Saturday 5 December 2015

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Fog blankets Lahore reducing visibility, Motorway section closed

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LAHORE (Dunya News) – A thick fog blanketed Lahore late Saturday night and in the early morning hours of Sunday, reducing visibility to almost zero. Motorway’s section of Lahore Kalashah Kaku was closed to all kinds of traffic for safety purposes by the Motorway Police due to the extreme weather condition. Traffic was diverted towards GT Road.Motorway police has advised drivers to use fog lights in these weather conditions.The Spokesperson for Motorway police also advised citizens to avoid unnecessary travel in such conditions.

Sindh govt fails to provide extension on exclusive power of Rangers

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – The time provided for Rangers to exercise exclusive policing powers in the city of Karachi ended midnight Saturday as Sindh government failed to provide the extension on powers. The special powers to arrest and conduct raids were earlier provided to Rangers according to the Anti-Terrorism Act and were part of the ongoing operation against criminal elements in Karachi.Previously, these powers were extended every 3 months via notification by the Sindh government; however the provincial government was unable to submit the request to the Federal government this time around. What led to the delay in the issuance of notification for extension remains to be seen.According to sources, Chief Minister (CM) Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah had contacted the provincial Interior Ministry into the matter asking them to explain the delay. The Interior Ministry on Saturday evening had again sent the summary to CM Sindh for approval, however CM Shah failed to come up with a decision on the matter.

LG polls: Punjab, Sindh in festive mood as supporters celebrate win

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LAHORE (Dunya News) – With results still pouring in for the third and final phase of the Local Government (LG) polls Saturday night, Punjab and Sindh was seen in a festive mood as supporters of victorious candidates basked in jubilation on the success of their candidates. Celebrations marked with dances, fireworks and distribution of sweets were seen in both provinces after unofficial results of the polling started coming in.In Karachi, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) supporters danced, over joyous on the party’s win. MQM workers and supporters flocked to Nine Zero on news of the win while the streets from Makkah Chowk to the MQM headquarters were specially decorated for the occasion.Supporters then started gathering in high numbers at Jinnah ground to celebrate their success as winners of Karachi. Girls were seen taking selfies while many showed their delight by having their faces painted with the party symbols. The joy of a weekend night coupled with the victory was a treat for all.MQM managed a massive victory over its opponents securing 100 seats. MQM’s opponents Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) secured 20 seats while independent candidates managed to win 19 seats. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) also managed to get 12 seats while Jamat-e-Islami won 11 seats. Pakistan Tehreek Insaf’s (PTI) performance was unsatisfactory, managing to secure only 8 seats.Similar scene of joyous zeal were also seen in Punjab where PML-N supporters and workers danced on the streets, distributed sweets and chanted slogans in favour of their party as unofficial results declared a landslide victory of PML-N candidates securing 884 seats. The merriment and festivities continued long into the night as results kept coming in.Supporters gathered at Lal Haveli to celebrate Sheikh Rasheed’s nephew Rashid Shafiq win as Chairman from Union Council (UC) 40. PTI supporters were also seen rejoicing and handing out sweets over the victory of their candidate Malik Imran from UC 34 in Multan. Supporters bearing flags came out on the streets dancing.In Bahawalpur, PML-N supporters showered their candidate Ishtiaq with flowers over his win from UC 14. PML-N’s candidate Jameel Qureshi’s win from UC-15, Bahawalpur was celebrated in unique fashion as supporters made their candidate sit on a statue of a lion.The third phase of the LG elections were conducted in twelve districts of Punjab and six districts of Sindh. The six districts of Sindh are West Karachi, South Karachi, East Karachi, Korangi, Central Karachi and Malir while those of Punjab are Layyah, Rajanpur, D.G. Khan, Muzaffargarh, Rawalpindi, Jhang, Khushab, Multan, Sialkot, Narowal, Rahim Yar Khan and Bahawalpur.

