Saturday 31 December 2016

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Karachi: 20 injured in aerial firing incidents on new year night

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KARACHI (Dunya News) - 20 people were injured in aerial firing and fire work incidents on new year night in Karachi despite the ban, reported Dunya News.Aerial firing incidents were recorded in areas of Liaquatabad, Defence, Jackson, Orangi Town, Machar Colony, Baldia Town, Lyari, PIB and Kashmir Road.According to hospital sources, a woman named Afshan also got injured. On the other hand, 13 people, including 2 policemen were arrested for doing aerial firing.

Javed Hashmi makes shocking revelations

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LAHORE (Dunya News) - The former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) member Javed Hashmi made some shocking revelations on Saturday as he told thatImran Khan meant judicial martial law when he said umpire will raise the finger, reported Dunya News.Hashmi was part of PTI when they did sit-in back in 2014. He told that former Chief Justice Pakistan (CJP) Nasir-ul-Mulk had also called a meeting of judges and had also decided the date for new elections.The law experts said that there should be inquiry to find out if the revelations were true. He made these claims in Dunya TV programs, as he also took names of General Raheel Sharif, General Zaheer and General Tariq.Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Qamar Zaman Kaira said that army and courts should make their positions clear regarding the matter.Ali Ahmad Kurd said that Supreme Court (SC) should be given a show cause notice and all institutions must answer.

England's Jennings prepared to take on former compatriots

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LONDON (AFP) - England opener Keaton Jennings is not fussed about the possibility of facing his fellow South Africans in a test series next July, he told The Times on Saturday.The 24-year-old -- son of former South Africa wicketkeeper Ray Jennings -- added that should he be selected he is prepared for a lot of attention being focused on him.Barring a drop in form for his county Durham -- who have been relegated to the second tier after being bailed-out by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) -- he should be selected after making a century on his debut in the recent fourth Test against India and a half century in the fifth and final Test.His performances were a rare highlight in the series which England lost 4-0 and cast doubt on whether his opening partner Alistair Cook will remain as captain.I dont think it will feel weird playing against South Africa, but I know that the intensity around that will be heightened, said Jennings, who will probably also face some old team-mates from the Gauteng Province side whom he played for in 2011 and in the same year skippered the South Africa Under-19 side on a tour of England.There will be all the chat again about my nationality. And if I do play I will have to make sure I handle that and be calm, settled and focused.Jennings, who is playing for his home county as his mother hails from Sunderland in the north east of England, said he is prepared to drop down the order should his services not be required to open.Id be happy to bat at No 10 and be a fielder, said Jennings, who will skipper the England second team squad the Lions on their tour of Sri Lanka next month.Just to have the opportunity to play Test cricket, whether Im playing in my preferred role or something slightly out of the norm.If the opportunity is there in July to bat at No 3 and that is what (England coach) Trevor Bayliss or Cook want me to do then I will bite their hand off.Jennings, who qualified for England through the old four year residency rule, admitted he had been taken aback by some of the reaction to his agreeing to represent England and not the Proteas.I think social media gives people an opportunity to voice opinions that I dont really want to read, he said.Social media is great but people voice their opinions in the wrong way sometimes. There was a backlash to my background but mostly I have had a lot of support.Jennings protests that it is not South Africa which he considers his home but Durham.South Africa isnt home any more actually, said Jennings, who is also studying for an accountancy degree.My mum and dad said the other day about me going back to the UK and I corrected them. No. I am going home, thats my home, I said.The northeast of England is where I have bought property and where my local pub is and I have my usual order in the local pub and I know my way around.When I come back to South Africa now, I drive round using GPS because I dont know my way.

Injury keeps refreshed Broom in New Zealand squad

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WELLINGTON (AFP) - Neil Brooms return to international cricket was extended Sunday when he was named to replace the injured Martin Guptill in the New Zealand Twenty20 squad to play Bangladesh.Guptill pulled a hamstring while running between the wickets in Saturdays third one-day international, which New Zealand won by eight wickets to seal the ODI series 3-0.Broom, who had been out of international cricket since early 2010, was recalled to the New Zealand ODI squad while Ross Taylor recovers from surgery, and produced scores of 22, 109 not out and 97.Coach Mike Hesson said with that form the 33-year-old Broom was the obvious replacement for Guptill in the three T20s.We needed to replace an attacking opening batsmen and with Neils experience opening in the T20 format and his current form he was a ready-made replacement, Hesson said.Guptill could be sidelined for up to four weeks with Hesson hopeful he will have recovered in time for the ODI series against Australia which starts on January 30.The first of three T20 matches against Bangladesh will be played in Napier on Tuesday.

Russia gets UN backing for Syria truce, Kazakhstan talks

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BEIRUT (AFP) - A ceasefire held across most of Syria on Saturday as Russia and Turkey secured unanimous passage of a UN resolution backing their efforts to jumpstart talks aimed at ending the nearly six-year conflict.The Security Council resolution aims to pave the way for talks next month in Kazakhstans capital Astana, under the aegis of Russia and Iran -- both Syrian government supporters -- and of rebel backer Turkey.Turkey and Russia say the talks will supplement, not replace, UN-backed peace efforts, including negotiations set to resume February 8 in Geneva.The text of the UN measure welcomes and supports the efforts by Russia and Turkey to end violence in Syria and jumpstart a political process. It hails the Astana talks as an important step.The measure also calls for the rapid, safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid in Syria.Russia and Turkey brokered the current ceasefire and, while backing opposing forces in the conflict, have been working increasingly closely on Syria, including to allow evacuations from the besieged city of Aleppo.Washington has been conspicuously absent from the new process but has called the truce positive. Moscow has said it hoped to bring US President-elect Donald Trumps administration on board once he takes office in January.Russias UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin had earlier voiced hope the Security Council would endorse the planned talks in Kazakhstan and back the resolution unanimously.But several council members had demanded clarifications over the reach of the resolution, what it would mean for the UN talks, how it might affect rebels recently ousted from Aleppo, and what it would mean for humanitarian aid.The French Foreign Ministry expressed hope the ceasefire would be fully respected, calling for a prompt resumption of political negotiations brokered by the UN.The unanimous adoption of Resolution 2336 demonstrates how important implementing a ceasefire in Syria truly is for the international community, the statement added.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based monitor of the war, said that most of Syria remained calm, despite limited clashes.Two children were killed in the evening hours by regime artillery fire targeting rebel territory near Aleppo, the observatory said.The government in Damascus called the ceasefire a real opportunity to find a political solution to a war that has claimed more than 310,000 lives and displaced millions since it began in March 2011 with protests against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.Clashes were reported around Wadi Barada near Damascus, and the southern city of Daraa, where one opposition fighter was killed.The fighting in Wadi Barada has led to water shortages that have affected four million people in the capital.Five rebel fighters and two civilians have been killed in Wadi Barada and the rebel bastion of Eastern Ghouta near Damascus since the truce started on Friday, said Syrian Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman.The Observatory said a total of 60,000 people were killed in violence across Syria in 2016, more than 13,000 of them civilians.The forces in Wadi Barada include Fateh al-Sham Front, previously known as Al-Nusra Front. That group and the Islamic State group are excluded from the truce.- Iran urges vigilance -==========================Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem held talks in key ally Iran with President Hassan Rouhani and the Supreme National Security Council secretary Ali Shamkhani.Rouhani said vigilance was needed to ensure that the rebels not reorganize.The official IRNA news agency also quoted Shamkhani as warning that any political solution to the Syria conflict must not lead to the weakening of the Damascus government.Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he would reduce Moscows military contingent in Syria, which has been fighting to bolster the government since last year.But he added Russia would continue to fight terrorism and maintain its support for Assads government.

Mourinho salutes Old Trafford faithful

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MANCHESTER, United Kingdom (AFP) - Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho saluted the Old Trafford crowd and said they swept his side to a dramatic 2-1 victory over Middlesbrough.Grant Leadbitters goal after 67 minutes gave Aitor Karankas unfancied visitors a surprise advantage until Anthony Martial swept home on 85 minutes and Paul Pogba won it 87 seconds later with a fine header.The late turnaround -- reminiscent of the glory years of the watching Alex Ferguson on his 75th birthday -- sealed Uniteds fifth consecutive Premier League victory and they are now unbeaten in 12 matches in all competitions.A delighted Mourinho believes the atmosphere inside the Theatre of Dreams eventually made all the difference.We managed to do something that is amazing, which is to bring the fans onto the pitch, he said.I think we did that in the last 15 and 20 minutes. We played with 70,000 or 80,000. What was on the pitch was too much for a very good team.I feel for my brother (Karanka) but not just him, I feel for their players because they gave it everything. But my players deserved it because they gave it everything.United should have been out of sight by half time after dominating the first 45 minutes.They hit the post twice, courtesy of Pogba and Martial, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic also had a goal controversially ruled out.If Ibrahimovics goal had been allowed to stand he would have matched Lionel Messis 2016 tally of 51 strikes in the calendar year and Mourinho was upset that the 35-year-old was denied the chance of equalling that record.That stopped such an amazing player from being top scorer with Messi in 2016. It was quite frustrating and it was another big test for us and the players.After the break United remained in complete control but Middlesbroughs resilience was superb as they repelled constant United attacks, until Martial and Pogba produced the goods in an end that was extremely cruel on the visitors.If the fans remember Sir Alex, not just for his birthday but for the performance we had, that is a great tribute, Mourinho said.I think the fans love the way we try and play football and they love the players attitude. It was a big victory for us, a big three points.Karanka was Mourinhos assistant for three years from 2010 at Real Madrid and the United manager spoke in his pre-match programme notes of his genuine affection for his Middlesbrough counterpart.Karanka feels the same back but, understandably, could not hide his disappointment at failing to hang on for what would have been a truly spectacular end to 2016.The reaction is one you can imagine, Karanka said.I dont like to lose but I told them that apart from the result, the performance once again against a top team was really good.Again we competed against a top team. We will win games against teams around us. Once again we showed we are a consistent team and we had chances to score.

