Saturday 12 March 2016

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Japan region seeks full-time 'ninjas' for tourism

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TOKYO (AFP) - Wanted: six full-time ninjas who have a way with words and can do backward handsprings. Pay: about $1,600 a month.Central Japans Aichi prefecture said it is hiring full-time ninjas -- the martial-arts masters and stealth special assassins of feudal times -- to promote tourism in the area known for historic Nagoya castle.Newly hired ninjas will receive a one-year contract with monthly pay of 180,000 yen ($1,580) plus bonus, said Satoshi Adachi of the prefectural governments tourism promotion unit.They will also perform acrobatics, demonstrate the use of their trademark shuriken -- ninja star -- weapons and pose for photographs with tourists, he told AFP on Friday.A poster the prefecture created says the ideal candidates are ones who enjoy being under the spotlight even though he or she is a secretive ninja.Japanese speaking ability is preferable, but non-Japanese individuals passionate about history and tourism are welcome as the troupe will sometimes perform in English, Adachi said.Our ninjas also have to be good at talking to promote tourism, although ninjas are basically required to be secretive, he said.They also have to be able to do backward handsprings and some dance moves, he added.Successful candidates will go through a one-month training course in April.The prefecture is accepting applications until March 22. Men and women aged 18 or above of any nationality can apply.Nowadays ninjas are mostly confined to history books and fiction.But they are also used to promote Iga, some 350 kilometres (220 miles) southwest of Tokyo, a city near the ancient imperial capital of Kyoto that was once home to many ninjas.And last year, governors and mayors from prefectures around the country traded their usual suits for ninja costumes to announce the launch of a ninja council.The not-so-stealthy move comes as local governments turn to tourism as an economic growth driver ahead of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Karachi: Crackdown on crime continues, several arrested

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – Crackdown against crime continued Saturday where several suspects were arrested throughout the city in various incidents of felony.According to the details, 2 dacoits opened fire on a citizen named Ghulam Rasool and injured him in the jurisdiction of Steel Town police station near filter plant. The culprits opened fire as Ghulam Rasool resisted the armed robbers attempt to loot him. During the scuffle, residents of the area gathered and cornered one of the robbers while his accomplice managed to escape. Residents thrashed the felon and then handed him over to the police. Police say that the arrested robber has been identified as Mustafa.On the other hand, a dead body was found outside a house in Khokrapar area. According to the police, the murdered woman has been identified as Rehana. The female victim was abducted a few days ago. Unknown suspects shot her dead after raping her and dumped her body late at night.Meanwhile a speeding car in Haideri area crushed a woman Sidra and a young girl. Both victims were shifted to a hospital where the little girl’s condition is said to be critical.An injured suspect, Imran, was arrested after a clash with the police in Korangi area. Police say the culprit was involved in cases of street crime.3 alleged suspects were also taken into custody during a raid in Liaqatabad by law enforcement agencies.

Punjab Assembly's women demand funds, decide to contact Punjab CM

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LAHORE (Dunya News) – Even after the passing of the Women Protection Bill, it seems Punjab Assembly’s own females were left behind as after an approval of funds worth Rs. 250 million for male members of Punjab Assembly, female members elected on allocated seats have also raised their voice demanding funds. The female members have decided to contact Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Shahbaz Sharif against this discrimination.According to the details, developmental funds worth Rs. 250 million were approved for the male members of the Assembly while no such funds was designated for any women member of the Assembly.Punjab Assembly has 24 female members belonging to Lahore.

CTD exterminates 5 terrorists during encounter in Nankana Sahib

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NANKANA SAHIB (Dunya News) – Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) late Satruday night exterminated 5 terrorists during an encounter in Shah Kot area of Nankana Sahib. 2 motorcycles, a huge cache of ammunition and large quantity of explosives material was recovered from the killed suspects.According to the details, CTD conducted the raid on information of presence of 7-8 terrorists in a house. Terrorists opened fire on the officers during the raid. 5 suspects were killed during retaliatory fire while 3 terrorists managed to escape.According to the CTD officials, the terrorists belonged to a banned organization.