Obama to address US on Sunday on terror fight: White House

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - US President Barack Obama will make a special primetime address to the nation on Sunday on counterterrorism efforts, the White House said, days after 14 people were shot dead in California.The speech at 8:00 pm (0100 GMT Monday) from the Oval Office will include the steps our government is taking to fulfill his highest priority: keeping the American people safe, the White House said in a statement Saturday.Obama vowed earlier Saturday that America will not be terrorized, as the Islamic State group praised the couple behind Wednesdays mass shooting as soldiers of its self-proclaimed caliphate.The FBI are investigating the attack in San Bernardino as a possible act of terrorism.The president will provide an update on the ongoing investigation into the tragic attack in San Bernardino, the White House statement said.The president will also discuss the broader threat of terrorism, including the nature of the threat, how it has evolved, and how we will defeat it.He will reiterate his firm conviction that ISIL (IS) will be destroyed and that the United States must draw upon our values -- our unwavering commitment to justice, equality and freedom -- to prevail over terrorist groups that use violence to advance a destructive ideology.

London Tube stabbings 'terrorist incident': police

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LONDON (AFP) - British police are investigating as a terrorist incident the stabbing of three people at a London Underground train station on Saturday, which left a pool of blood in the ticket hall.One eyewitness at Leytonstone station shouted Youre no Muslim at the lone male suspect as he was pinned down by police officers, amateur video footage showed.The attack came at the end of a week in which the British parliament voted to extend air strikes on the Islamic State jihadist group from Iraq into Syria.Britains Counter-Terrorism Command is investigating the stabbings.We are treating this as a terrorist incident, CTC leader Commander Richard Walton said in a police statement.One man was arrested following the incident at the suburban east London station.Amateur video circulating on the Internet showed a pool of blood and bloody footprints at the Tube station ticket gates.Some commuters continued on their journey while others briskly jogged away from the scene.Shouts are heard as the suspect is seen remonstrating with people before swinging at one of them.Footage shows an officer shouting Drop the knife and firing a Taser electric stun gun.A later clip shows the man being pinned to the ground by police as passers-by are told to get back.One man at the scene shouted: You aint no Muslim, bruv Youre no Muslim, bruv You aint no MuslimPolice said they were called at 7:06pm (1906 GMT) to reports of a number of people being stabbed at the suburban station on the Central Line.The male suspect was reportedly threatening other people with a knife, Scotland Yard police headquarters said.A man was arrested at 7:14pm and taken to an east London police station where he remains in custody.One man has sustained serious knife injuries; these are not believed at this stage to be life-threatening. Two other people have sustained minor injuries.Walton said: I would urge the public to remain calm, but alert and vigilant.The London Ambulance Service said: We have treated one patient for stab wounds this evening at Leytonstone Underground station.The patient was taken to hospital escorted by the doctor from Londons Air Ambulance.The Central Line, which runs across the capital, was shut for several stops east from Liverpool Street Station -- the main overground London railway terminus serving eastern England and London Stansted Airport.

'Lion' emerges victorious once again in Punjab as PML-N leads polls

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LAHORE (Dunya News) – Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) led the polls Saturday night as results poured in from all over Punjab for the third and final phase of Local Government (LG) polls. It seems that the ‘Lion’ has emerged victorious once again in Punjab as PML-N secured a landslide of votes winning 884 seats in the province according to unofficial and inconclusive results. 2097 out of 2497 results have been announced up until now.PML-N’s opponents failed to cause any major upsets. Independent candidates’ secured 837 seats while Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) winning 236 seats. Pakistan Peoples Party managed to secure 105 seats. JI only managed to win 2 seats from the province.The third phase of the local body elections were conducted in 12 districts of Punjab: Layyah, Rajanpur, D.G. Khan, Muzaffargarh, Rawalpindi, Jhang, Khushab, Multan, Sialkot, Narowal, Rahim Yar Khan and Bahawalpur. 14,470 polling stations were established in Punjab for 1,335 Union Councils (UC). 31,848 candidates battled for General seats in the province.PML-N also managed a landslide victory in Rawalpindi’s constituencies of NA-55 and 56. Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif’s daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif thanked the people of Rawalpindi for voting for Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) and welcomed them for their return to PML-N. PML-N’s arch rivals PTI had done much better in the district during 2013 General Election which was once seen as PML-N’s stronghold. The party had since been bitter about its 2013 loss but now rejoiced over the success.