At least 35 dead, 40 injured in Istanbul nightclub terror attack: official

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ISTANBUL (AFP) - At least 35 people were killed and 40 wounded in a terror attack in Istanbul Sunday when gunmen reportedly dressed as Santa stormed an elite nightclub where partygoers were celebrating the New Year, the latest carnage to rock Turkey after a bloody 2016.Two gunmen entered the venue dressed as Santa and spraying bullets at random inside the Reina nightclub, one of the citys most exclusive party spots, Dogan news agency said.Unfortunately, at least 35 of our citizens lost their lives. One was a police officer. Forty people are receiving treatment in hospitals, Vasip Sahin told reporters at the scene of the nightclub on the Bosphorus in the citys European side.What happened today is a terror attack, he added.Many party-goers threw themselves into the Bosphorus in panic after the attack and efforts were underway to rescue them from the waters, NTV television said.Dogan news agency reported that some witnesses claimed the attackers were speaking Arabic while NTV broadcaster said special force police officers were still searching the nightclub.TV images showed the scene cordoned off by police officers. According to Dogan, there were at least 700 revellers celebrating the start of 2017 at the club.Television pictures showed the New Year partygoers -- including men in suits and women in cocktail dresses -- emerging out of the nightclub in a state of shock.The nightclub in the Ortakoy district of Istanbul is one of the most elite spots in the city, and getting inside past the bouncers who seek out only the best dressed is notoriously hard.Turkey has been hit by a string of attacks in recent months blamed on Kurdish militants and Islamic State jihadists.On December 10, 44 people were killed in a double bombing in Istanbul after a football match hosted by the top side Besiktas.That attack, which targeted a police bus, was claimed by the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK) seen as a radical offshoot of the PKK.A week later, fourteen Turkish soldiers were killed and dozens more wounded in a suicide car bombing blamed on Kurdish militants targeting off-duty conscripts also claimed by the TAK.The recent spike in violence has capped a bloody 2016 in Turkey which saw more attacks than any other in the history of the country.In June, 47 people were killed in a triple suicide bombing and gun attack at Istanbuls Ataturk airport, with authorities blaming IS.Another 57 people, 34 of them children, were killed in August in a suicide attack by an IS-linked bomber at a Kurdish wedding in the southeastern city of Gaziantep.Turkey is still reeling from a failed July 15 coup blamed by the government on the US-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen that has been followed by a relentless purge of his alleged supporters from state institutions.The attack also comes as the Turkish army is waging a four-month incursion in Syria to oust IS jihadists and Kurdish militants from the border area.The Turkish army and its Syrian rebel allies have been taking increasing casualties at Al-Bab in the bloodiest confrontation of the incursion so far.Amid fears of another attack in Istanbul, at least 17,000 police officers were deployed in the city for this years New Years Eve celebrations.

My heart wasn't in it anymore, says Ivanovic

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LONDON (AFP) - Former women s tennis world number one Ana Ivanovic admitted Saturday she retired this week because she felt both physically and mentally unfit to carry on after years of battling injuries.The 29-year-old Serbian -- whose sole Grand Slam success came in the 2008 French Open one of her 15 WTA titles -- added she wanted to retire while she still loved the sport.The last few years have been a struggle with injury, Ivanovic told The Times newspaper on Saturday.It was always a fight coming back and so much work on the court, off the court, and then not sometimes being in the best shape.For me, the IPTL (International Premier Tennis League who hosted events in Singapore and India recently) was a last test.I didn t have the feeling in my body and in my heart that I should push more.It s never easy to step back from something you love, but I wanted it to remain my love rather than something that I have to do or end up despising because it hurt.Ivanovic, who also reached the 2007 French Open and the 2008 Australian Open finals, said she would not classify her career as being one of under-achievement.I think it s hard to say that someone has overachieved or underachieved, said Ivanovic, who won the season-ending WTA Tournament of Champions title twice.Even though I look back and think maybe I could have done a little bit more, it all happens for a reason.Ivanovic, who first took up tennis aged five after watching Yugoslavian star Monica Seles play, conceded she had been overwhelmed by the attention focused not just on her ability but looks.I felt quite flattered, said Ivanovic.The only thing was that it was very overwhelming for me because I was so young.All I had done was play tennis because I loved it so much. To deal with all those responsibilities was difficult, because I was very shy growing up.Ivanovic, who married German World Cup winning midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger in Venice earlier this year, says she will not return to the circuit even as a coach.I do not have ambitions of coming back as a coach, said Ivanovic.I m really happy with the career I ve had. Now it s time to try different things.

Tennis: Rafael Nadal clinches fourth Mubadala UAE title

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ABU DHABI (AFP) - Rafael Nadal ended an injury-plagued 2016 on a high by lifting the Mubadala World Tennis Championship title for a fourth time on Saturday.The 30-year-old Spaniard defeated 11th-ranked Belgian David Goffin 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) after world number one Andy Murray earlier ousted Canada s Milos Raonic 6-3, 7-6 (8/6) to take third place.I m very happy to return to competition again. These three days have been good for me. These three days, playing at this level, are going to stand me in good stead for the rest of the season, said Nadal.Nadal s 2016 campaign had been ruined by a wrist injury that forced him out of Roland Garros after the second round and saw him miss Wimbledon.But he looked in form throughout the exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi, beating Czech Tomas Berdych in the quarter-final and Raonic in the semi-finals.He put a lot of pressure on me, said Goffin of his first clash against the Spaniard.You can feel how strong he is when he is in front of you. Mentally he is very impressive and he looks really strong to start the new season.Nadal will now head to Australia for the Brisbane International, with Goffin travelling to Doha for the Qatar Open.Wimbledon and Olympic champion Murray, who was knighted in the New Year Honours list, lost to Goffin in Friday s semi-final, his first defeat in the Belgian in six meetings.It was good to finish the year with a win, said the 29-year-old Scot. I still feel like Andy Murray - that feels more normal - but I am happy with the knighthood and it is a nice way to start the new year.Murray s next stop is neighbouring Qatar for the opening week of the ATP season and two weeks out from the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of 2017.In the match for fifth-place in the six-man field, France s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat Czech Thomas Berdych 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 10-3.

Liverpool's Wijnaldum dents Man City title bid

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LIVERPOOL (AFP) - Georginio Wijnaldum s early header earned Liverpool a 1-0 New Year s Eve victory over Manchester City that left Pep Guardiola s men 10 points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea.The Dutch midfielder struck in the eighth minute, emphatically converting a cross from Adam Lallana, as second-place Liverpool trimmed Chelsea s advantage back to six points.It was a fourth consecutive league win for Jurgen Klopp s side, who look best placed to hunt Chelsea down in the season s second half, particularly in the absence of European distractions.They re on an outstanding run, said Klopp of Chelsea. Thirteen (wins) already. Not badBut can you imagine how annoying it is when you win 13 games in a row and there s one team only six points behind?He added: It was really hard work tonight. But it s not like we expected something different.Liverpool finish the calendar year with 43 points -- the most they have ever amassed at the halfway point of a Premier League campaign.Despite a marked second-half improvement at Anfield, City manager Guardiola must return to the drawing board, having seen his team s three-game winning run come to an end.City have now lost four times this season, having also been beaten by Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Leicester City, and will cede fourth place if Arsenal beat Crystal Palace on New Year s Day.City s supporters, who were joined in the away end by injured captain Vincent Kompany, have not seen their team win at Liverpool since May 2003.We spoke about coming here with courage, said Guardiola.We know Man City s history at Anfield. We played well, but like in other games, the first time they arrived (in the box), they scored.When you are 10 points behind, you have to be focused just on the next game.Klopp beefed up his midfield by bringing in Emre Can in place of Divock Origi and the move had the beneficial side-effect of freeing Wijnaldum to get forward, as City found to their cost.The away side had started reasonably well, Aleksandar Kolarov thumping a free-kick into Liverpool s defensive wall, but a loose pass from the Serbian in the eighth minute proved fatal.Liverpool broke at break-neck speed, Roberto Firmino brilliantly switching the play to Lallana, whose feathery left-foot cross was magnificently headed home by the leaping Wijnaldum.Sergio Aguero, back at the tip of the City attack after a four-game suspension, sought a response, bending a shot wide after leaving Jordan Henderson for dead.But with City unable to pick a way through Liverpool s high press, Aguero was left isolated and it was the hosts who looked more likely to score the game s second goal.Wijnaldum and Can both shot off target, while Firmino could not gather a searching through ball from James Milner that drew a round of applause from Klopp.So comfortable were Liverpool, in fact, that maligned goalkeeper Simon Mignolet felt confident enough to hare out of his box and calmly dink the ball over Aguero, drawing an approving roar from the Kop.Had Lallana timed his run a little better after Yaya Toure gifted the ball straight to Firmino on halfway, meanwhile, Liverpool might have been 2-0 up by half-time.Guardiola s response was to move David Silva into a central position, in support of Aguero, and the Spaniard s repositioning allowed City to gain a foothold in the match.He teed up Aguero for an effort that Mignolet comfortably held and shot narrowly wide himself before Toure s raking pass was volleyed into the side-netting by a flying Raheem Sterling.In a bold move, when Henderson was forced off just beyond the hour with a heel problem, Klopp sent on a striker, Origi, in his place.Guardiola did not turn to his bench until the 86th minute, introducing Jesus Navas and Kelechi Iheanacho for the game s final stages, but by then City had run out of ideas.

