter?An August 31 tweet in an account purportedly belonging to Guzmans son, Alfredo, featured a picture appearing to show the pair at a restaurant, with Twitters geolocator placing them in Costa Rica.A huge emoticon of a big nose with glasses and mustache covered the top of the face of a portly man whose black mustache and chin resemble that of the Sinaloa drug cartel kingpin. Another man is also seen in the picture.The picture on the account @AlfreditoGuzma was accompanied by this taunt: You know who I am seen with.This set off a frenzy of speculation that Guzman, who escaped a maximum-security prison outside Mexico City on July 11, snuck into the Central American tourist hub.The Mexican attorney generals office would only say on Tuesday that it was investigating the authenticity of the tweet.But Costa Rican authorities voiced doubts that Guzman, 58, was relaxing in their country.Instead, they said, he is probably in another Costa Rica: The town of Costa Rica, Sinaloa, which is Guzmans home state.Its over there in Sinaloa. We have no information that this boy, the son of El Chapo, is in the country, Costa Ricas judicial police director Gerald Campos told reporters.Two US Drug Enforcement Administration officials told AFP in July that following his jailbreak, Guzman probably scurried to his Sinaloa mountain stronghold, where he enjoys the protection of the local population.But Guzman has been in Central America before: He was captured for the first time in Guatemala in 1993.He broke out of another Mexican prison in 2001 and was caught 13 years later in Mazatlan, a tourist resort on Sinaloas Pacific coast.His July escape, in which he crawled through a hole leading to a huge tunnel under his cell shower, was a major embarrassment to President Enrique Pena Nietos administration.Seven officials, including two prison workers and two intelligence service employees, have been charged over the escape while a $3.8 million reward is being offered for his arrest.Meanwhile, the account holder of @AlfreditoGuzma seems to be amused by all the attention, retweeting news reports about the photo.A new picture on Tuesday shows a young man whose left eye is covered by the same type of emoticon used in the alleged Chapo photo.

Apple presses deeper with new iPhones and more

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SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - There were new iPhones of course. But Apple also moved into the living room with an upgraded streaming TV box and unveiled an iPad Pro aimed at reviving the flagging tablet market.At Wednesdays media event in San Francisco, Apple introduced two updated iPhones, aiming to build on the success of its large-screen handsets introduced late last year that have dominated the high-end smartphone market.The iPhone 6S and 6S Plus have the same overall dimensions as the last version, with new technologies under the hood.They look familiar, but we have changed everything about these iPhones, chief executive Tim Cook said.One of the key new features is called 3D touch, which responds to pressure exerted on the screen to allow users to look inside messages and applications.Peek and popBy responding to sensing pressure, the phones enable new peek and pop abilities to allow users to dip in and out of content without losing their place. Press lightly to peek at a photo, email, web page or other content, and press a little deeper to pop into the content itself, Apple said in a statement.The new iPhones will use the upcoming iOS 9 operating system, which supports new features such as 3D touch.The 6S has the 4.7-inch (about 12-centimeter) display of its predecessor and the 6S Plus -- which updates one of the more popular handsets in the phablet category -- has the same 5.5-inch screen.But the devices have more powerful processors that allow for improved graphics, harder glass and a new aluminum body. Pricing will be kept at the same levels as the earlier versions.For those buying without carrier subsidies, Apple will sell the devices on a 24-month installment plan at $27 per month for the $650 iPhone 6S and $31 for the 6S Plus, making the price nearly $750.Apple will take pre-orders starting Saturday and deliver the phones September 25 in the US, Britain, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico and Singapore.iPad ProThe new iPad Pro has the power and capabilities to replace a laptop computer, Apple said.Cook called the device the biggest news in iPad since the iPad.The new tablet with a 12.9-inch display also includes a detachable keyboard and stylus, sold separately.The device features desktop-class performance and operates faster than 80 percent of portable PCs that shipped in the last 12 months, said Apple senior vice president Phil Schiller.It is thin and light enough to work all day and be taken everywhere, Schiller said of the new iPad, to be available in November starting at $799.The iPad Pro includes a stylus called Apple Pencil designed for high-precision illustration and 3D design applications. Apple Pencil will be sold for $99 more and the keyboard for $169.Avi Greengart at the research firm Current Analysis tweeted that the new tablets are aimed directly at enterprises. Thats a long sales cycle, but could finally stop (the tablet markets) sales slide.Upgraded TV boxThe upgraded streaming Apple TV device includes voice search, touchscreen remote control and an app store in a challenge to Google, Amazon and video game console titans.Apple TV was overhauled as people increasingly stream films and television shows on-demand online and turn to mobile applications for entertainment.Our vision for TV is simple, and perhaps a little provocative, Cook said.We believe the future of television is apps.Apple released a software kit for outside developers, and showed off early versions of Apple TV applications already being crafted by show streaming services Netflix and Hulu, as well as HBO.Game makers are already working on applications, as are home-sharing service Airbnb and real estate-focused service Zillow, according to Apple executive Eddie Cue.Ask for something funnyThe new Siri virtual assistant software built into Apple TV will allow for natural language searches for shows -- for example, by asking for something funny or a certain actor by name.The new Apple TV will launch in late October at a starting price of $149.Apple TV has lagged rivals with similar devices.According to the research firm Parks Associates, Roku leads the US market with a 37 percent market share, to 19 percent for Google Chromecast and 17 percent for Apple TV. Amazons Fire TV devices have 14 percent.Apple also said the operating system for its Apple Watch, watchOS 2, would be made available as a free update September 16.The company offered no sales figures but Cook said customers love using Apple Watch, and that user satisfaction is an incredible 97 percent.The latest iteration of the Watch, created with French fashion house Hermes, features a hand-stiched leather band and starts at $1,100.