Celebrations underway as MQM rejoices over massive election victory

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – Celebrations are underway and continue long into Saturday night as Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) rejoiced over its massive victory in the third and final phase of the Local Government (LG) polls. A crowd of workers in festive mood has gathered in Karachis Jinnah ground while fireworks were also displayed for MQMs success. The unofficial and inconclusive results of 170 out of 284 Union Councils (UC) were received for Sindh andMQM has been unofficially declared as the winners of Karachi. Some influential candidates of the opponent parties such as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Ali Zaidi, Jamat-e-Islami’s (JI) Hafiz Naeem ur-Rehman and Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Najmi Alam failed to cause an upset in the elections.The competition was never really a nail biter as MQM secured a landslide of votes winning 100 seats while leaving its opponents PTI, JI, PPP and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in the dust. MQM leader Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui stated that the party has won more than 85% of the seats.The polls were held in six districts of Sindh: West Karachi, South Karachi, East Karachi, Korangi, Central Karachi and Malir. In Karachi there were 209 union committees and 38 union councils.PPP secured 20 seats while independent candidates managed to win 19 seats. PML-N also managed to get 12 seats while JI won 11 seats PTI’s performance was unsatisfactory managing to secure only 8 seats.MQM’s possible candidates for Karachi’s Mayorship Waseem Akhtar and Rehan Hashmi won the polls. Akhtar won from UC-11, Aqab Jacob line while another party candidate Saadullah won from Bhatonagar, Municipal Corporation Korangi.A war of words had earlier escalated between the parties as MQM leader Dr. Farooq Sattar had stated that both PTI and JI will boycott the election at the last moment. Farooq Sattar said that JI and PTI tried their best to postpone the local body elections but could not succeed. He showed the concern over chances of PTI and JI boycotting the election.MQM leader had also said earlier that their party will win with heavy mandate tomorrow and will get more votes than past.PTI and JI leaders held an emergency press conference in light of the comments by the MQM leader.JI Karachi head Hafiz Naeem ur-Rehman said that MQM is being faced with some tough time for the first time. He said that MQM will be the one to boycott if army was deployed at the polling booths.PTI leader Imran Ismail said that MQM is in a state of panic. “Farooq Sattar is either under pressure or he has struck some deal somewhere”, said Ismail. He claimed that the people of Karachi will give their verdict tomorrow and mayor of the city will be announced with consultation between PTI and JI.