2016 - The year when Pakistan said 'hola' to Panama Papers

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As we are saying pip pip to the year 2016, let’s scroll through the most significant happenings of soon-to-be previous year. While doing so, we will get to know that some of the events and happenings can truly be termed as defining moments in history. One of such phenomenon was Panama Leaks that for a moment not only shook the world but also scare the hell out of some of the prominent world leaders and celebrities.What are the Panama Papers?The Panama Papers are an unprecedented leak of as many as 11.5 million files obtained from one of the world’s biggest offshore law firms, Mossack Fonseca. It was revealed that an anonymous source contacted the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ) and shared these documents originally sourced from Mossack Fonseca.The mentioned newspaper then shared these leaked documents with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and since then the leaks had been a word on the street as ICIJ share them with its large network of international partners.Some of the notable mentions in Panama PapersPanama Papers made waves when politicians, public officials or close associates implicated in the leak came to public notice. The Panama Papers mentioned close associates of President Vladimir Putin of Russia, the father of Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain, relatives of President Xi Jinping of China, King Salman of Saudi Arabia; Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, who later on resigned as prime minister of Iceland owing the massive protests on the basis of the revelations; President Mauricio Macri of Argentina; and the soccer star Lionel Messi, one of the world’s wealthiest athletes among others.Panama Papers – Making headlines in Pakistan during 2016Ever since the shocking revelations in Panama Papers, the country’s politics shifted into a new phase of calls for resignation, blame game, protests, sit-ins and demands for judicial commission. Prime Minister all of a sudden became the butt of criticisms when it came out that his family members have holdings in offshore companies.It was also revealed through the Panama Papers that Maryam Nawaz, Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz controlled shell companies through which they had purchase expensive London real estate.Let’s have a look at some of the significant month-wise happenings followed immediately after the revelations,AprilPrime Minister Nawaz Sharif in his speech to the nation on April 5 announced to form a high-level judicial commission for investigating the allegations of owning off-shore companies and concealing assets.Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday has left for London for medical checkup.Imran Khan stated that his party will hit the roads if investigation regarding the Panama Leaks is not held transparently.Finance Ministry clarified that Dar made no contacts with Panama’s Foreign Ministry and that the reports being proliferated through the media in this regards are inaccurate.Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a speech to the nation on April 22 pledged to resign if a probe related to the Panama Papers tax scandal found his family had committed any wrongdoing.MayGovernment rejected oppositions Terms Of References (TORs) on Panama Leaks.Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif advised his team of legal experts to review Terms Of References (TORs) prepared by the Opposition parties for the judicial commission that will be probing into the Panama Leaks issue.Opposition parties demonstrated walk-out in the National Assembly (NA) citing Prime Minister’s (PM) absence to explain his stance on Panama leaks the reason behind.Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) demanded the Supreme Court (SC) to take suo moto notice of the Panama Leaks.Government and the opposition agreed to form a 12 member committee in order to draft joint terms of reference (ToRs) for an inquiry commission that will probe Panama papers.JunePTI announced a series of protests after Eid-ul-fitar.Both Opposition and Government stick to their positions as Panamagate ToR negotiations achieved no results.The top leadership of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) gathered to discuss their future strategy over Panama Leaks issue.JulyInterior Minister ruled out the possibility of an in-house change and formation of a forward bloc of PML-N as an aftermath of Panama Leaks.Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar revealed that the government will make ToRs on Panama Leaks if probe between the two sides failed to reach any conclusion.Opposition announced to hold no further talks with government on ToRs over Panama.AugustThe Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) directed the counsel of opposition parties to submit documentary evidences against Prime Minister and others over Panama leaks till August 17.PTI announced to approach Supreme Court over Panama Papers.The Supreme Court returned a petition by Jamaat-i-Islami regards to Panama Papers leaks by terming it ‘frivolous’.SeptemberBoth the government and opposition parties declared to introduce their own, separate bills in the two houses of parliament.The government and the opposition geared up for a legislative war over the formation of commission to hold an inquiry into corruption charges.Public Accounts Committee (PAC) revealed that it lacks the jurisdiction for taking up the matter of the Panama PapersPTI demanded the Supreme Court to take suo motu notice of Panama Leaks.OctoberPrime Minister filed an application with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for the disqualification of petitions that was submitted against him regards to Panama Papers leak.PTI plans to lock down the capital city was challenged in Supreme Court.Supreme Court issues notice to Nawaz and others in Panamagate petition.NovemberPakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf announced that November 2 lockdown would instead be marked as a day of thanksgiving in Islamabad citing the announcement of the formation of a judicial commission by SC as a reason for the decision.Supreme Court asked PTI and PML-N to submit their ToRs on the formation of a commission to probe the Panama Papers leaks.SC revealed that the documents submitted by PTI had no relevance in Panama Leaks case.DecemberSupreme Court adjourns the proceedings on Panamagate case till January.Supreme Court asks parties to decide over formation of commission.

New Year's celebrations kick off in Pakistan

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LAHORE (Dunya News) – New Year’s celebrations kick off in Pakistan as hustle and bustle, celebrations and spectacular feats of fireworks stole the show at different cities of the country.The moment when the clock struck 12, everybody was on their feet as celebrations started and fireworks show across most of the cities made the atmosphere lively everywhere.Enthusiasts took to different roads of Lahore as New Year celebrations were in full swing.Most of the Karachities took to the sea shore to celebrate the New Year in style.

Willian powers Chelsea to record-equalling win

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LONDON: (AFP) - Chelsea equalled Arsenals record of 13 consecutive Premier League wins in a season as Willians brace inspired a 4-2 win over Stoke on Saturday.Antonio Contes side had a difficult afternoon after twice being pegged back at Stamford Bridge, but they still managed to match Arsenals feat in 2001-02 to ensure they enter the new year with a sizeable advantage at the top of the table.Gary Cahills header put Chelsea ahead at the break but Bruno Martins Indi levelled immediately after the restart before Willian restored the lead.Peter Crouch then gave Stoke a second leveller, only for Willian to pop up moments later before Diego Costa sealed the win.The leaders were able to recall France midfielder NGolo Kante and Spain striker Costa after the suspended pair missed the 3-0 home win over Bournemouth on Boxing Day.They went close to taking the lead as the in-form Eden Hazard beat two men before seeing a shot deflected wide.Lee Grant came to Stokes rescue as he brilliantly kept out a deflected Costa piledriver after he had chested down a Cesc Fabregas cross.Grant then saved again to deny Cahill from a Fabregas corner, but Stoke looked dangerous when they attacked and Charlie Adam missed a good chance, heading wide from Xherdan Shaqiris corner.However, it was Chelsea who put the pressure on with Grant denying Costa and then Hazard on the rebound.AnimatedAnd from Fabregass resulting 33rd-minute corner, England defender Cahill headed home to give Contes side the lead with his fourth goal of the season.Chelsea continued to attack with a Costa free kick just missing the target but Stoke went on to surprise the hosts within a minute of the restart.Adams free kick was headed on by Crouch for Martins Indi to volley home for his first Stoke goal.Willian drove wide for Chelsea in response as Conte got increasingly animated, while the Brazilian midfielder soon missed the target again.But the Chelsea manager was soon looking far happier as his team regained the lead on 56 minutes.Victor Moses got the better of Erik Pieters down the right and Hazards touch fell perfectly for Willian to score.Chelsea continued to attack with Costa driving left footed over the bar following another lay-off from Hazard.But it was Stoke who were level again on 64 minutes as Crouch caused problems in the box before Bojan Krkic fed Mame Diouf, who crossed for Crouch to convert on the line.They were level for less than 60 seconds though as Fabregas played in Willian to score his second of the game and fifth of the season with an emphatic finish.That again had Conte dancing with delight on the touchline as he celebrated amongst the home fans.Willian missed a chance for a hat-trick as he scuffed his shot wide while Costa missed an even better one, blazing over from Hazards pass.But Chelsea could eventually breathe easily five minutes from time as Costa latched onto a stray Adam header before driving home left footed past Grant for his 14th goal of the campaign.

Modi unveils handouts, tax breaks after cash ban

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NEW DELHI (AFP) - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday unveiled a series of cash handouts, cheaper loans and tax breaks for women, farmers and businesses as he defended the move to ban high-value banknotes.In a New Years Eve address, Modi thanked people for their patient sacrifice, discipline and resolve in supporting the withdrawal of some 85 percent of all bills in circulation, which he said had laid the foundation for a better India.His televised remarks followed the expiry of a deadline for people to swap their old 500 rupee ($7.30) and 1,000 rupee notes for new ones on Friday.The Indian leader has been widely hailed for his assault on tax evasion but long queues outside banks, a cash crunch and policy flip-flops since the November 8 announcement quickly led to anger in some quarters.The troubles faced and the sacrifices made by the people to build a better India is an example for all of us, Modi said in his 45-minute speech, describing the cash ban as a big fight against corruption and unaccounted wealth.In an effort to appease those most affected by the cash crunch, Modi said the government would offer cheaper loans to home buyers and farmers as well as cash handouts for pregnant women.He also unveiled tax breaks for small and medium-sized businesses.Indias main opposition Congress party was quick to dismiss Modis announcement and demanded clarifications and figures from him on the exact benefits of the move to reduce cash in use.Disappointed with PMs speech. Many questions left unanswered. His decision paralysed economy; the country cant run this way, party spokesman Randeep S Surjewala said on Twitter.Modi and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party will learn if his risky gamble has paid off when Uttar Pradesh holds the first of several 2017 state elections, likely in February.