Lashkar-e-Jhangvi terrorist's revelations in interrogation, 15 arrested

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LAHORE (Dunya News) – Significant progress was made Saturday during the interrogation of a highly wanted terrorist commander of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LEJ), Rizwan alias Asif Chotu. According to sources, the banned outfit’s terrorist made new revelations during the interrogation on the identification of which 15 terrorists were arrested from several cities of the Punjab province.According to the details, the intelligence department has been conducting raids in various areas of the province on Chotu’s identification. The 15 terrorists apprehended during the raids have been shifted to unknown locations.Sources further state that the suspects were also in contact with the terrorists of the notorious Islamic State (IS) group.The arrested suspects were involved in numerous cases of terrorism throughout the country.LEJ commander Rizwan alias Asif Chotu was arrested by the intelligence department from Dera Ghazi (DG) Khan earlier.Asif Chotu was running an organized network of terrorists throughout the country before his arrest.

Karachi: CTD police guns down two Al-Qaeda terrorists

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) police force on Saturday gunned down two Al-Qaeda Bar-e-Sagheer terrorists in Quaidabad area of Karachi. Ammunition and grenades were also recovered from the suspects.According to the details, the action was conducted on identification of terrorists by the intelligence department. Both exterminated terrorists were involved in serious crimes including target killing and extortion along with plotting sabotage in the city.The intelligence department is conducting further raids to apprehend the accomplices of the killed felons.

Imran Khan criticizes Altaf, says serious allegations against MQM chief

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LAHORE (Dunya News) – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan once again severely criticized Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain, saying there were serious allegations against Altaf. Khan also reproached the Ministry of Interior stating that it was not their job to provide the Interior Ministry with the evidence. The PTI chairman severely lambasted and once again challenged the ‘Sharif brothers’ to a debate as well.Talking to Dunya News during the program “Tonight With Moeed Pirzada”, Khan stated that those who quarreled with MQM were first kicked out of the party and then sent packing from this world as well. He stated that the party leaders used to order hits while sitting in London and now the Interior Ministry is asking for evidence.Criticizing the government, the PTI chairman stated that in Britain the Prime Minister (PM) answers to accusations on his own, not his children. He stated that the ‘Sharif brothers’ should come and have a good debate.The PTI chief announced elections on Union Council (UC) level as well after intra-party polls. Khan also announced introducing a new accountability bill in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).The PTI chairman, being a legendary cricketer back in his days also commented on the national cricket team. He stated that the Pakistani teams batting statistics were unsatisfactory. He stated that if the batsmen of the team were to fulfill their responsibility, then there was chance that the nation might hear good news in the 2016 World T20 tournament.The former Captain of Pakistan, Khan also blasted the government of Himachal Pradesh while acknowledging the steps taken by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar for the national cricket team.

Mustafa Kamal's crying episode part of script: Waseem Akhtar

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – The newly elected Mayor of Karachi and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Waseem Akhtar Saturday stated that the crying episode of former Mayor and former leader of MQM, Mustafa Kamal’s crying episode during his controversial press conference was part of an overall script.Talking to Dunya News during its program “Mahaaz”, Akhtar questioned that from where had Kamal acquired the bullet proof car and the protocol. Akhtar stated that such accusations have been raised against MQM and its chief Altaf Hussain in the past as well but the nation always voted for the party at the time of elections.He stated that Kamal’s new party has no chance and such scheme’s will soon deflate.

Lower Orakzai: 3 killed, several buried alive as coal mine collapses

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RAWALPINDI (Dunya News) – Three miners were killed Saturday while several others were buried alive under the debris as a coal mine collapsed in Orakzai Agency’s area of Kurez, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). Upon information of the accident, 100 personnel of Pak Army and Frontier Corps (FC) reached the site of mine collapse and have now started a rescue operation for the recovery of those buried underneath.According to the ISPR, heavy machinery and medical facilities for treating the wounded are also available with the rescue team.27 miners have been extricated safely from the debris up until now while the operation is still underway to remove 6-7 miners still trapped under the rubble.Meanwhile Managing Director (MD) of Bait-ul-Mal, Abid Waheed Sheikh, has announced an aid of Rs. 50,000 for the family of the miner who lost his life.