Social media companies step up battle against militant propaganda

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SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) -Facebook, Google and Twitter are stepping up efforts to combat online propaganda and recruiting by Islamic militants, but the Internet companies are doing it quietly to avoid the perception that they are helping the authorities police the Web.On Friday, Facebook Inc said it took down a profile that the company believed belonged to San Bernardino shooter Tashfeen Malik, who with her husband is accused of killing 14 people in a mass shooting that the FBI is investigating as an act of terrorism.Just a day earlier, the French prime minister and European Commission officials met separately with Facebook, Google, Twitter Inc and other companies to demand faster action on what the commission called online terrorism incitement and hate speech.The Internet companies described their policies as straightforward: they ban certain types of content in accordance with their own terms of service, and require court orders to remove or block anything beyond that. Anyone can report, or flag, content for review and possible removal.But the truth is far more subtle and complicated. According to former employees, Facebook, Google and Twitter all worry that if they are public about their true level of cooperation with Western law enforcement agencies, they will face endless demands for similar action from countries around the world.They also fret about being perceived by consumers as being tools of the government. Worse, if the companies spell out exactly how their screening works, they run the risk that technologically savvy militants will learn more about how to beat their systems.If they knew what magic sauce went into pushing content into the newsfeed, spammers or whomever would take advantage of that, said a security expert who had worked at both Facebook and Twitter, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue.One of the most significant yet least understood aspects of the propaganda issue is the range of ways in which social media companies deal with government officials.Facebook, Google and Twitter say they do not treat government complaints differently from citizen complaints, unless the government obtains a court order. The trio are among a growing number that publish regular transparency reports summarizing the number of formal requests from officials about content on their sites.But there are workarounds, according to former employees, activists and government officials.A key one is for officials or their allies to complain that a threat, hate speech or celebration of violence violates the companys terms of service, rather than any law. Such content can be taken down within hours or minutes, and without the paper trail that would go with a court order.It is commonplace for federal authorities to directly contact Twitter and ask for assistance, rather than going through formal channels, said an activist who has helped get numerous accounts disabled.In the San Bernardino case, Facebook said it took down Maliks profile, established under an alias, for violating its community standards, which prohibit praise or promotion of acts of terror. The spokesman said there was pro-Islamic State content on the page but declined to elaborate.ACTIVISTS MOBILIZESome well-organized online activists have also had success getting social media sites to remove content.A French-speaking activist using the Twitter alias NageAnon said he helped get rid of thousands of YouTube videos by spreading links of clear cases of policy violations and enlisting other volunteers to report them.The more it gets reported, the more it will get reviewed quickly and treated as an urgent case, he said in a Twitter message to Reuters.A person familiar with YouTubes operations said that company officials tend to quickly review videos that generate a high number of complaints relative to the number of views.Relying on numbers can lead to other kinds of problems.Facebook suspended or restricted the accounts of many pro-Western Ukrainians after they were accused of hate speech by multiple Russian-speaking users in what appeared to be a coordinated campaign, said former Facebook security staffer Nick Bilogorskiy, a Ukrainian immigrant who helped some of those accounts win appeals. He said the complaints have leveled off.A similar campaign attributed to Vietnamese officials at least temporarily blocked content by government critics, activists said.Facebook declined to discuss these cases.What law enforcement, politicians and some activists would really like is for Internet companies to stop banned content from being shared in the first place. But that would pose a tremendous technological challenge, as well as an enormous policy shift, former executives said.Some child pornography can be blocked because the technology companies have access to a database that identifies previously known images. A similar type of system is in place for copyrighted music.There is no database for videos of violent acts, and the same footage that might violate a social networks terms of service if uploaded by an anonymous militant might pass if it were part of a news broadcast.Nicole Wong, who previously served as the White Houses deputy chief technology officer, said tech companies would be reluctant to create a database of extremist videos, even if it could be kept current enough to be relevant, for fear that repressive governments would demand such set-ups to pre-screen any content they do not like.Technology companies are rightfully cautious because they are global players, and if they build it for one purpose they dont get to say it cant be used for anything else, said Wong, a former Twitter and Google legal executive.If you build it, they will come - it will also be used in China to stop dissidents.TRUSTED FLAGGERThere have been some formal policy changes. Twitter revised its abuse policy to ban indirect threats of violence, in addition to direct threats, and has dramatically improved its speed for handling abuse requests, a spokesman said.Across the board we respond to requests more quickly, and its safe to say government requests are in that bunch, the spokesman said.Facebook said it banned this year any content praising terrorists.Googles YouTube has expanded a little-known Trusted Flagger program, allowing groups ranging from a British anti-terror police unit to the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a human rights organization, to flag large numbers of videos as problematic and get immediate action.A Google spokeswoman declined to say how many trusted flaggers there were, but said the vast majority were individuals chosen based on their past accuracy in identifying content that violated YouTubes policies. No U.S. government agencies were part of the program, though some non-profit U.S. entities have joined in the past year, she said.Theres no Wizard of Oz syndrome. We send stuff in and we get an answer, said Rabbi Abraham Cooper, head of the Wiesenthal Centers Digital Terrorism and Hate project.