Wall Street selloff cuts short global market rally

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NEW YORK (AFP) - A late selloff on Wall Street cut short a strong global rally in stocks Wednesday as concerns turned to the possibility that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates next week.Sparked by Beijings promise of new economic stimulus and the Tokyo markets huge 7.71 percent jump on government pledges to cut corporate taxes, US stocks opened solidly higher.But after the S&P 500 added 2.51 percent on Tuesday, caution took hold, especially after a report signalled more tightening in the jobs market -- a key determinant for a Fed rate increase.The S&P ended Wednesday down 1.39 percent and the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 1.45 percent.Economists had generally decided the Fed would not be ready to launch into a long-awaited series of rate increases beginning at its policy meeting next week, given the recent turbulence in global financial markets.But the Labor Departments so-called JOLTS report on the jobs market in July showed that job vacancies had risen to 5.75 million in July, the highest level since the data was first reported in 2000.The Federal Reserve has repeatedly put off its first rate hike in nine years because there were no signs that the employment sector was tightening -- which would tend to spur inflation. Slow wage growth especially suggested continuing slack.But, combined with the very low levels in layoffs, the JOLTS data suggests that businesses are doing everything they can to hang onto their labor staff because finding a suitable replacement is a daunting task, said Briefing.com.Such a sign could raise the odds of a Fed hike at next weeks meeting, though it still might not be enough.Economist Joel Naroff said businesses still lack confidence in a growing economy.With openings at record highs but hiring slowing, businesses are falling further behind on meeting their staffing needs, he said.Wages need to rise if businesses are to produce more, households can buy more and growth can accelerate. Until that happens, we will remain in this moderate growth cycle.Stimulus in China, JapanIn China confidence grew after the finance ministry said it would adopt a proactive fiscal policy ... and accelerate reforms that will help stabilize growth.The Shanghai Exchange powered up 2.3 percent and Hong Kongs Hang Seng Index added 4.1 percent.And after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reiterated a pledge to cut one of the highest corporate tax rates in the world by next year, Tokyo shares registered their biggest one-day jump since the global financial crisis of late 2008, when markets faced heavy volatility.Expectations for more policy action from China and strength in the European economy saw the return of risk, Chihiro Ohta, general manager at SMBC Nikko Securities, told Bloomberg News.At long last we may be seeing a real rebound.European exchanges followed suit, also encouraged by more signs of turnaround in the eurozone economy.Londons FTSE 100 index climbed 1.4 percent led by a rebound in mining stocks, which have been pummeled because the Chinese slowdown has led to a slump in commodities prices.Frankfurts DAX 30 gained 0.31 percent; the Paris CAC 40 rose 1.44 percent; Madrid shot up 1.74 percent and Milan by 0.84 percent.The European markets got another growth injection from the Asian session... with news from Japan and China helping to convince investors the worst may indeed be over, said Spreadex analyst Connor Campbell.In foreign exchange, the dollar was flat against the dollar at $1.1205. The yen slipped to 120.54 against the dollar and 135.05 against the euro.The pound fell slightly to $1.5367, and the Chinese yuan edged lower to 6.378 against the dollar.