New Year revellers defy terror alerts to see in 2017

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SYDNEY: (AFP) - Sydney kicked off New Year celebrations with a spectacular fireworks display as revellers across the globe defied global terror alerts to see in 2017 in style.Around 1.5 million people packed Australias biggest city to watch as the midnight fireworks erupted from Sydney Harbour Bridge sending rainbow-coloured showers soaring into the night sky.Crowds in Hong Kong also flocked to the waterfront to watch fireworks explode over Victoria Harbour while in Japan thousands packed the streets of Tokyo to release balloons into the air.Shoppers in Japan had earlier filled markets to buy tuna and crabs -- seen as expensive items for special feasts -- for New Years Day family gatherings.The celebrations draw to an end a year of bloodshed and misery that has seen the war in Syria, Europes migrant crisis and numerous terror attacks dominate the headlines.It has also been a year of political shocks, from Britains vote to leave the European Union to the election of maverick leaders in the United States and Philippines.Business as usualAmid global terror jitters, some 2,000 extra officers were deployed in Sydney after a man was arrested for allegedly making online threats against the celebrations.Less than two weeks after the Berlin lorry attack at a Christmas market that killed 12 people, there were a number of reported threats during the holiday period.In Melbourne, police foiled a significant Islamic State-inspired Christmas Day terror plot.Indonesia said it thwarted plans by an IS-linked group for a Christmas-time suicide bombing, and 52 people were injured in the Philippines in bomb attacks blamed on Islamist militants.Security concerns have hit many New Year events with truck blockades a new tactic to try to prevent vehicles ploughing into crowds, with Sydney using garbage trucks.The German capital has beefed up security after the December 19 attack there, deploying more police, some armed with machine guns.This year, whats new is that we will place concrete blocks and position heavy armoured vehicles at the entrances to the zone around Brandenburg Gate, a police spokesman said.Visitors seemed undeterred by recent events as they began to gather under a cold blue sky for a series of concerts ahead of a large midnight fireworks display in the area.In Paris, there will be fireworks again, after muted 2015 celebrations following the massacre of 130 people by jihadists in the French capital.Nearly 100,000 police, gendarmes and soldiers will be deployed across France against the jihadist threat.Brussels, meanwhile, has reinstated its firework show after last years was cancelled at the last minute due to a terrorist threat.With more than a million people expected to turn out to watch the ball drop in Times Square, New York is deploying 165 blocker trucks and some 7,000 police.Thousands of policeRome has stationed armoured vehicles and greater numbers of security forces around the Coliseum and St Peters Square, where Pope Francis will celebrate a Te Deum hymn of thanksgiving.In a Mass earlier Saturday, the pontiff urged people to reflect on the plight of the young.We have created a culture that idolises youth... yet at the same time paradoxically we have condemned our young people to have no place in society, he said.Moscow police will deploy more than 5,000 officers backed by thousands more from the new national guard and volunteer militia to maintain order.Thousands traditionally gather in Red Square, but for the second year in a row, the area will be open solely to 6,000 invitees.London will have 3,000 officers on patrol with crowds flocking to line the banks of the Thames to watch the fireworks.Up to two million people are expected to party at Rios Copacabana beach. But with Brazil mired in its worst recession in a century, the fireworks have been cut to just 12 minutes.Normally boisterous Bangkok was seeing in the new year on a more sombre note as the nation grieves for King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died in October.Thailands new King Maha Vajiralongkorn urged his subjects to unite in a nationally televised speech on Saturday, his first major address to the politically split nation since ascending to the throne.And, at the stroke of midnight, the celebrations will last one second longer -- a leap second -- decreed by the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service to allow astronomical time to catch up with atomic clocks that have called the hour since 1967.
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Friday 30 December 2016

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Trump praises 'very smart' Putin for holding off on reprisals against US

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - US President-elect Donald Trump on Friday praised Russian President Vladimir Putin for not quickly hitting back at Washington for the punitive measures imposed over alleged interference in the November election.Great move on delay (by V. Putin) - I always knew he was very smart Trump tweeted.Russia’s embassy in Washington quickly retweeted the comment, which Trump pinned so it would appear at the top of his feed for several hours.Trump’s tweet enraged his Democratic foes as well as some members of his own Republican Party.@realDonaldTrump alternates between embracing Russian subversion & downplaying it, but his support for Putin is constant. We must know why, wrote Evan McMullin, who ran as an independent presidential candidate after serving as policy director for the House Republican Conference.Claire McCaskill, a Democrat who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee, wrote: Our ENTIRE cyber intel community,best in world btw, agrees that this guy tried to mess in our election & the Russians are RT TrumpPutin love.Earlier, the Russian leader ruled out any immediate tit-for-tat expulsions of American officials in the row over what Washington says were efforts to harm US interests in connection with the November 8 election won by the Republican.Putin’s own foreign ministry had recommended that he eject 35 American officials to counterbalance US President Barack Obama’s move on Thursday to expel 35 Russian intelligence operatives and shut down two Russian compounds in the US.RUSSIANS‘PLAYING’ US MEDIA?Trump, who succeeds Obama on January 20, has repeatedly praised Putin and made a number of cabinet picks with ties to Russia.The FBI and CIA have concluded that Russian intelligence agencies oversaw the hacking and leaking of emails from Democratic Party organizations under Kremlin orders this year in order to benefit Trump’s campaign against Hillary Clinton.In the past, the president-elect has ridiculed US intelligence about Russia’s cyber-meddling, saying it was not clear who conducted the attacks.He has long treated such accusations as a thinly veiled effort by a Democratic president to delegitimize a Republican victory.Later Friday, Trump went on to mock two US television networks, apparently over their coverage of the US-Russia jousting, tweeting that Russians are playing @CNN and @NBCNEws for such fools -- funny to watch, they don’t have a clue @FoxNewstotally gets itOn Wednesday, he issued a call for the country to move on to bigger and better things, but said he would meet with US intelligence leaders next week to be updated on the facts of this situation.While Trump has already received intelligence briefings about the election and substantial evidence is in the public sphere, his pledge to meet with intelligence chiefs could provide a face-saving opportunity to further soften his stance.Also next week, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper will appear before lawmakers to testify about foreign cyber threats to the United States -- a possible opportunity for him to expand on Russia’s activities.

Six robbers of two gangs arrested in Lahore

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LAHORE (Daily Dunya) – At least six suspects of two gangs involved in car and motorcycle theft were arrested in Lahore.According to details, 21 cars, 31 motorcycles, 4 kg heroin and illegal weapons were also recovered from the possession of the suspects.Police sources told that Baba gang’s head Sharafat Ali aka Baba and two accomplices Liaquat and Aslam were apprehended whereas Bush Afghani gang’s chief Mohammad Khan and two suspects Khuda-e-Ram and Amanat Ali were also taken into custody.

Batting collapse limits Bangladesh to 236-9

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NELSON (AFP) – Bangladesh suffered another dose of batting blues following a century opening stand by Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes and were restricted to 236-9 in the third one-day international against New Zealand in Nelson on Saturday.Tamim (59) and Imrul (44) cruised past the hundred mark in the 21st over as they laid the base for a competitive total.But when Imrul was caught by a diving Neil Broom it opened the floodgates for the New Zealand bowlers.Only Nurul Hasan offered any resistance further down the order with 44 off 39 deliveries before he was dismissed in the final over.With New Zealand 2-0 up going into the final match of the three-ODI series, Bangladesh were keen to show they could be competitive after losing their last nine wickets for 80 runs in the second match and the last five for 120 in the high-scoring series opener.Playing on the same Saxton Oval wicket where New Zealand won the second game by 67 runs two days ago, Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza looked to make the most of the flattening pitch by opting to bat first when he won the toss.Tamim and Imrul made light of the bowling as New Zealand mixed pace and spin in trying to get the most out of a wicket being used for the second time in three days.They were eventually rewarded with Broom’s sensational catch to remove Imrul and wickets followed quickly after that.From 102 without loss, Bangladesh fell to 170-6.Mahmudullah’s disappointing tour continued with three to go with his duck and one in the first two games.Tamim appeared to lose patience with the lack of support and lashed out at a good length Jimmy Neesham delivery and Broom took another running catch backward of point.Shakib Al Hasan looked comfortable reaching 18 until he went for a quick single when patting the ball to the leg side.Wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi sprinted from behind the stumps to grab the ball and with a perfect throw he ran out Shakib at the bowler’s end.New Zealand’s six bowlers all shared in the wickets with Matt Henry and Mitchell Santner taking two apiece and one each for Tim Southee, Jeetan Patel, Jimmy Neesham and Kane Williamson.

Kot Momin: 2 kidnappers killed in police encounter

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KOT MOMIN (Dunya News) – An abducted youth was killed in shootout between police and kidnappers in Kot Momin area near Sargodha on Friday, Dunya News reported. Two kidnappers were also killed in encounter.According to details, two alleged kidnappers opened fire at the police party who went to a designated place in Kot Momin area near Sargodha on Friday to pay ransom money to recover a kidnapped youth.Police also opened fire in retaliation, killing both the kidnappers. Police sources said that 18-year-old abducted youth Atif Nazir was also killed by kidnappers firing.Police sources said that the dead kidnappers were identified as Qaisar and Amir and were next door neighbors of Atif Nazir.

Karachi has always, and will always belong to MQM: Farooq Sattar

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KARACHI (Dunya News) - Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Pakistan chief Farooq Sattar said on Friday that Karachi has always, and will always belong to MQM, reported Dunya News.While addressing a rally at Nishtar Park, he said that next Chief Minister (CM) would be from Karachi if census would be held rightly. He also said that Sindh building control authority and West management board should be managed by mayor.Farooq Sattar said they should not be asked for patriotism certificate again and again. He also announced that next rally of MQM Pakistan would be held in January in Hyderabad.On the other hand, MQM Pakistan leader Amir Khan criticised MQM London leaders Wasey Jalil and Babar Ghauri as he held them responsible for the downfall of MQM London.Amir Khan said that they should not be given certificates of traitor by MQM London. Amir Khan also criticised Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) leader Waseem Aftab.However, things changed all of a sudden when workers of MQM-London manage to enter into the rally and started waving flags of their party.

Mian Saqib Nisar to take oath as new CJP today

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Justice Mian Saqib Nisar will take oath as Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) today (Saturday). He will replace Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali who retired on Friday, Dunya News reported.President Mamnoon Hussain will administer the oath to him at a ceremony in Islamabad.Justice Mian Saqib Nisar will become the 25th Chief Justice of Pakistan and will remain in office for two years and 17 days. He will retire on January 17, 2019.Justice Mian Saqib Nisar was born on Lahore on January 18, 1954. He did his matriculation from the Cathedral High School, Lahore, graduation from the Government College, Lahore, and bachelor of law from the University of Punjab.He joined legal profession as an advocate in 1980. He was enrolled as an advocate of the High Court in 1982 and as advocate of Supreme Court of Pakistan in 1994. Justice Mian Saqib Nisar was elevated as the Judge of the Lahore High Court on May 22, 1998 and of the Supreme Court of Pakistan on February 18, 2010.

Polish plane makes emergency landing in Prague after bomb threat

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PRAGUE, Czech Republic (AFP) - A Boeing 707 operated by a Polish charter airline on Friday made an emergency landing in Prague after a bomb threat by a passenger who was then detained by police, Czech officials said.A man who threatened to detonate a booby trap... is in the hands of the Czech police, Interior Minister Milan Chovanec told the Czech public television.The man was Polish, just like most passengers, he added but declined to say whether the police had actually found a bomb.Richard Klima, spokesman for Pragues air traffic controllers, told AFP that the Enter Air plane flying from Las Palmas, Spain to Warsaw landed in Prague following the pilots request.Chovanec said about 160 passengers were evacuated from the plane that had landed at a disused old airport next to Pragues Vaclav Havel Airport, and that the situation was safe.He added the passengers would stay the night in Prague pending a thorough check of the plane which could finally leave for Warsaw on Saturday morning.