Football: Bayern slump to first Bundesliga defeat of season

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BERLIN (AFP) - Bayern Munich had their lead trimmed to five points as they lost their unbeaten Bundesliga record on Saturday in emphatic style, going down 3-1 away to Borussia Moenchengladbach.It is only the second time Pep Guardiolas Bayern have lost at all this season after they went down 2-0 at Arsenal in the Champions League in October.Gladbach coach Andre Schubert praised his sides sensational performance while Guardiola said Bayern must learn from their mistakes.We lost our control after they went 1-0 up and they started to couter-attack, said the Spaniard.We have to be able to learn from this game that we should never allow that to happen.It was Bayerns first Bundesliga defeat since losing 2-1 at Freiburg last May as second-half goals by Oscar Wendt, Lars Stindl and Fabian Johnson left the Bavarian giants reeling.Franck Ribery scored Bayerns late consolation goal on his return after nearly nine months out with injury.Its a pity, but its our own fault, admitted Ribery.We will concentrate on the next game and hope to win, he added as Ingolstadt can expect a Bayern backlash in Munich next Saturday.Gladbach took a deserved lead when Raffael gave a return pass to Wendt and the Swedish international fired past Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer on 54 minutes.The hosts doubled their lead when Stindl volleyed home on 66 minutes.Bayern centre-back Jerome Boateng was caught out of position and Johnson sprinted away to launch a shot past Neuer on 68 minutes.Bayern pulled a goal back nine minutes from time when Ribery marked his 300th game in the famous red shirt by scoring off the bench to celebrate his first appearance in 269 days following a persistent ankle injury.This is the first time Bayern have conceded three goals since losing 3-0 at Barcelona in the first leg of last seasons Champions League semi-finals.And their defeat leaves French champions Paris Saint-Germain as the only remaining unbeaten club in any of Europes traditional big five leagues.Kagawas winnerFor Gladbach, the victory continues their fairytale rise from bottom of the table to third as they remain unbeaten after 10 Bundesliga games under Schubert.Bayerns lead was cut to five points as second-placed Borussia Dortmund won 2-1 at Wolfsburg thanks to Shinji Kagawas dramatic 93rd-minute winner.A first-half goal by Germany winger Marco Reus was cancelled out by a Ricardo Rodriguez penalty with the 90 minutes up but there was still time for Japan international Kagawa to hit the winner with virtually the last kick of the game.The defeat knocks Wolfsburg confidence ahead of Tuesdays decisive Champions League clash against Manchester United in which they need a draw to qualify for the last 16.Elsewhere, 10-man Bayer Leverkusen warmed-up for their home clash with Champions League holders Barcelona on Wednesday by losing 2-1 at Hertha Berlin in the capital as Javier Hernandez netted what proved to be a consolation goal.Chicharito scored his seventh goal in 12 league games for Leverkusen to cancel out Vladimir Daridas early opener for Hertha at Berlins Olympic Stadium.Leverkusen were reduced to 10 men when centre-back Sebastian Boenisch was shown a straight red card with just 17 minutes gone for a brutal sliding tackle on Herthas 19-year-old left-back Yanni Regaesel.Hertha scored their second through USA international John Anthony Brooks and the win left them fourth as Leverkusen drop to eighth.Mainz are seventh after their 3-1 win at Hamburg while Mark Uths 96th-minute goal rescued a 1-1 draw for struggling Hoffenheim at Ingolstadt.Augsburg escaped the bottom three with a 1-0 win at Cologne as Paraguay striker Raul Bobadilla fired in a second-half free-kick.On Friday, Schalke broke their five-match winless streak with a 3-1 victory over Hanover 96 which left them sixth in the table.The Royal Blues won their first league game since downing Hertha in mid-October with goals by Johannes Geis, from a penalty, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Franco di Santo.

Turkey detains eight IS members on Syria border: army

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ANKARA (AFP) - Turkey has detained eight members of the Islamic State group including three children while trying to cross from neighbouring Syria illegally, the military said on Saturday.Eight members of the Daesh terrorist organisation were caught and detained on Friday in the border town of Elbeyli, Kilis province, the army said in a statement on its website, using an Arabic acronym for IS.The military gave no further details on the three children detained.Weapons including a Kalashnikov rifle, 11 cartridges and hand grenades were confiscated from the group, along with a notebook, the statement said.Long criticised for not doing enough to stem the flow of jihadist fighters across its volatile border with Syria, Turkey has stepped up fight after a number of deadly attacks on Turkish soil blamed on IS.According to government figures, between January and November around 1,200 suspects were detained over ties to the jihadist group.Turkish courts have convicted and imprisoned more than 350 people on the grounds of IS membership.The government has dismissed as groundless claims that Turkey is not combatting the jihadist group.Ankara launched its first air strikes against IS targets in Syria after a deadly bombing on a border town in July.The group has been blamed for three attacks in Turkey since June including the countrys deadliest ever attack in October, which killed 102 people at a pro-Kurdish rally in Ankara.