Boxing: Mayweather on defensive ahead of 'last fight'

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LAS VEGAS (AFP) - Floyd Mayweather launched a fierce defense Wednesday of his career and decision to face Andre Berto, three days ahead of a welterweight world title fight that has failed to capture the public imagination.The American title-holder and self-styled TBE (The Best Ever) goes into the bout a perfect 48-0 and will equal the record of legendary heavyweight Rocky Marciano if -- as is widely expected -- he sends Berto, who has lost three of his last six fights, packing.Mayweather, 38, insists this is the last fight of his stellar career -- few believe him -- and he has faced criticism from fight fans who say he ducked some of the best in the weight division in cherry-picking Berto, who is a massive underdog.Britains Amir Khan was among a host of fighters who wanted a go at pound-for-pound king Mayweather.Mayweathers critics accuse him of attempting to drum up badly needed interest by declaring Saturday his swan song but it threatens to be a box-office flop with hundreds of tickets still widely available at the MGM Grand on Wednesday.Berto is not a pushover. No matter who I choose, the media will have something to say, Mayweather, the worlds highest-paid sportsman, told a press conference, pointing out that Berto had twice been world champion.Khan has three losses, Berto has three. No matter what the media say, when it comes down to it, it is two competitors and I know what I can do.I can fight. When you talk about highest gates, I am that guy. Highest (television) pay-per-view, I am that guy.He rejected talk from Virgil Hunter, Bertos respected trainer, that there was some personal stuff between the two fighters, who engaged in a seemingly intense faceoff after the press conference.In there with the bestMayweather, wearing green shirt and sun glasses, also defended what he called his remarkable 19-year career.I keep my eyes on the prize and never focus on the outside. I focus on the guy in front of me, added Mayweather, heralded by some as the best boxer of his generation.I push myself. I believe in my skills and talent, he said. I have been in there with the best and the result is always the same.I always had a dream and my dream was to be the best. No matter what happens on Saturday, when it comes to boxing, I am the best there is.Both men say they will go for the big knockout and Berto (30-3, 23 KOS) said it was all about respect.When it comes to the media, the critics... they are not in that gym busting their asses. They dont know the sacrifices we have to make. A few select people can do that, said Berto, 32, whose career has been knocked sideways in recent years by injury and a failed drugs test.There are small whispers of negativity from people that could not dare to do what we do.He added: When it comes to fight time I am coming for my respect.