Scottish separatists to renew independence push

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LONDON, (AFP) - Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Saturday her separatist party would make a renewed push to convince Scots of the case for independence from the United Kingdom.The Scottish National Party leader told the left-wing secessionists spring conference that a new campaign would attempt to persuade those who were not swayed by the SNPs prospectus for independence 18 months ago.Scots voted by 55 percent to 45 percent to remain part of the UK in a September 2014 referendum.This summer, the SNP will embark on a new initiative to build support for independence, Sturgeon told the conference in Glasgow.Our dream is for Scotland to become independent.We will achieve independence only when we persuade a majority of our fellow citizens that it is the best future for our country.Our success will depend on the strength of our arguments and the clarity of our vision.The SNP is defending a slim majority in elections to the devolved Scottish Parliament on May 5.Opinion polls put the nationalists on more than 45 percent, well ahead of Labour on around 20 percent and the Conservatives on around 15 percent.The new independence campaign will not be an attempt to browbeat anyone, said Sturgeon.Many wanted to be persuaded in 2014 -- but ultimately didnt find our arguments compelling enough.Patiently and respectfully, we will seek to convince you that independence really does offer the best future for Scotland.That is how we will turn the 45 percent of September 2014 into a strong and positive majority for independence.Had Scotland voted for independence in 2014, it would now be bankrupt, British business minister Nick Boles has claimed, due to the leave campaigns reliance on the oil price, which has since collapsed.After the first ministers speech, Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said: People voted decisively to remain part of the UK and its time Nicola Sturgeon respected it.Sturgeon said in February that if the UK as a whole voted to leave the European Union in the June 23 referendum but a majority of Scots voted to stay, that would almost certainly trigger another Scottish independence referendum.To take (us) through that exit door against our will would be democratically indefensible, she said Saturday.

Nabi helps Afghanistan into World T20 Super 10s

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NAGPUR, (AFP) - Mohammad Nabis brisk fifty and a clinical bowling performance helped Afghanistan knock Zimbabwe out of the World T20 with an emphatic 59-run win to storm into the Super 10s in Nagpur on Saturday.Batting first, Afghanistan rode on a 98-run stand between Nabi (52) and Samiullah Shenwari (43) to post 186 for six, a score which proved to be a winning total after Zimbabawe were shot out for 127 in 19.4 overs.In-form opener Mohammad Shahzad provided a blazing start to the innings with a 23-ball 40 but his departure saw Afghanistan lose their way to 63 for four.Medium-pacer Tinashe Panyangara grabbed three wickets to rattle the top-order after left-arm spinner Sean Williams got dangerman Shahzad back in the dugout.Nabi, who registered his highest T20 score, and Shenwari then got together to turn things around in the knockout encounter, with some precise power hitting.Very happy with my performance, especially in this main match and it was a tough game in the qualifying round, said Nabi.The batting duo combined the right dose of caution and aggression and Shahzads early blitz made sure that the Zimbabwe attack looked pedestrian.The start was very good, the way Shahzad played in the first five overs. It was quite good. Then the three wickets put us under pressure, the coach (Inzamam-ul-Haq) told me to take singles until the 14th over and then the last six can be used for the big hits, said Nabi.On that kind of pitch, 150 could be a winning target. But if you have wickets in hand, you can go for more.Zimbabwe, who remain winless against Afghanistan in five attempts so far, were never in the chase after losing their openers early.Burdened by the increasing run-rate the Zimbabwe batting failed to get going with Sikandar Raza top-scoring with 15.Leg-spinner Rashid Khan turned on the heat with a three-wicket haul as medium-pacer Hamid Hassan contributed with two scalps.A crucial victory against a Full Member side for the Inzamam-ul-Haq-coached team is indeed a great achievement and captain Asghar Stanikzai could not hide his excitement in the post match presentation.I thank the Afghanistan people who have been praying for us. They are always praying for us and thinking about us, Stanikzai addressed the home fans in his native language.Ranked ninth in world T20 rankings, Afghanistan will now meet defending champions Sri Lanka, South Africa, England and West Indies in Group 1 of the Super 10s.In the second match of the day, Scotland won the battle of pride against Hong Kong by eight wickets via Duckworth/Lewis (D/L) method in an inconsequential Group A tie.Chasing a revised target of 76 in 10 overs in the rain-hit match, Scotland cantered home with 12 balls to spare and registered their first win in an International Cricket Council tournament.Earlier, the Preston Mommsen-led side bowled well to restrict Hong Kong, who remained winless in the 16-team event, to 127 for seven in 20 overs.In Group A matches on Sunday, Ireland meet Netherlands while Bangladesh will fight it out with Oman for a place in the Super 10s.