Thank you Rawalpindi, welcome back home: Maryam Nawaz

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RAWALPINDI: (Web Desk) – Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif has on Saturday thanked the people of Rawalpindi for voting for Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) and welcomed them for their return to PML-N. PML-N’s arch rivals Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had done much better in the district during 2013 General Election, reported Dunya News.In her message on Twitter, Maryam Nawaz said that every time there will be an election, people will vote for ‘Sher’ (tiger), PML-N’s electoral sign. She said that the people of Punjab have spoken, the electorate has spoken, PML-N has emerged victorious yet again.It will be SHER every time .... All the time .... People have spoken ... The electorate has spoken .... Did you hear ? Allah Kareem— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) December 5, 2015 PTI had won 2 seats out of the 7 National Assembly seats in Rawalpindi during the 2013 General Election and its ally Awami Muslim League’s (AML) leader Sheikh Rasheed had also won his seat in NA-55. The 2 seats were considered to be PML-N’s stronghold in the past but they were snatched from the party in the General Elections and the party has been resenting that defeat ever since.However, the victory in the local body elections has done some consolation for the defeat in 2013 as PML-N has reportedly secured a landslide victory in the district.Maryam Nawaz thus thanked the people of Rawalpindi and welcomed the city back into PML-N’s fold.Thank you Rawalpindi ..... Welcome back home— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) December 5, 2015 Also read:Sheikh Rasheed accepts defeat in NA-55 LB pollsAddressing his workers in Rawalpindi, Sheikh Rasheed said that UC-40 is like a matter of life and death for the AML. He said that he believed the alliance between his party and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in NA-55 would be able to secure around 13 to 16 seats out of the total 26 but it didn’t occur to him anymore.“Results are not coming in our favour but we’ll continue to serve the people of the constituency”, he said. Rasheed added that he won’t sit idle until the country I not freed from these mafias. He said that Pakistan was under loan worth 6000 billion rupees but the loan has risen to 30,000 billion rupees now.“This nation will learn only when each and every single thing in this country would have been sold”, said Rasheed.

Punjab e-Vaccs Program brings remarkable improvement in immunization

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LAHORE: (Web Desk) -To help Punjab Health authorities track progress and set targets on vaccination move, Punjab IT Board (PITB) has developed a smart phone application, funded by the World Bank that allows vaccinators to quickly register every booster on a central data hub. It was stated by the Chairman PITB Dr.Addressing a meeting to review the performance of the e-Vaccs project in his office on Tuesday, Umar Saif said “results have been impressive. We have witnessed a sea change in the way vaccination is done. Vaccinators used to meet 21% of their targets in past but with the new app, this has increased to 91% in just three months.” Dr. Saif said that the project executed under Punjab Public Management Reforms Program, aims at increasing transparency and efficiency through smart monitoring of field staff and disseminating information about through toll free helpline 0800-99000 and departmental websites. He told that the e-Vaccs app is being used by 3700 vaccinators across Punjab, enabling the authorities to monitor Vaccinators’ attendance, area coverage, number of children vaccinated and number and type of vaccine administered.“The app has showed a deep impact as the vaccinators’ attendance has risen from 22% to 98% since it was rolled out in October 2014 till April 2015. An average e-Vaccs dashboard is accessed 7000 times a day while in order to keep stakeholders posted on immunization activities, daily text alerts are sent to the Executive District Officers (EDOs) Health while District Coordination Officers (DCOs) and Secretary Health receive this service on weekly and monthly basis respectively resulting in a fool proof monitoring system,” he added. Dr. Saif said that the phase II of e-Vaccs program had been rolled out initially in three districts i.e. Multan, Vehari and Gujranwala that has 427 users since May 2015 and would be extended to the entire province ultimately.PITB Chairman said “The second phase comprises of upgraded and user friendly mobile application that would enable to register the images of the children with parents’ name and address, jabs and frequency of vaccination. The additional key indicators of phase II contain vaccination coverage by area and population, digital data base of vaccinated children and maintaining their history. The satellite imagery will help us form household clusters in target areas and locate the unvaccinated children immediately.”Dr. Saif said that the e-Vaccs was winning local, interprovincial as well as international recognition as the Khyber Pakhtunkha Government had requested to execute it in KPK. The fourth international donor on vaccination-Gavi has a published a report that refers to the Health Manager Jehlum Dr. Captain Asif as he is optimistic by saying “We are really pleased with the new system. Our experience has been a good lesson for the rest of Pakistan”The report further validates “Punjab’s plan marks a milestone in the country’s long journey to eradicate polio and strengthen routine immunization systems. Dr. Saif, Mr. Akhtar and Dr. Asif are all positive about its potential to work in other provinces, because, says Dr. Asif, “it is making vaccines accessible at the doorstep of each child”. The CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance Dr. Seth Berkley tweeted about e-Vaccs as “A simple vaccine tracking app for health workers will help make vaccines work better in Punjab Pakistan”. Another global recognition has been reflected in the US based Nielsen Survey Immunization has published a report on Punjab Health Roadmap Results in August 2015 that says, “Immunization coverage in Punjab improved dramatically between December 2014 and June 2015”.