Russian military buildup continues in Syria: US officials

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - Russia is pressing ahead with its military buildup in Syria, US officials said on Wednesday, though Moscows intentions in the war-ravaged nation remain unclear.Aerial imagery shows Russia is focusing on Bassel al-Assad International Airport, south of Latakia on Syrias Mediterranean coast, and on the Russian naval facility in Tartus.One US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that two tank-landing ships have recently arrived at Tartus and about a dozen Russian armored personnel carriers are now at the Bassel al-Assad airport, named after Syrian President Bashar al-Assads older brother.The official said dozens of Russian naval infantry had arrived in Syria, but their role was likely to protect incoming military hardware rather than a boots-on-the-ground deployment.Weve seen scores there, the official said. There certainly are some troops there.In addition, another giant Antonov-124 Condor military transporter had flown into the airport, bringing the total number of transport flights to at least four in recent days.AFP reported Tuesday that Russia has also installed modular housing units -- enough for hundreds of people -- at the airport, as well as portable air traffic control equipment.The developments further complicate the deadly crisis in Syria, where the conflict has claimed nearly 250,000 lives since 2011 and triggered a massive outflow of refugees -- many of whom are fleeing to Europe.Moscow insists it is bringing humanitarian aid to a stricken nation, but the United States, which is attacking Islamic State jihadists in Syria, is worried Russia is preparing to assist militarily and strike rebel groups to help prop up long-time ally Assad.Theres not consensus in the intelligence community about what it means, another US official said, again speaking on condition of anonymity.You have to take what Russia says with a grain of salt because they havent always been transparent and honest about their intentions, the official added, referring to Russias continued denials that it is supporting separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine.Unconscionable to support AssadSyria has denied reports of increased military activity by Russian troops on its soil and Russia insists any arms deliveries are in keeping with traditional links to the Assad regime.White House deputy press secretary Eric Schultz on Wednesday said the United States would welcome any Russian contributions to the fight against the Islamic State group.But it would be unconscionable for any party, including the Russians, to provide any support to the Assad regime, Schultz told reporters.Despite the buildup of military equipment, officials noted there was no immediate indication Russia had sent in any ordnance or heavy weaponry. A US military official said under 50 Russian troops had arrived in Syria in recent days.Russia is facing logistical difficulties in getting its hardware to Syria by air.Bulgaria said it refused permission late last week to an unspecified number of Russian aircraft to cross its airspace between September 1 and 24, angering Moscow.But on Wednesday, Bulgaria said it would allow Syria-bound Russian planes over its airspace if Moscow agrees to let it inspect the cargo.In the event Bulgaria closes its skies to Russian overflights, Moscow could route its planes over Iran and then Iraq.When questioned whether the United States had asked Iraq to block Russian overflights, State Department spokesman John Kirby said America wanted regional partners -- including Iraq -- to ask some pretty tough questions about Russias intent in Syria.

Earthquake tremors in Peshawar along with Chitral, Lower Dir

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PESHAWAR (Dunya News) – Earthquake tremors were felt in various cities of the country including Peshawar, Chitral, Mingora, Ghazar, Shangla and Lower Dir late on Thursday night. People, reciting prayers, came out of their homes in fear.The earthquake’s depth is being said to be of 100 km. The magnitude of the earthquake was recorded as 5.5 on the Richter scale.The earthquake’s epicenter was said to be 229 km North-East of Afghan capital Kabul.

Islamabad: Several food outlets sealed by District Administration

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – District Administration launched a crackdown against several food chains in Islamabad on Wednesday for serving unhygienic and substandard foods to customers along with imposing fines and sealing setups, reported Dunya News.District Administration teams launched the crackdown on eateries in posh areas of the capital city such as Blue Area, F-8, Super Market and Shalimar.2 restaurants were sealed in the area over serving substandard foods and unhygienic conditions. Saviour foods has been sealed while Habibi Restaurant has been fined up to Rs 30,000.Chaye Khana, a famous food restaurant was sealed over unhygienic conditions while the manager was also arrested.Authorities also cracked down on areas of Sihala, Karak and Hamak and sealed 2 bakeries including Rahat Bakers.The authorities have also sealed 6 restaurants while imposing fines on 2 hotels.Several owners of restaurants have fled their setups and have been served notices.

ECP takes notice of issuance of development funds in Punjab, Sindh

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday took notice of issuance of development funds to lawmakers in Punjab and Sindh after the election schedule was announced, Dunya News reported.According to details, the ECP after taking notice, summoned Federal Secretary Planning, Secretary Planning and Development Punjab and Additional Secretary Planning Sindh next week. All three officers will be made to solemnly declare not to issue funds.Meanwhile, the ECP has rejected application of District Coordination Officer (DCO) Lahore to recruit in the Health Department and said that recruitment is not allowed after issuance of the election schedule. The DCO had sought permission for as many as 390 recruitments.