Second Gaza child dies after Israeli air strike: medics

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GAZA CITY (AFP) - A six-year-old girl wounded in an Israeli air strike on the Gaza Strip Saturday has died of her injuries, Palestinian medical sources told AFP, naming her as Israa Abu Khussa.Her brother Yassin, 10, died earlier in a raid on a base of Hamass military wing near their home in the northern Gaza village of Beit Lahiya. Another brother, Ayub, 13, suffered moderate injuries.Yassin was buried on Saturday afternoon, when hundreds of mourners attended his funeral, AFP journalists said.The pre-dawn wave of Israeli air strikes came hours after four rockets fired from the enclave by Palestinian militants hit southern Israel on Friday night without causing casualties, the Israeli army said.In response to the aggression, the Israel Air Force targeted four Hamas sites in the northern Gaza Strip, a military statement said.Senior Hamas official Ismael Radwan called the Israeli strikes an escalation and placed full responsibility on the Jewish state.The blood of the children killed in the Zionist raid will not flow in vain, the movements military wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, warned in a statement.Our patience with the attacks of the enemy has its limits, it added.

Brazil's Rousseff faces crucial weekend

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BRASILIA (AFP) - Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff is facing a crucial weekend for her political survival, culminating Sunday with expected nationwide protests calling for her impeachment.The embattled leftist will be under scrutiny Saturday as the largest party in her coalition, the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB), holds its national convention amid deep divisions over whether to continue in her government or break with it.The huge centrist party is expected to re-elect as its leader Vice President Michel Temer, the man who would take over as president if Rousseff is forced out.The more complicated debate will be on whether to ditch Rousseff, who is facing an impeachment drive, a bruising recession, a spiralling corruption scandal and a probe of alleged electoral violations.Brazilian media reports suggested the party could forge a compromise in which it neither breaks with the government nor backs it.That would give PMDB Congress members free rein to vote against the president in impeachment proceedings.Rousseffs woes deepened this week as prosecutors charged her powerful mentor and predecessor, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, with money laundering and requested his arrest in a case linked to a massive corruption scandal at state oil company Petrobras.The opposition is counting on the shockwave created by the charges against the once wildly popular ex-president to draw huge crowds into the streets for protests Sunday in cities across Brazil.The largest demonstration is expected in Sao Paulo, the financial capital and an opposition stronghold, where authorities say they are preparing for a million protesters.Brazil is boilingCongress is mulling impeachment proceedings against Rousseff over allegations she fudged the governments accounts in 2014, during her reelection campaign, and in 2015 to hide the magnitude of the recession racking the once-booming South American giant.The Supreme Court is due to rule Wednesday on whether impeachment proceedings can go forward.Meanwhile, the Supreme Electoral Court is considering a case that could result in judges invalidating her reelection.So far, Rousseff has managed to fight off impeachment, but the opposition is fired up by the case against Lula, who is suspected of accepting a luxury apartment as a bribe from a company accused of taking part in the multi-billion-dollar corruption scheme at Petrobras.Rousseff dug in Friday, telling her critics there wasnt the slightest possibility she would resign and closing ranks with Lula, saying she would be proud to have him in her cabinet.Some of her allies on the left are pressuring the president to give Lula a high-level ministerial post, which would protect him from criminal charges in ordinary court.Under Brazilian law, cabinet ministers can only be tried before the Supreme Court.In a sign of her administrations precarious position, the top two figures in the PMDB, Temer and Senate speaker Renan Calheiros, held talks with the opposition this week to seek a way out of the current political crisis.The PMDB is Brazils largest party and a major player in every recent administration, regardless of the governments political leaning.As I see it, the PMDB knows Brazil is boiling and that it will have to answer to history, said opposition leader Aecio Neves.Major sectors of the PMDB now understand that despite the personal solidarity they may have with the president, theres no solution with her in the picture.Calheiros, the Senate speaker, declined to give details on the talks, saying only that the PMDB is the pillar of governability.The PMDB must hold its convention with great responsibility because any signal on its position can lessen or increase the crisis, he said.