Triple suicide attack kills 27 on Lake Chad island

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NDJAMENA (AFP) - A triple suicide bombing on an island in Lake Chad on Saturday killed at least 27 people and left more than 80 wounded, a Chadian security source said, in another apparent strike by Boko Haram Islamists despite a regional offensive to stop the insurgency.Three suicide bombers blew themselves up in three different places at the weekly market on Loulou Fou, an island in Lake Chad, the source in the capital NDjamena told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.He said the explosions had killed 30 people including the three attackers, and injured more than 80 others.NDjamena on November 9 declared a state of emergency in the flashpoint Lake Chad region, which also straddles Nigeria, Cameroon and Niger and is frequently targeted by Nigerias Boko Haram Islamists who this year declared allegiance to the Islamic State.The decree granted the governor of the remote region the authority to ban the circulation of people and vehicles, to search homes and to seize arms.In recent months, Boko Haram fighters have stepped up attacks and suicide bombings on Chadian villages in the lake region that lie close to the frontier with Nigeria.The deadliest attack on Chads side of the lake took place on October 10, another triple suicide, which killed 41 people at Baga Sola, according to NDjamena.Since the start of the year, the Chadian army has been on the front line of a regional military operation against Boko Haram, whose attacks have spread from northeast Nigeria, its traditional stronghold, to the countrys three Lake Chad neighbours.The joint operation of the four Lake Chad countries plus Benin has involved 8,700 soldiers, police and civilians.- Weakened but not defeated -Despite being hit hard by the offensive, losing territory, Boko Haram has responded with a wave of attacks and bombings.Their attacks are often carried out by young women or adolescent boys targeting markets, which are at heart of African daily life.Chadian President Idris Deby Itno recently admitted that the regional force, which is not yet fully operational, has without a doubt weakened the Islamists but it has not defeated them.Still, Cameroon, part of the regional offensive, on Wednesday claimed to have dealt a major blow to Boko Haram, killing around 100 fighters and freeing 900 hostages in a three-day operation last week.The claim comes on the heels of twin attacks by women suicide bombers the previous day in the far north of Cameroon, an area repeatedly targeted by the Islamists in which at least six people died.No independent confirmation of the Cameroonian governments statement was immediately available from the region, which is inaccessible to the media.Boko Haram fighters, believed to be hiding out in Nigerias Sambisa forest and the Lake Chads many islands, are held responsible for 17,000 deaths and for making 2.5 million people homeless in their six-year campaign of violence.Over the past year Boko Haram has stepped up cross-border attacks in Niger, Chad and Cameroon while also continuing to mount shooting and suicide assaults on markets, mosques and other mostly civilian targets within Nigeria itself.