US pastor commits suicide after Ashley Madison hack

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CHICAGO (AFP) - A US pastor committed suicide six days after his name was exposed by hackers of the Ashley Madison adultery website, his wife told CNN Wednesday.Canadian police have said that at least two suicides were linked to the leak of 32 million customer profiles from the Canada-based site last month. Its not clear if John Gibsons death was one of them as police released no details.Christi Gibson discovered her husbands body -- and a suicide note which chronicled his demons and his shame at being exposed -- in their New Orleans home on August 24.He talked about depression. He talked about having his name on there, and he said he was just very, very sorry, Gibson said as their adult son and daughter sat next to her in a New Orleans studio.Nothing is worth the loss of a father and a husband and a friend. It just didnt merit it. It didnt merit it at all.In addition to his work as a pastor, Gibson, 56, taught at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.Gibson said her husband, who had struggled with depression and addiction in the past, was worried that he would lose his job.It wasnt so bad that we wouldnt have forgiven it, and so many people have said that to us, but for John, it carried such a shame, she told CNN.What we know about him is that he poured his life into other people, and he offered grace and mercy and forgiveness to everyone else, but somehow he couldnt extend that to himself.- Have an affair -Ashley Madison, launched in 2001, is known for its slogan: Life is short. Have an affair. It helps connect people seeking to have extramarital relationships and is owned by Avid Life Media.According to authorities, the company became aware of the hack on July 12 when staff were greeted in the morning with a message on their computers threatening to leak client information unless the Ashley Madison website was shut down immediately, permanently.The message was accompanied by rockers AC/DCs song Thunderstruck.Ashley Madison ran into more trouble when tech news site Gizmodo looked at the leaked data and concluded that it showed little if any activity from the sites purported female members, suggesting many accounts were in fact fake.Avid Life Media rejected the analysis and said the site has registered hundreds of thousands of new members -- including real women -- in the wake of the hack, which has garnered massive media attention.Tributes to Gibson poured in from students and faculty who remembered him as a kind, generous man who would repair students vehicles in his spare time.John was a popular member of our Leavell College faculty, seminary president Chuck Kelley said in an obituary posted on the schools blog.He was particularly known for his acts of kindness to the seminary family. John was the quintessential good neighbor.His son alluded to Gibsons troubles at an August 28 memorial service.My dad was a great man. He was a great man with struggles. Everyone has struggles. Everyone is broken, Trey Gibson said in a video of the service posted online.Students and former classmates took to the seminarys Facebook page to mourn his loss.Amazing man and teacher. I do not hold anything against you, Dr. Gibson. We all have shortcomings, wrote Robbie Combs.Hoping the very grace and mercy and forgiveness he taught of with such vigor will comfort his family and all who knew him, wrote Dore Atwill Kesterson.Gibson, whose wife Christi is also a minister, comes from a long line of Baptist ministers.He was pastor of First Southern Baptist Church in Pearlington, Mississippi -- about a 45 minute drive from his home on the seminary grounds.He obtained a doctorate of theology from the seminary and was elected to the faculty in 1998, the obituary said.

Injections may have passed on Alzheimer's 'seeds': study

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PARIS (AFP) - People injected with hormones extracted from cadaver brains in a long-abandoned procedure may have received seeds of Alzheimers disease, said a study Wednesday, urging research into possible risks for accidental medical transmission.Published in the journal Nature, the research claims to provide evidence for the hypothesis that the protein fragments which assemble into Alzheimers-causing plaques, can be passed between humans via diseased tissue transfer.But this did not mean that Alzheimers was contagious, the study authors and independent commentators stressed.This relates to a very special situation where people have been injected with essentially extracts of human tissue, said co-author John Collinge of University College London (UCL).I dont think there needs to be any alarm that were saying in any way that you can catch Alzheimers Disease.Further research, however, would be prudent, he said during a telephone press briefing.We should think about whether there might be accidental routes in which these diseases might be transmitted by medical or surgical procedures.While conducting research into an unrelated disease, Collinge and a team examined the brains of eight people who had received injections in childhood of a hormone to treat dwarfism.The hormone had been extracted from pituitary glands harvested from thousands of human cadavers.This practice was halted in 1985 when doctors realised it could transmit a variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) -- the human version of mad cow disease. Eight subjects in the study in fact died from this ailment.- Too young -Collinge and colleagues, very much to our surprise, found that seven of the eight had brain deposits of Alzheimers-linked amyloid beta (Abeta) fragments -- with four of them having high concentrations.Strikingly the patients were 36-51 years old, whereas such deposits are normally seen in elderly people.We think the most likely explanation is that the growth hormone preparations with which these people were treated as children, in addition to being contaminated with CJD prions (a different protein type), was probably also contaminated with Abeta seeds.Previous laboratory studies showed that Abeta in Alzheimers-ridden brain tissue, when transferred to mice or monkeys, could infect the host animal brain -- even when it had been injected into their abdomens.So there are mechanisms to transport these protein seeds to the brain, said Collinge.We dont know what they are, but clearly it can happen. So thats consistent with these seeds spreading from an intramuscular injection in the children to their brains.Amyloid beta seeds, the team wrote, are known, like prions, to adhere to metal surfaces and to resist... conventional hospital sterilisation.Experts who were not part of the study underlined there was no evidence of any modern-day medical treatment, including dental surgery or blood transfusions, raising the Alzheimers risk.- Cautious, not concerned -For the time being, this paper should make us cautious but not overly concerned, said Simon Lovestone of the University of Oxford.John Hardy, of UCL, added it seemed relatively sure that Abeta can be transferred by injection.Does it have implications for... blood transfusions: probably not, but this definitely deserves systematic epidemiological investigation, he said via the Science Media Centre (SMC) in London.Does it suggest Alzheimers disease is infectious through contact? Almost certainly not.The study authors said the eight fatalities in the study did not have the full-blown features of Alzheimers -- they were missing the tangles caused by a different protein called Tau.It was impossible to know whether they would have gone on to develop the disease.I wouldnt want to cause alarm on this. I dont think anyone should delay or reconsider having surgery on the basis of these data at all, said Collinge.Weve got no evidence that this is a risk to humans, but I think it would be prudent to do some research in this area going forward.Some 30,000 people, mostly children with growth deficiency, received the hormone injections, of whom over 200 developed CJD.The disease has a very long incubation period, and new diagnoses continue to be made.