Karachi: Security plan made for the new year night

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KARACHI (Dunya News) - The security plan was made for the new year night in Karachi and people were banned from swimming at Clifton, reported Dunya News.As the last day of the year 2016 started, SSP South Saqib Ismail told that other roads to sea view would be closed except two roads. Roads would be closed as containers would be placed on them.SSP South told that steps would be taken to maintain law and order. He also warned those who misbehave with families and told that they would be given severe punishments.

Lahore: 175-litre liquor, one kilogram hashish seized

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LAHORE (Dunya News) – Crackdown against drug peddlers continues in Lahore as two accused were taken into custody during police operation in different parts of the city on Friday, Dunya News reported.According to details, Police Post Firdous Market arrested a drug peddler named Azeem and recovered 175 litres of liquor from his possession. Police sources said that the arrested accused also supplies liquor to the other districts of Punjab.In a separate operation, Gawalmandi police arrested a drug peddler named Nasir and recovered one kilogram of hashish from him. Police have also registered a case against him.

Arise 'Sir Andy', 'Sir Mo' as Murray, Farah knighted

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LONDON (AFP) - Wimbledon champion Andy Murray and Olympic gold medallist Mo Farah will each receive a knighthood in the New Year Honours.Murrays knighthood caps a dream season for the Scot, who finished as the year-end world number one for the first time after ending Novak Djokovics long spell at the top.The 29-year-old clinched a second Wimbledon title in July before successfully defending his Olympic singles crown and then winning a first ATP Tour Finals crown to stop Djokovic regaining first place.Murray, previously honoured with an OBE in 2012, became a father for the first time in February and earlier this month was voted the BBC Sports Personality of the Year for a record third time.Obviously it is the highest honour you can get in this country. But I feel like Im too young for something like that, said Murray before the announcement was made on Friday.When I win any award or am presented with anything it is nice because it is recognition for what you have given your life to -- up to now anyway. I am still young and there are still a lot of things that can go wrong. I could still mess up and make mistakes. I am just trying to keep doing what I am doing, working hard and achieving stuff.Farah receives his knighthood after he retained his 5,000 and 10,000 metres titles at the Rio Olympics, becoming the first British track and field athlete to win four Olympic gold medals.The 33-year-old Somalia-born athlete is already a CBE following his double gold at London 2012.Im so happy to be awarded this incredible honour from the country that has been my home since I moved here at the age of eight, Farah said.Looking back at the boy who arrived here from Somalia, not speaking any English, I could never have imagined where I would be today. Its a dream come true.Im so proud to have had the opportunity to race for my country and win gold medals for the British people, who have been my biggest supporters throughout my career.My successes have only been possible because of their support and the commitment, sacrifices and love of my amazing family and the team around me now and over the years.Para-equestrian Lee Pearson is also knighted after adding gold from the Individual Freestyle grade Ib and silver in Dressage to his golds in Beijing and London.The decorated Paralympian already held the MBE, OBE and CBE for services to equestrianism and to disabled sport.Damehoods go to heptathlete Jessica Ennis-Hill and rower Katherine Grainger, who both retired from competitive action following the 2016 Rio Games.Ennis-Hill, who had returned to compete in Rio after becoming a mother, has been made a Dame for services to athletics.The 30-year-old from Sheffield added silver at the 2016 Games to her gold at London, and was already a CBE.Grainger receives her damehood for services to sport and charity, the veteran rower having come out of retirement to compete in Rio, where she won silver in the double sculls alongside Vicky Thornley.

Serena lands in New Zealand ahead of season opener

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AUCKLAND Reuters) - Newly-engaged Serena Williams touched down in Auckland on Friday and quickly made her way to the court to hit some balls ahead of the start of her 2017 season.The 22-times grand slam singles champion announced her engagement on Thursday to Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of the social media company Reddit, who accompanied her to New Zealand for the ASB Classic which starts on Thursday.American Williams, 35, is top seed for the tournament, a warm-up event for the Australian Open grand slam later in January, and she was whisked through a crowded airport, telling reporters she was excited to be in New Zealand for the first time.Its fun to go to new places, the world number two said.Serenas older sister Venus is also competing in Auckland, an event she won in 2015, and said she was delighted to hear about her siblings engagement.Serena said it was unlikely the duo, who have won 14 grand slam doubles titles together, would team up to play in New Zealand.Probably not. I wish, we will see, Serena said.

Clashes erupt near Damascus during fragile Syria truce

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IDLIB (AFP) - A ceasefire was holding across most of Syria on Friday but clashes near Damascus underlined the fragility of the deal brokered by rebel supporter Turkey and key regime ally Russia.The nationwide truce, the first since September, is intended to pave the way for new peace talks in Kazakhstan being organised by Moscow, Ankara and Tehran.The agreement comes a week after Syrian President Bashar al-Assads army recaptured second city Aleppo in a major blow to rebel forces.On the first day of the ceasefire Friday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported sporadic violence in the Wadi Barada area, where rebels have cut water supplies to Damascus.Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said helicopters carried out raids on rebel positions but it was unclear which side had started the clashes.Syrias government had been shelling Wadi Barada before the truce began at midnight as it pushes rebels there to accept a reconciliation deal and leave the area.The forces there include former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front, previously known as Al-Nusra Front, which Syrias government says is excluded from the ceasefire.Opposition figures however say the truce applies to all rebel-held territory, even where Fateh al-Sham is present.Last week, rebels attacked water infrastructure in Wadi Barada and neighbouring Ain al-Fijeh, cutting supplies to the capital.Four million people in Damascus and its suburbs have now been without water for a week, the UN says.The clashes in Wadi Barada were the most serious of several isolated incidents of violence since the truce began.The Observatory reported at least 16 government air strikes across several areas in Hama province in central Syria, but no casualties, but said a person was killed by regime sniper fire in the rebel bastion of Eastern Ghouta near Damascus.In rebel-held Idlib province, however, it was quiet and residents expressed hope for respite from the bloody conflict.I support the ceasefire... and I support its continuation, said 31-year-old Ahmed Astify. Everyone, whether (they are) rebels or regular people, is tired, he added.Mohammed, 28, said: We hope that this will lead to the end of the war.Syrias government and its ally Iran both welcomed the ceasefire deal.Damascus called it a real opportunity to find a political solution to the war, which has killed more than 310,000 people since it began with anti-regime protests in March 2011.Despite being left out of the process, Washington described the truce as positive.Analysts were cautious but said the involvement of Russia, Iran and Turkey could be important.Sam Heller, fellow at The Century Foundation, said there was real interest and urgency from Moscow and Ankara, but expressed doubts about whether Tehran and Damascus were on board.All indications are that Iran and the regime want to continue towards a military conclusion, he said.He said renewed fighting in Wadi Barada or Eastern Ghouta could pose major threats to the truce.Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday he would now reduce Moscows military contingent in Syria, which has been fighting to bolster the government since last year.But he added Russia would continue to fight terrorism and maintain its support for the government.Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also said Ankara would continue the operation it began in August targeting the Islamic State group and Kurdish fighters.Moscow says seven key rebel groups have signed up to the deal, including the powerful Ahrar al-Sham, but the truce excludes jihadist organisations like IS or Fateh al-Sham.But Syrias political opposition and rebels said the truce applied to all parts of the country.The agreement includes a ceasefire in all areas held by the moderate opposition, or by the moderate opposition and elements from Fateh al-Sham, such as Idlib province, said Ahmed Ramadan, a member of the National Coalition opposition body.Despite backing opposite sides in the conflict, Turkey and Russia have worked increasingly closely on Syria, brokering a deal this month to allow the evacuation of tens of thousands of civilians and rebel fighters from Aleppo.They are now pushing for peace talks between Damascus and the rebels to start next month in Kazakhstans capital Astana.UN peace envoy Staffan de Mistura said he hoped the agreement would pave the way for productive talks, but also reiterated he wants negotiations mediated by his office to continue next year.Russia, meanwhile, submitted a draft resolution to the UN Security Council supporting the ceasefire and the planned peace talks and was hoping for a unanimous vote on Saturday.Moscow and Ankara say the Astana talks are meant to supplement UN-backed peace efforts, rather than replace them, and want to involve regional players like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Jordan.Washington is conspicuously absent from the new process, but Moscow said it hoped to bring US President-elect Donald Trumps administration on board once he takes office in January.

Iraq forces fight muddy street battle against IS in Mosul

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MOSUL (AFP) - Iraqi forces are fighting a muddy street battle against jihadists in southeastern Mosul, facing suicide bombers on the ground and a drone that can drop explosive charges from above.Baghdads forces have overwhelming firepower and numbers in Mosul, but the Islamic State group has a vast city in which to launch ambushes, plant bombs and try to make the battle as slow and costly as possible.More than two months into the operation to retake the city, Iraqi forces have recaptured a large chunk of east Mosul, but IS still holds parts of it as well as all of its western side.In southeastern Mosul, a small explosion sounds behind the front line, sending a member of Iraqs elite Rapid Response Division falling to the mud-covered ground, his legs wounded by shrapnel.Security forces members train assault rifles and machineguns skyward, unleashing a barrage of fire at the small white drone that apparently dropped the explosive device.IS jihadists are flying an observation aircraft that carries a bomb or a grenade, Lieutenant Colonel Hisham Abdulkadhim, the commander of a regiment in the Rapid Response Division, explains.Where it see units, it drops it, Abdulkadhim says.Members of the Rapid Response forces swathe one of their wounded comrades legs in bandages, then cut away the bloodied fatigues from the other, treating it as well.The wounded man lies stoically on a black stretcher as they work, leaving behind a trail of blood when he is carried to an armoured Humvee vehicle for evacuation.A white drone later returns, hovering far overhead.Dont gather together, warns a member of the federal police, which are fighting alongside Rapid Response Division.Iraqi forces also have their own drone, which is periodically sent aloft to scout the path ahead.On the ground, there are far more dangerous threats than the IS drone above: a suicide bomber driving an explosives-rigged vehicle is spotted heading toward Iraqi forces.Members of the security forces sprint for cover behind a dirt barricade and a Humvee mounted with an anti-tank missile launcher prepares to fire.A car bomb tried to get close. We withdrew the units that were covering the front so that the Kornet (missile) system could deal with it, Abdulkadhim says.But the suicide bomber apparently pulls back, and the missile is not fired.The berm behind which security forces took cover is part of a strategy of dividing and then clearing an area as they advance.We divide the area into squares, Abdulkadhim says.They then clear houses, put in place snipers and weapons to deal with car bombs, and move on.A bulldozer painted in a blue and grey camouflage pattern slowly moves through the thick mud that coats the street after recent rain, then scoops up pile after pile of dirt until the street is blocked, protecting forces behind it from suicide bombers prowling the city.When the forces are finished clearing the area, the bulldozer forces a pathway through the berm, moves farther down the street, erects a new barrier, and the process is repeated.This makes for slow going, but provides extra security.Iraqi forces are backed by US-led air strikes and Iraqi aviation units, as well as artillery fire from the ground.Throughout the day, massive rockets shriek over Mosul, sending clouds of dust rising in the distance when they explode.Three of the rockets are mounted on the back of a truck in launch tubes that are raised to point them in the direction of their targets.Security personnel fit fuzes to the tips of the rockets and wires to the other end to ignite them.People clear the area around the truck, mobile phones come out to record, and the rocket is launched, disappearing over the rooftops trailing a tail of flame.Wherever there is a gathering of (IS) terrorist gangs, they give us information about them, says Jassem Abbas, who helped ready the rocket for launch.Then according to the coordinates, we bomb it.