Football: Messi masterclass sees Barca hit Getafe for six

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BARCELONA, (AFP) - Lionel Messi scored, provided three assists and missed a penalty as Barcelona pressed home their advantage at the top of La Liga with a 6-0 thrashing of Getafe on Saturday.Juan Rodriguezs own goal opened the scoring before Messi saw his penalty saved by Vicente Guaita, teed up Munir El Haddadi and Neymar and smashed home his 36th goal of the season all before half-time.Neymar and Arda Turan rounded off the scoring to seal Barcas 12th straight La Liga win after the break.A 37th consecutive game without defeat opens up an 11-point lead on second-placed Atletico, who host Deportivo la Coruna later on Saturday.Real Madrid are now 15 points adrift of Barca in third ahead of their trip to Las Palmas on Sunday.An eighth defeat in nine games leaves Getafe just a point above the relegation zone.The European champions werent even at full strength as coach Luis Enrique left Luis Suarez on the bench ahead of Barcas return to Champions League action against Arsenal on Wednesday.Yet, the hosts still only took seven minutes to break the deadlock as Jordi Albas driven cross towards Messi was scooped into the far corner of his own net by Rodriguez.Barcas one fallibility this season was exposed moments later when Neymar was chopped down by Emiliano Velzquez inside the area.Messi took responsiblity, but for the ninth time in 20 spot-kicks Barca failed to convert as Guaita dived to his left to turn the five-time World Player of the Years effort to safety.Guaitas intervention kept Getafe in the game for just a further nine minutes as Messi directed Andres Iniestas through ball onto El Haddadis head for the second.Gerard Pique then hit the bar as Getafe failed to contain the waves of Barca attack.Neymars display had been under scrutiny after he took advantage of being suspended for last weekends 4-0 win at Eibar to fly back to Brazil to celebrate his sisters birthday.Yet, the break seemed to do the 24-year-old good as he raced onto a brilliant Messi pass to slot home his first goal in four games.Messi then took out his frustration at not netting from the spot to rifle home the fourth from outside the box five minutes before half-time.The pattern continued after the break with Messi in generous mood with another clinical through ball for Neymar to sweep home his 25th goal of the season.And Turan added a sixth just before the hour mark with an acrobatic overhead kick which left Guaita flatfooted.Iniesta was rested for the final half hour ahead of Arsenals trip to the Camp Nou, despite Barca holding a commanding 2-0 first-leg lead.Yet, Suarez didnt get the chance to further his case in the battle with Cristiano Ronaldo to be La Ligas top scorer as he remained on the bench for the full 90 minutes.

Refugees have duty to integrate, Merkel says before regional vote

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BERLIN (AFP) - On the eve of regional elections set to show her Christian Democrats losing support, Chancellor Angela Merkel said Saturday that refugees had a duty to integrate themselves into German society.We expect refugees to accept these offers (of integration). It is a duty and not just a possibility, said Merkel, who has been under increasing pressure after throwing open Germanys doors to newcomers, with 1.1 million refugees -- many of them Syrians -- seeking asylum in Europes biggest economy last year alone.She was speaking in the southern town of Haigerloch on the final day of campaigning, with her comments reported by German news agency DPA.More than 12 million voters are due to elect three new regional parliaments for the southwestern states of Baden-Wuerttemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate, as well as eastern Saxony-Anhalt in the so-called Super Sunday polls.It will be the governments first major test at the polls since last years record influx and disgruntled voters are expected to seize on the opportunity to hit the ruling coalition where it hurts.In its traditional Baden-Wuerttemberg fiefdom, opinion polls show the Christian Democrats losing out to the Greens, with support for the party seen sliding by around 10 percentage points compared with the previous vote five years ago.In Rhineland-Palatinate, Merkels party is almost neck-and-neck with the Social Democratic Party, although in Saxony-Anhalt, the CDU retains a big lead.In a bid to justify her open stance on migration despite considerable opposition at home and abroad, Merkel has campaigned relentlessly to ensure her party maintains support in the face of a populist advance on the right and left.Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere meanwhile warned voters not to heed the siren call of the populist Alternative for Germany (AfD), saying its call to close the borders surge harms our country.The AfD has no political concept and no competence in terms of finding solutions to Germanys problems, he told Die Welt daily.Merkel insisted in midweek the AfDs fortunes would ebb as the refugee crisis was gradually resolved.Exit polls in Sundays elections are due around 1700 GMT.
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