Tuesday 22 March 2016

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Orbital set to send resupply mission to space station

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - NASA partner Orbital ATK was readying to send its Cygnus cargo ship to the International Space Station on Tuesday, a resupply mission that will include an unprecedented fire experiment after the craft leaves the orbiting outpost.The unmanned spacecraft is due to blast off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket at 11:05 pm (0305 GMT Wednesday), the start of a 30-minute launch window.There is a 90 percent chance that the weather will be favorable at the time of the planned launch, according to forecasts.Cygnus is expected to enter into orbit about 20 minutes after liftoff and will reach the International Space Station on Saturday, where it will dock with the help of the stations robotic arm in a procedure due to start at about 1040 GMT, according to NASA.The launch will mark Orbitals fifth supply mission to the orbiting laboratory, as part of a of a $1.9 billion contract with NASA to deliver necessities to the astronauts living in space.It will be the second since December, which marked the resumption of the companys missions after an Orbital Antares rocket packed with thousands of pounds of supplies exploded seconds after takeoff in October 2014.Orbital is due to carry out two other ISS resupply missions this year for NASA, with the next one to take place in early summer from the US space agencys Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia with an Antares rocket. Tuesdays launch will be the second flight to the ISS of an enhanced Cygnus spacecraft, which will carry 7,900 pounds (3.6 metric tons) of supplies to the station -- including food, water, clothes for the ISS crew of six astronauts, as well as material to support dozens of science and research probes.Its like Christmas when a supply craft arrives, said Orbitals Dan Tani, a former astronaut. Its always fun to watch another vehicle approach and then its like opening a box of goodies and finding some stuff youve been wanting and some surprises you didnt know about.Cygnus will stay at the ISS until May. Loaded with trash and once it is at a safe distance from the station, NASA engineers will then set off a blaze inside the capsule to see how large flames behave in space.NASA has set off tiny controlled fires in space in the past, but never tested how large flames react inside an orbiting space capsule.Understanding fire in space has been the focus of many experiments over the years... while many small, centimeter-sized fires have been lit in space before, to really understand fire, youve got to look at a more realistic size, said Gary Ruff, one of the engineers heading the experiment at NASAs Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio.The investigation is crucial for the safety of current and future space missions.The Cygnus cargo also includes an instrument, that, for the first time, will allow experts to evaluate, from space, the chemical composition of meteors entering Earths atmosphere.The pressurized vessel is also transporting a new 3D printer and another scientific highlight includes a so-called Gecko Gripper, a mechanism similar to the tiny hairs on the feet of geckos that makes it possible for them to stick to surfaces.This technology could one day be used on the hands and feet of robots that would move along the exterior of spacecraft to carry out inspections and repairs.

Obama thrills Cubans with call for change

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HAVANA (AFP) - US President Barack Obama told Cubans on Tuesday he wants to bury decades of Cold War conflict and then joined his counterpart Raul Castro for some baseball diplomacy to wrap up his historic visit to the communist island.Speaking from Havanas ornate Gran Teatro, Obama -- the first US president to visit Cuba in 88 years -- thrilled Cubans with a call for democracy and greater freedom of expression.I have come here to bury the last remnant of the Cold War in the Americas, Obama said to cheers during his unprecedented speech, carried live on Cubas tightly controlled state television.There were extraordinary scenes of clapping and cheering as Obama laid out his vision for change in the one-party state and close US-Cuban relations.Creo en el pueblo cubano, he said, repeating himself in English: I believe in the Cuban people.But Castro, sitting in a theater box with other high-ranking officials, sat stone-faced as Obama said: Voters should be able to choose their governments in free and democratic elections.Cubans watching at home or in bars were enthusiastic.I think Obama touched the soul of the Cubans, said dockyard worker Lazaro Bosch, 62. Obama is a man of ideas, with very clear thoughts, and I think he really wants to push for a new relationship.Immediately after the speech, Obama left to meet with dissidents who have been harassed and sometimes arrested under Castros rule including Berta Soler, the leader of the Ladies in White, and veteran activist Elizardo Sanchez.Obama praised their extraordinary courage.Charm and cheersObama drew some of the loudest applause of his speech when he called on the US Congress to lift a decades-old economic embargo.The sanctions were imposed in a failed attempt to break the communist regime that came to power after Rauls brother Fidel Castro overthrew a widely hated, US-backed government in 1959, and then made Cuba a fierce Soviet ally.It is an outdated burden on the Cuban people. Its a burden on the Americans who want to work and do business or invest here in Cuba, Obama said. Its time to lift the embargo.Rebuking domestic critics who say that the opening to Cuba has given away too much while doing little to force Castro to change, Obama said the embargo simply was not working.We have to have the courage to acknowledge that truth, he said. The embargo was only hurting the Cuban people instead of helping them.But despite the charm offensive, which included references to the countries shared enthusiasm for baseball and Cuban singers, Obamas speech was laced with stinging critiques of Castros control over the Caribbean island of about 11 million people.I believe citizens should be free to speak their minds without fear, to organize and to criticize their government, Obama said.The repeated references to human rights and free elections may not have pleased Castro, who at one point simply turned away and began chatting to his foreign minister, but they created a sensation in much of the rest of the cheering audience.Castros only visible applause during the speech came when Obama referred to lifting the embargo and when he praised the late South African president Nelson Mandela.TensionsObama and Castro have been careful to highlight their rapprochement during the US presidents three-day trip, which ended with a bit of baseball diplomacy -- a friendly game between the Cuban national team and Major Leagues Tampa Bay Rays, symbolizing the countries shared passion for the sport.Obama and Castro sat side by side, tieless and wearing sunglasses, for the game, which began with a spine-tingling rendition of both national anthems.Obama then left on Air Force One for a visit to Argentina. Castro, who had not been there to greet Obama when he arrived Sunday, saw the US president off at the airport, with a warm farewell.However, tension over the human rights issue illustrated that what Castro called profound differences remain.At a joint press conference on Monday, Castro angrily denied that Cuba holds any political prisoners. He attacked the United States, saying rights there were also violated when it came to health care, social security, and double standards.Castro also said that Washington needs to return sovereignty over Guantanamo, a corner of Cuba under US control and the location for a controversial US military prison housing foreigners allegedly involved in terrorism.Republican critics back home accuse Obama of playing too soft a hand. After his meeting with opposition members Tuesday, the partys national committee called the Havana visit an embarrassing display of weakness and lack of moral clarity.