Paris attacks spotlight turns on Britain

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LONDON (AFP) - The fallout from the devastating Paris attacks spread to Britain on Saturday, as media reported that at least one of the perpetrators had previously contacted extremists in London and Birmingham.The alleged mastermind of the November 13 attacks, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, had links with several people based in Birmingham in central Englands West Midlands region, the Wall Street Journal said, citing anonymous Western officials.Abaaoud, a Belgian of Moroccan descent, was killed in a police raid five days after the Paris attacks, along with a cousin and an unidentified third person, according to French authorities.The WSJ also reported that at least one unnamed person connected to the series of attacks, which killed 130 people across the French capital, was thought to have travelled to Britain beforehand.The Guardian, citing counter-terrorism officials, also said an unnamed Paris attacker had visited Britains two biggest cities to meet people who were suspected of plotting UK terror activity.The newspaper said the man had managed to enter Britain and travel to London and Birmingham, before heading back to continental Europe undetected despite a severe threat alert.In both cities he met with people suspected of having the intention and capability of plotting or assisting terrorist activity against the UK, The Guardian reported, describing him as an ISIS (Islamic State) militant.The suspects visited are under investigation by Britains domestic intelligence agency MI5 and police counter-terrorism officials, it added.The British paper said that months later the same man was part of the Paris terror attacks.The WSJ meanwhile reported that some of the Birmingham-based people were of Moroccan heritage, like Abaaoud.Both the Home Office and the Metropolitan Police told AFP on Saturday that they could neither confirm nor deny the reports.Post the Paris attacks, the Mets Counter Terrorism Command have been working closely with colleagues in France, a Met spokesman added.It would be inappropriate to comment on the French investigation.West Midlands Police said Saturday that it was aware of the speculation regarding the Paris terror attackers and potential contact with people or places in Birmingham.West Midlands Police assistant chief constable Marcus Beale added: The West Midlands counter-terrorism unit is working hand-in-hand with counter terrorism colleagues in London, the national CT network and security services to provide support to the French and Belgian investigations and of course to address any associated terrorism threat to the UK. - Past Birmingham links -Islamic extremists have surfaced before in Birmingham. Junaid Hussain, a high-ranking Islamic State group operative, was from there.On Saturday, meanwhile, a 25-year-old man was due to be presented to an examining magistrate in Paris on suspicion of providing lodgings to two of the attackers, a legal source told AFP.The man, identified only as Mohamed S., was in contact with two other people linked to Abaaoud.The suspect knew Abaaouds female cousin Hasna Aitboulahcen, and Jawad Bendaoud, who lent his apartment to the Belgian jihadist ahead of the attacks.The prosecution will ask that Mohamed S. be detained and charged with criminal association in relation to a criminal terrorist plot, the source said.Abaaoud, Aitboulahcen and an as-yet unidentified man were killed at the apartment in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis when police stormed it.For now, Bendaoud is the only person who has been charged in the Paris leg of the ongoing French-Belgian inquiry.In Belgium, a total of eight people have been charged and locked up on suspicion of having helped the assailants who carried out the November 13 attacks which also wounded more than 350 people.Seven of the gunmen and suicide bombers who carried out the attacks died on the night, although only four of them have been formally identified.Three other people connected to the massacre were killed in the Saint-Denis raid.A massive manhunt is under way for another suspected assailant, Salah Abdeslam.Police are also seeking two other suspects who were with Abdeslam when he was stopped by police at the Hungary-Austria border on September 9. They carried false ID papers identifying them as Belgian nationals Soufiane Kayal and Samir Bouzid.

Sheikh Rasheed accepts defeat in NA-55 LB polls

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RAWALPINDI: (Web Desk) – Awami Muslim League (AML) leader Sheikh Rasheed has on Saturday accepted his defeat in the Rawalpindi local body elections from his constituency. He said that AML believed its alliance could secure 13 to 16 seats out of the 26 union councils located in NA-55 but it doesn’t seem so anymore. Sheikh Rasheed is the MNA from NA-55, reported Dunya News.Addressing his workers in Rawalpindi, Sheikh Rasheed said that UC-40 is like a matter of life and death for the AML. He said that he believed the alliance between his party and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in NA-55 would be able to secure around 13 to 16 seats out of the total 26 but it didn’t occur to him anymore.“Results are not coming in our favour but we’ll continue to serve the people of the constituency”, he said. Rasheed added that he won’t sit idle until the country I not freed from these mafias. He said that Pakistan was under loan worth 6000 billion rupees but the loan has risen to 30,000 billion rupees now.“This nation will learn only when each and every single thing in this country would have been sold”, said Rasheed.
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