Ban Ki-moon bids farewell to United Nations

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UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - UN Secretary Ban Ki-moon paid an emotional farewell to the United Nations on Friday, wistfully describing his two-term stint at the helm of the global body as something of a fairy tale.I feel a bit like Cinderella. Tomorrow at midnight, everything changes he joked to staff and colleagues as he wrapped up a decade leading the United Nations.Beginning Sunday, former Portuguese prime minister Antonio Guterres, 67, takes over from Ban. Guterres is the first former head of government to lead the UN, succeeding Ban for a five-year term.Ban, in a more serious vein, said it has been a privilege to have been at the head of an organization that endeavored to tamp down global conflict and end suffering -- and said it was an honor to have shared that mission with his co-workers. You should be very proud -- just as I am so very proud to call you my colleagues, the South Korean diplomat said.He added that in his decade at the UN, he has endeavored to never give up. To keep dreaming, to keep believing, and to keep working hard until we achieve progress, he said.Ban added that as UN chief, he also has been guided by a desire to keep the focus on people -- on peoples rights and peoples dignity... and to stand up for those who are left behind. As a first act after leaving the pinnacle of global diplomacy, Ban will ring in the new year at Times Square by formally launching the traditional New Years Eve ball drop, to be attended by hundreds of thousands of revelers.Tomorrow night, on the eve of the New Year, I will be in Times Square for the ball drop -- millions of people will be watching as I lose my job the outgoing UN leader joked.

93 journalists killed in 2016: press watchdog

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BRUSSELS (AFP) - Ninety-three journalists and media staff were killed around the world in the course of their work in 2016, with Iraq and Afghanistan the deadliest countries, the International Federation of Journalists said Friday.The IFJ said the figure, 19 less than in 2015, was for journalists killed in targeted attacks, bomb blasts or caught in the cross-fire. A further 29 died in plane crashes in Colombia and Russia.Any decrease in violence against journalist and media personnel is always welcome but these figures... leave little room for comfort and reinforce hopes for the end of the security crisis in the media sector, IFJ president Philippe Leruth said in a statement.There cannot be impunity for these crimes.The IFJ said among those killed were 15 journalists in Iraq, 13 in Afghanistan, 11 in Mexico, eight in Yemen, six in both Guatemala and in Syria, and five in both India and Pakistan.Regionally the Middle East was deadliest with 30 killings, followed by Asia-Pacific with 28, Latin America with 24, Africa with eight and Europe with three, the watchdog said.
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Thursday 29 December 2016

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Faisalabad: Old enmity claims three lives

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FAISALABAD (Dunya News) – At least three people were shot dead and two other were wounded in the jurisdiction on Kharianwala police station near Faisalabad on Friday, Dunya News reported.According to details, 40-year-old Ahsan, 25-year-old Rafaqat and 45-year-old Jameel went to Chak No-RB to enquire about health of their friend Shafeeq. They were sitting outside a workshop when their rivals opened fire and killed them on the spot. Two other persons, Arshad and Bashir, were wounded in the firing and were shifted to the hospital. The attackers managed to escape from the scene after the incident.The deceased had killed Imtiaz alias Qari’s brother some two years ago. SP Jaranwala has termed the incident a case of old enmity.

Bad weather forces Lahore-bound flight to land in Multan

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MULTAN (Dunya News) – Thick fog and poor visibility in Lahore has forced a private airlines flight from Abu Dhabi to Lahore to land at the Multan International Airport, Dunya News reported on Friday.All the 148 passengers coming to Lahore from Abu Dhabi were off loaded at the Multan airport and shifted to the airport lounge.According to Multan airport management, the affected passengers will now leave for Lahore by buses for which the arrangements have been finalized.

Pakistan in trouble after Aussie declaration

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MELBOURNE (AFP) - Australia grabbed an early wicket to have Pakistan under pressure to save the second Test after a bold declaration on the final day in Melbourne on Friday.Skipper Steve Smith revived hopes of achieving a result in the rain-disrupted Test with a declaration shortly before lunch.He called a halt to a massive first innings at 624 for eight -- remaining unbeaten on 165 off 246 balls -- giving his fast bowlers the use of the new ball just before the interval.The tactic paid immediate dividends with Josh Hazlewood bowling Sami Aslam off a bottom edge for two in the second over of the innings.At lunch, Pakistan were six for one with first-innings double-centurion Azhar Ali on one and Babar Azam on three.The decision to declare the Australian first innings was accelerated by a big-hitting knock of 84 off 91 balls from fast bowler Mitchell Starc.Starc clubbed seven sixes, the most in an innings in a Melbourne Test, and was particularly severe on Yasir Shah, belting the leg-spinner for five sixes.He reached his eighth Test half-century and second fifty this season off 69 balls before he was given a reprieve on 51.Starc skied spinner Azhar Ali to long-off where Sohail Khan made a hash of the catch, fumbling the two-handed chance.He took to Azhar hoicking him for successive sixes to race to 70.Starc hit another towering six off Yasir before he was finally out caught by Asad Shafiq at backward square leg.His seven sixes surpassed the record in an innings in a Melbourne Test held by Andrew Symonds with six in his 72 against South Africa in 2005.Starc put on 154 runs for the seventh wicket with Smith off 172 balls and upon Nathan Lyons dismissal, caught and bowled by Yasir for 12, Smith declared the innings and raced from the ground.It was Smiths 17th Test century and fourth for the year and he will finish 2016 with 1,079 runs at 71.93.Australia lead the three-Test series 1-0 after beating Pakistan by 39 runs in the Gabba Test.

Australia declare on 624-8, lead Pakistan by 181 run

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MELBOURNE (AFP) - Skipper Steve Smith declared Australias first innings at 624 for eight to lead Pakistan by 181 runs on the final day of the second Melbourne Test on Friday.Smith was unbeaten on 165 with Mitchell Starc hitting 84 off 91 balls to set up the declaration.The declaration came 18 minutes before lunch to give the Australians a minimum of 70 overs to achieve a result in the rain-disrupted Test.Starc hammered seven sixes, the most in an innings of a Melbourne Test, and was particularly severe on Yasir Shah, clubbing the leg-spinner for five sixes.Shah finished with figures of three for 207 off 41 overs.

Syria truce begins under deal backed by Russia, Turkey

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DAMASCUS (AFP) - A nationwide ceasefire in Syria brokered by Russia and Turkey took effect at midnight (2200 GMT), in a potentially major breakthrough in the conflict of more than five years.The deal, which does not include designated terrorists like the Islamic State group, was announced hours earlier by Russian President Vladimir Putin and confirmed by the Syrian army and opposition.The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said there had been total calm since the start of the ceasefire in many provinces all over Syria adding that no violations were monitored in all regions.According to an AFP correspondent in Eastern Ghouta, the shelling and airstrikes stopped from more than one hour in the region after intensive shelling and raids on Thursday.AFP correspondents in Damascus and Idlib said there had been no sound of shelling, airstrikes or clashes since midnight.The agreement, hailed by Syrias government as a real opportunity to find a political solution to the war, comes a week after the regime recaptured second city Aleppo in a major blow to rebel forces.The deal was brokered by Russia and Turkey, which back opposing sides in the conflict, but does not involve Washington, which has negotiated previous ceasefires with Moscow.Putin said Damascus and the main forces of the armed opposition had inked a truce and a document expressing a readiness to start peace talks.Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the agreement as a historic opportunity to end the Syrian conflict, which has killed more than 310,000 people and forced millions from their homes.Putin said he would also reduce Moscows military contingent in Syria that has been flying a bombing campaign in support of President Bashar al-Assad since last year.The Kremlin strongman, however, said Russia would continue to fight terrorism in Syria and maintain its support for the regime.Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said seven opposition groups, including the powerful Ahrar al-Sham, had signed the deal and those who failed to adhere would be considered terrorists.Erdogan indicated Turkey would press on with its four-month incursion into Syria against Islamic State group jihadists and Kurdish militia.Syrias army said the deal did not include IS and the former Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front, now rebranded the Fateh al-Sham Front.That could cause complications in areas like Idlib in northwestern Syria, where Fateh al-Sham is allied with rebel groups that have signed on to the deal.Syrias political opposition and rebels had confirmed their backing for the truce, saying it applied to all parts of the country.The agreement is for all of Syria and contains no exceptions or preconditions, said Osama Abou Zeid, a legal adviser to rebel groups fighting under the Free Syrian Army banner.The agreement comes after Turkey and Russia brokered a deal to allow the evacuation of tens of thousands of civilians and rebel fighters from Aleppo.Moscow and Ankara are now pushing for peace talks between Damascus and the rebels to start soon in Kazakhstans capital Astana.Now we need to do everything for these agreements to come into force, for them to work, so that the negotiating teams that have been or are being formed promptly and as soon as possible arrive in Astana, Putin said.UN peace envoy Staffan de Mistura said he hoped the agreement would pave the way for productive talks in Kazakhstan, but also reiterated he wants negotiations mediated by his office to continue early next year.Russia and Turkey have both said the peace talks they will supervise are meant to supplement UN-backed peace efforts, rather than replace them entirely. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia, Turkey and Iran were arranging for the talks and pressing for other key international players to get involved.Lavrov said Moscow would invite Egypt and try to attract other regional powers such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq and Jordan.He added Moscow would seek to involve US President-elect Donald Trumps administration once he takes office in less than a month, but the process does not appear to involve outgoing President Barack Obamas administration.The US State Department called the ceasefire deal a positive development and said it hoped it would lead to fresh negotiations on Syrias political future.Abou Zeid confirmed the truce deal was intended to pave the way for new talks in Astana, with the High Negotiations Committee that has represented the opposition at previous negotiations expected to participate.Turkey has long backed Syrias opposition, and its relations with Russia soured last year after Ankara shot down a Russian warplane.But the two countries have worked closely of late on Syria, and Turkey was conspicuously quiet as Assads forces retook Aleppo.