Protests outside Downing St over Netanyahu's UK visit

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LONDON (AFP) - Pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli demonstrators clashed outside British Prime Minister David Camerons London residence on Wednesday ahead of a visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.Police officers separated the two groups into pens and took away at least two protesters following scuffles and chanting by both sides, according to an AFP photographer.At around midday a number of demonstrators made their way out of both pens and onto Whitehall, briefly blocking the road, police said in a statement.A small number of protestors were arrested for a variety of offences including obstruction, assault and criminal damage to a motor vehicle, it added.Around 400 pro-Palestinian activists gathered outside Downing Street to protest the visit of Netanyahu, who arrives on Wednesday, but will not meet officially with Cameron until Thursday.Arrest Netanyahu and war criminal they chanted, some holding up posters calling for an end to the blockade on Gaza as well as images of the Israeli leader plastered with the words child killer.Others waved flags, including at least two from Lebanons Shiite movement, Hezbollah.Facing them were around 100 pro-Israeli demonstrators, many waving the Israeli flag.The protests ended at around 2.30pm (1330 GMT), according to police.More than 108,000 people have signed a petition urging the arrest of Netanyahu for war crimes, enough for the issue to be considered for debate in Britains parliament.Israels embassy in London called the latest petition a meaningless publicity stunt.In 2014, Israel and Hamas militants fought a 50-day war in Gaza which left more than 2,251 Palestinians dead, most of them civilians, and 73 on the Israeli side, most of them soldiers.Britain is pushing for a two-state solution to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and will reinforce this message to Mr Netanyahu during his visit, according to an official response to the petition.Netanyahus office declined say what would be on the agenda for the talks, although the topic of West Bank settlements is likely to come up.Britain is one of a number of European countries which have been pushing for the separate labelling of products from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.Israel is also deeply concerned by Julys nuclear deal between Iran and major powers -- including Britain.Netanyahu will return to Israel on Friday.

Express TV served show cause notice over rating fraud

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LAHORE (Dunya News/Web Desk) – Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) has served Express media group show cause notice over alleged rating fraud after reviewing the complaints, Dunya News reported.The broadcaster has been given ten days to explain its position over the allegations leveled by Medialogic while temporarily suspending its membership.According to details, important session of PBA directors took place on Wednesday to discuss the issue of counterfeiting ratings. Reportedly, Medialogic had filed the complaint against the broadcaster and the PBA had the issue in notice since August 1.PBA said in a declaration that this episode between Medialogic and Express media group has defamed the media industry while affecting the advertising industry.The association also recommended both Medialogic and Express to stop issuing statements against each other. The session resolved to investigate the matter itself without any fear.The PBA has sought response of the show cause notice in ten days.
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