Obama hits Russia for election meddling

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - President Barack Obama on Thursday unleashed a barrage of retaliatory measures against Moscow for meddling in the US election, imposing sanctions on two intelligence agencies, expelling 35 agents and shuttering two Russian compounds inside the United States.Making good on a promise to punish Vladimir Putins government for allegedly trying to tilt the 2016 election in Donald Trumps favor, Obama unveiled a broad range of steps that will inflame tensions with both Moscow and the president-elect.US intelligence had concluded that a hack-and-release of Democratic Party and Hillary Clinton staff emails was ordered by the Kremlin and was designed to put the Republican real estate mogul in the Oval Office.I have ordered a number of actions in response to the Russian governments aggressive harassment of US officials and cyber operations aimed at the US election, Obama said in a statement.In response to the hacks -- dubbed Grizzly Steppe by US officials -- Obama announced sanctions against Russias military intelligence agency, known as GRU, and the FSB -- the rump what was once the KGB.Trump said while he believes the US should move on to bigger and better things, he would meet with intelligence leaders next week for a briefing on the situation.The 35 Russian intelligence operatives -- based at the Russian embassy in Washington and the consulate in San Francisco -- have been declared persona non grata and ordered to leave the country within 72 hours.US officials also moved to close two Russian compounds in New York and Maryland.The latter facility, a summer house a short drive from the US capital, was once featured in a Washington lifestyle magazine and was described as a stately house surrounded by lush gardens on the banks of the Chester River, with an impressive collection of German and Hungarian porcelains.The US government said it is now used for intelligence-related purposes.Obama warned of further covert actions.These actions are not the sum total of our response to Russias aggressive activities. We will continue to take a variety of actions at a time and place of our choosing, some of which will not be publicized, he said.These actions follow repeated private and public warnings that we have issued to the Russian government, and are a necessary and appropriate response to efforts to harm US interests in violation of established international norms of behavior.Those warnings, officials said, included a personal message from Obama to Putin when the two leaders met briefly in Hangzhou, China last September.Moscow quickly rejected US accusations of cyber-interference as unfounded and vowed to retaliate.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused the Obama administration of trying to definitively destroy US-Russia relations which have already reached a low.He said Moscow would react in an adequate manner based on the principles of reciprocity.Trump has questioned whether Russia really tipped the electoral scale, painting Obamas accusations as a thinly veiled effort by a Democratic president to delegitimize a Republican victory. After the sanctions were imposed, Trump called on the country to move on to bigger and better things but offered a conciliatory pledge to meet next week with US spy chiefs he has harshly criticized.Obama said pointedly stated on Thursday that all Americans should be alarmed by Russias actions. The timing of his actions leave Trump and Moscow in a difficult position.Any attempt by the mogul-turned-politico to reverse Obamas sanctions once he takes office on January 20 would be widely seen as condoning Russian interference. That proposition was made even more difficult by Obamas decision to also link the sanctions to harassment of US diplomats in Moscow, which Washington described as unprecedented in the post-Cold War era.These are executive actions, said a senior Obama administration official.So if a future president decided that he wanted to allow in a large tranche of Russian intelligence agents, presumably a future president could invite that action. We think it would be inadvisable.Trumps fellow Republicans are also limiting his room for maneuver, increasingly distancing themselves from his pro-Russian stance.House Speaker Paul Ryan issued a statement welcoming the sanctions as overdue. Russia does not share Americas interests. In fact, it has consistently sought to undermine them, he said.Senior lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle have called for a congressional probe into Russias actions. Obama said Congress would receive a report in the coming days about Russias cyber-meddling.Obamas actions will also force Putin to weigh harsh retaliatory steps and the chance it could endanger an expected cooling of tensions under Trump.Relations between Washington and Moscow are at their worst since the end of the Cold War, and Obama had previously imposed sanctions over Russias interventions in Syria and Ukraine.US officials played down the impact that sanctions against the GRU and the FSB could have on intelligence-sharing on issues like counterterrorism, saying the cooperation was already limited.Both agencies will face sanctions, along with four individual GRU officers including agency chief Igor Valentinovich Korobov and three other entities.In addition, the US Treasury slapped sanctions on two individuals, Evgeniy Mikhailovich Bogachev and Aleksey Alekseyevich Belan, for involvement in malicious cyber-enabled activities.The sanctions freeze any assets they may have in the United States and blocks US companies from doing business with them.The US government is also declassifying technical information on Russian cyber activity to help companies defend against future attacks.The United States and friends and allies around the world must work together to oppose Russias efforts to undermine established international norms of behavior and interfere with democratic governance, Obama said.That reflects growing concerns that Russia could target upcoming elections in France, Germany and the Netherlands.

Iraq forces launch new assault on IS in Mosul

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BAGHDAD (AFP) - Iraqi forces advanced Thursday after declaring a new phase in their offensive on eastern Mosul, stepping up efforts to reclaim the Islamic State groups last major stronghold in the country.Elite forces have reconquered several parts of eastern Mosul since beginning the massive operation to recapture the northern city from the jihadists on October 17, but IS still occupies the citys west.Security chiefs said several neighbourhoods had been taken, with the bodies of IS fighters seen lying on the streets and drone footage showing others retreating.Retaking Mosul could effectively end the jihadist groups days as a land-holding force in Iraq and deal a death blow to the caliphate IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi proclaimed in the city in June 2014.The second phase of liberating the left bank in Mosul was launched, and our forces began advancing toward Al-Quds neighbourhood, said Staff Lieutenant General Abdulghani al-Assadi, a senior officer in Iraqs Counter-Terrorism Service. Our forces clashed with the enemy and there is resistance, he told AFP, adding forces on the northern and southern fronts were also advancing.Mosul, now the last Iraqi city in which IS still holds significant territory, is split by the Tigris River, with the east side referred to as the left bank and the west as the right.Iraqs federal police commander, Raed Shaker Jawdat, said the enemys line of defence has fallen back inside the city.The streets of the Al-Salam, Al-Intisar, Al-Wahda, Al-Falestin and Al-Quds neighbourhoods are strewn with the bodies of Daesh fighters, he said, using an Arabic acronym for IS.Police had also entered deep into the district of Jadida al-Mufti.The commanding chief of the offensive, Staff Lieutenant General Abdulamir Yarallah, late Thursday announced the liberation of the Al-Quds 1 district.The commander said police drones had spotted IS fighters retreating to the citys western side via a pedestrian bridge badly damaged in the fighting.Centcom, the US military command in the Middle East, said the US-led coalition fighting IS had disabled the last bridge crossing the Tigris river inside Mosul this week at the Iraqi governments request.It said meanwhile that an investigation had been opened after a US-led air raid on an IS van during the Mosul operations on Thursday struck what was later determined to be a hospital compound parking lot resulting in possible civilian casualties.A Mosul inhabitant who requested anonymity reported hearing many explosions and said residents were holed up indoors.The new push in the battle for Mosul comes after progress slowed to a crawl in the past few weeks.After two months of fighting, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi last week said the army had decided to review battle plans and pause to reduce losses.The fighting has been all the more devastating as it has been happening in a city amid civilians.IS has targeted the army with car bombs on at least 900 occasions in the streets of Mosul since October 17, according to Abadi.IS overran large areas north and west of Baghdad in 2014, but Iraqi forces backed by US-led air strikes have since regained much of the territory they lost to the jihadists.Abadi had pledged that Mosul would be recaptured by years end -- a goal that is now out of reach, as operations in western Mosul have yet to begin.The Iraqi prime minister also said this week that three months were needed to eliminate IS in the country.High-ranking officials believe the battle against IS could drag on, and the Sunni Muslim extremist group continues to carry out attacks in areas from which it had been dislodged by the government offensive.Last week, an IS triple car bombing on a market in Gogjali a few kilometres (miles) east of Mosul killed at least 23 people.The army had retaken Gogjali from the jihadists in early November after more than two years of IS occupation.

Nobel laureates urge UN to intervene in Myanmar's Rohingya crisis

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UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - More than a dozen Nobel laureates on Thursday urged the United Nations to end the human crisis of Myanmars Rohingya minority group, whose members have been fleeing to Bangladesh to escape a bloody military crackdown.In an open letter addressed to the UN Security Council, 23 Nobel laureates, politicians, philanthropists and activists said a human tragedy amounting to ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity is unfolding in Myanmar.They also criticized the countrys leader Aung San Suu Kyi -- herself a Nobel Peace Prize winner -- for what they called a lack of initiative to protect the Rohingyas.We are frustrated that she has not taken any initiative to ensure full and equal citizenship rights of the Rohingyas, the group wrote.In recent weeks, more than 27,000 people belonging to the persecuted Muslim minority -- a group loathed by many of Myanmars Buddhist majority -- have fled a Burmese military operation in Rakhine state launched in response to the attack of border posts by armed groups. Rohingya survivors say they suffered rape, murder and arson at the hands of soldiers -- accounts that have raised global alarm and galvanized protests around Southeast Asia.Bangladeshs government has been under pressure to open its border to the fleeing refugees, but it has reinforced its border posts and deployed coastguard ships to prevent fresh arrivals.The Rohingyas are among the worlds most persecuted minorities, who for decades have been subjected to a campaign of marginalization and dehumanization, said the authors -- among them peace prize winners Desmond Tutu, Shirin Ebadi and Jose Ramos-Horta.They asked the 15-member Security Council to add the crisis to its agenda as a matter of urgency, and to call upon the secretary-general to visit Myanmar in the coming weeks -- either current UN chief Ban Ki-moon, or his successor Antonio Guterres, who will take over the post next month.If we fail to take action, people may starve to death if they are not killed with bullets, and we may end up being the passive observers of crimes against humanity which will lead us once again to wring our hands belatedly and say never again all over again, the letter said.The Rohingya have languished under years of dire poverty and discrimination from a government that denies them citizenship. The UN and other rights groups have repeatedly called on Myanmar to grant them full rights.

50,000 Rohingya flee to Bangladesh from Myanmar: government

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DHAKA (AFP) - Some 50,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled to Bangladesh from Myanmar, the foreign ministry in Dhaka said Thursday, seeking shelter from a bloody crackdown by the army.Bangladesh has stepped up patrols to try to stem the tide of refugees crossing the border since an eruption of unrest in Myanmars western state of Rakhine in early October.The foreign ministry summoned Myanmars ambassador to express deep concern at the continued influx of tens of thousands of members of the stateless ethnic minority into its territory.We mentioned that around 50,000 Myanmar citizens took shelter into Bangladesh since 09 October 2016, the ministry said in a statement.Rakhine borders Bangladesh and is home to the Rohingya -- a Muslim minority group loathed by many of Myanmars Buddhist majority.Dhaka also demanded early repatriation of all Burmese citizens who have been living in the Muslim-majority nation for years, including some 300,000 Rohingya -- most of them illegally.A spokesman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) told AFP that at least 43,000 Rohingya have taken shelter in Bangladesh since October.The vast majority of those who arrived took refuge in makeshift settlements, official refugee camps and villages in Bangladeshs resort district of Coxs Bazar.Many of those interviewed by AFP told horrific stories of gang-rape, torture and murder at the hands of Myanmar security forces.Myanmar has denied allegations of abuse but has banned foreign journalists and independent investigators from accessing the area.Bangladeshs government has been under pressure to open its border to the fleeing refugees, in a crisis which has been described as a campaign of ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya.But it has reinforced its border posts and deployed coastguard ships to prevent fresh arrivals.In the past three months, its border guards have prevented hundreds of boats packed with thousands of Rohingya women and children from entering the country.

Floods in DR Congo kill at least 50: provincial governor

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KINSHASA (AFP) - Floods triggered by heavy rains and a river bursting its banks have killed at least 50 people and left thousands more homeless in southwestern Congo, a provincial governor said Thursday.Torrential rains caused the Kalamu river, which flows through the city of Boma into the River Congo, to overflow for two hours before the waters receded, washing some of the victims across the border into Angola.The waters left parts of the city, Democratic Republic of Congos sole Atlantic port, covered in up to a metre of mud and a search was under way to dig out more bodies that may be buried.The rains on the night of Monday to Tuesday in Boma have caused at least 50 deaths, Jacques Mbadu, governor of Kongo Central province told AFP.We buried 31 bodies on Wednesday and we expect to get about 20 more bodies back today that ended up across the border in Angola, Mbadu added.Mbadu said the waters hit a peak of two metres (six feet) above their usual level, destroying at least 500 homes and leaving several thousand people homeless.Boma, which lies near the mouth of the River Congo around 470 kilometres (300 miles) southwest of the capital Kinshasa, is home to between 150,000 and 200,000 people. This is a cyclical phenomenon which happens every 10 years. It last happened in January 2015 but with climate change its now happened again in December 2016, Mbadu said.Locals told AFP that two of the citys three districts were still covered in mud, up to a metre deep in some places, and described tragic scenes as the waters rushed dramatically into their houses.I lost my two children, carried off by the waters, which rose up to three metres like a tsunami. I could only watch them as they were washed away, Faustin Lutete, a government employee, said.Fisherman Jean-Marie Kola said he just had time to run far away, as our house was showing signs of fragility. It collapsed later.Shopkeeper Camille Inonga said he had lost everything in the flash floods.My shop is covered in mud. I cant get in there. This is a whole life gone up in smoke, he said. Provincial governor Mbadu said the authorities were encouraging those left homeless by the floods to seek shelter with relatives to avoid creating more problems, rather than putting them in reception centres.He said he had been working with a Dutch company to divert the waters of the Congo river, whose enormous flow puts pressure on the Kalamu, to try to prevent these floods happening again.Congolese towns and cities are typically built up in a haphazard fashion and government services to deal with natural disasters are practically non-existent.Floods in Kinshasa in December 2015 left more than 30 people dead and 20,000 families homeless, most of them in the capitals slums, where residents were left to battle with their bare hands through noxious mud, slime and fecal matter.Despite its vast mineral wealth, Congo is classed among the worlds poorest countries and two thirds of its 70 million inhabitants get by on less than $1.25 a day.

Bangladesh bowler reprimanded for swearing

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NELSON (AFP) - Bangladesh bowler Tanveer Haider has been officially reprimanded by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for swearing at New Zealand batsman Neil Broom during the second one day cricket international in Nelson on Thursday. The incident happened on the last ball of the 19th over when Tanveer, after being hit for a four, used obscene language which was heard by the umpires.Tanveer, who was making his ODI debut, admitted swearing and there was no need for a formal hearing, the ICC said in a statement. Broom was on 15 at the time and went on to score 109 not out to anchor New Zealands innings of 251.New Zealand won the match by 67 runs to take a 2-0 lead in the three-match series.Tanveer was found to have breached Article 2.1.4 of the Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to using language or a gesture that is obscene, offensive or insulting during an International Match.In addition to the reprimand for his breach of Article 2.1.4, one demerit point has been added to Tanveers disciplinary record.Pursuant to Article 7.6 of the Code, if Tanveer reaches four or more demerit points within a 24-month period, they will be converted into suspension points and he will be banned. Two suspension points equate to a ban from one test or two ODIs or two T20Is, whatever comes first for the player.

Azhar Ali OK after heavy blow to head

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MELBOURNE (Agencies) - Pakistan double-century hero Azhar Ali, felled by a sickening blow to the head in the field on Thursday, has been cleared of concussion.Australian team doctor Peter Brukner put Azhar through a test after he was hit flush in the top of the helmet by a Matthew Wade pull shot as he fielded at short leg on day four at the MCG. The bowler at the time was leg-spinner Yasir Shah.Azhars teammates and the team physiotherapist rushed to him as he lay on the field. Play was temporarily stopped but Azhar was able to walk from the field with a broken helmet.Pakistan bowling coach Azhar Mahmood said Azhar had been cleared to return to play on Friday.He is fine, Mahmood said after play on Thursday.Concussion has become a growing issue in cricket, with Cricket Australia - like all governing bodies - strengthening its rules.Wades shot had ricocheted off Azhar to Babar Azam, who caught it on the full, but Wade was not out as crickets rules currently say a batsman cannot be dismissed if the ball has rebounded off a protective helmet. But that may change if a recommendation from the MCCs world cricket committee is endorsed, calling for catches and stumpings to be allowed if the ball has hit a helmet worn by a fielder.Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting, who is part of the MCC world cricket committee, said this month it was time to have greater consistency in terms of dismissals when a ball has hit protective equipment.Wicketkeepers wear pads on the outside of their legs, which is an optional form of protection. We felt that it was not really different from a close-in fielder wearing a helmet, he said.A lot of the associations are now making it compulsory for the close-in fielders to wear helmets. Just to keep in line with other protective equipment on other fielders on the ground, we felt that was the right way to go.It has also emerged Yasir and Azhar had undergone routine anti-doping tests on Wednesday by the International Cricket Council, with results to be released in a fortnight. Yasir was charged in December 2015 with an anti-doping rule violation after he tested positive for a prohibited substance. He was handed a three-month suspension by the ICC after he pleaded guilty to breaching the ICCs anti-doping code.

Gillespie named Australia T20 assistant coach

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SYDNEY (AFP) - Former Test fast bowler Jason Gillespie was Thursday appointed as Australia assistant coach for the three Twenty20 internationals against Sri Lanka in February.Cricket Australia said Gillespie will work with Justin Langer, who was confirmed as coach for the series earlier this month.They will step in for head coach Darren Lehmann and his assistant David Saker, who will be with the Test squad for the tour of India over the same period.Apart from his work with the Adelaide Strikers in the T20 Big Bash League, Gillespie spent five successful years as head coach of English county Yorkshire.Im just buzzing to get this role. It really is an exciting opportunity and Im humbled to be thought of by Cricket Australia in this regard, Gillespie said.With some players likely to be away in India it really will be a shop window for players from the BBL to showcase their skills and to show the selectors and the Australian public what they can do.Gillespie took 259 wickets in 71 Tests as well as 142 wickets in 97 ODIs.The T20s between Australia and Sri Lanka will take place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on February 17, Geelong on February 19 and the Adelaide Oval on February 22.

Real Madrid lose Vazquez, Kovacic to injury

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MADRID: (AFP) - Real Madrid will be without midfielders Lucas Vazquez and Mateo Kovacic when the team returns to action in 2017 after picking up injuries in their successful Club World Cup campaign.Vazquez suffered a right leg injury in the 4-2 final win over Kashima Antlers in Japan and will be sidelined for up to four weeks, according to Spanish sports daily As.He is likely to miss the Spanish Cup last-16 game against Sevilla on January 4 and 12 as well as three La Liga matches.Croatian midfielder Kovacic will miss the first leg of the cup clash with Sevilla with a leg ankle knock also picked up in the tournament in Japan.

MQM-Pakistan set for Nishtar Park power show today

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KARACHI (Dunya News) - Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-Pakistan) is all set to exhibit its power show today as the party is going to held its first congregational meeting at Nishtar Park Karachi, reported Dunya News.The environemnt at Nishtar Park was lively and jubilant a day before the meeting as the venue revealed an eby the onlookers.All the refreshments and amusements for the visitors could easily be seen at the venue with women, and children enjoying themselves at different stalls being set up for the purpose.Face painting and food stalls at different locations added to the elegance and beauty of the location.However, something really strange was observed when the songs played at the function were basically the song of MQM-London and that is why questions have been raised as if MQM’s founder story has ended or not.MQM-Pakistan leader Farooq Sattar revealed that today we will silent all those who used to talk a lot.
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