World condemns Brussels bombings as strike on European democracy

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BRUSSELS (AFP) - World leaders united Tuesday in condemning the carnage in Brussels and vowed to combat terrorism after the strike by Islamic State extremists on the symbolic heart of Europe.As Belgians mourned, several global landmarks including the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin were lit up in the black, yellow and red of the national flag.The European Union vowed to defend democracy and combat terrorism with all necessary means after the attacks on Brussels airport and as well as train at a metro station only a short walk from the EUs core institutions.About 20 people were killed on the metro and 14 at the airport in the rush-hour assaults, which came just days after the arrest in Brussels of the main fugitive suspect in Novembers gun and bomb rampage in Paris.In a rare joint statement, EU leaders and institutions said the Brussels attacks were an assault on our open democratic society.This latest attack only strengthens our resolve to defend the European values and tolerance from the attacks of the intolerant. We will be united and firm in the fight against hatred, violent extremism and terrorism.Nous sommes tous BruxelloisAcross the continent, leaders characterised the blasts as a blow aimed at a keystone of European peace, with the continent already on edge after a wave of Islamic State violence.The EU won the 2012 Nobel Prize for its work in cementing peace in post-war western Europe, although the bloc has been shaken by the Greek financial crisis and a record migrant inflow caused largely by the war in Syria.Our Unions capital is under attack. We mourn the dead and pledge to conquer terror through democracy, the Greek foreign ministry said on Twitter.It added: Nous sommes tous Bruxellois, -- We are all citizens of Brussels.The whole of Europe has been hit, French President Francois Hollande declared, urging the continent to take vital steps in the face of the seriousness of the threat.As the Belgian colours lit up the Eiffel Tower, hundreds joined a vigil in support of the Brussels victims and flags were to fly at half mast in a nation still raw from last years terrorists rampage.The horror is as boundless as the determination to defeat terrorism, added German Chancellor Angela Merkel.And British Prime Minister David Cameron vowed: We will never let these terrorists win.US President Barack Obama branded the attacks outrageous.We must be together regardless of nationality or race or faith in fighting against the scourge of terrorism. We can and we will defeat those who threaten the safety and security of people all around the world, he said in Havana.New Yorks World Trade Center -- built near the site of the September 11, 2001 atrocities -- will be lit in black, yellow and red in solidarity with Belgium, while US flags will fly at half mast for several days.UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemned the attacks as despicable.(Ban) is confident that Belgiums and Europes commitment to human rights, democracy and peaceful coexistence will continue to be the true and lasting response to the hatred and violence of which they became a victim today, a UN statement said.Turkey, which has endured a wave of bloody bombings blamed on Islamic State and Kurdish rebels, said events in Brussels rammed home the need to combat terrorism of every hue.The terrorists who targeted Brussels, after attacks by the PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party) in Ankara and Daesh in Istanbul that cost dozens of lives, are showing once again that they respect no value nor any human and moral limit, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a statement.Attacks un-IslamicRussian President Vladimir Putin, whose country was left reeling after a Russian plane was downed by a bomb over the Sinai in October that killed 224 people, also lashed out at what he called barbarous crimes.(They) demonstrate once again that terrorism has no borders and threatens people around the world. Fighting this evil calls for the most active international cooperation.Pope Francis described the attacks as blind violence, which causes so much suffering.In Cairo, Al-Azhar, said the blasts violate the tolerant teachings of Islam and urged the international community to confront the epidemic of terrorism.The attacks also reverberated in the US presidential campaign, where Republican frontrunner Donald Trump said the cause of the bloodshed was no assimilation by immigrants.Belgium is a horror show right now. Terrible things are happening. People are leaving. People are afraid. This all happened because, frankly, theres no assimilation.

UK tightens security as PM urges joint stand after Brussels

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LONDON (AFP) - Britain boosted security at its international transport hubs following the deadly attacks in Brussels on Tuesday as Prime Minister David Cameron urged Europe to stand together against a very real terrorist threat.Security was stepped up at ports, borders and airports, although police chiefs and politicians insisted there was no specific intelligence pointing towards an attack in Britain.Two Britons were wounded in the attacks on the main Brussels airport and a central metro station, the foreign office said.Embassy staff are providing consular assistance to two injured Britons and are ready to support any further British nationals that have been affected, read its statement.Cameron chaired a meeting of COBRA, Britains emergencies committee, which brings together ministers, police and intelligence officers.We face a very real terrorist threat right across the different countries of Europe and we have to meet that with everything we have, Cameron said afterwards, as he announced extra security.These are difficult times, these are appalling terrorists but we must stand together to do everything we can to stop them and to make sure that although they attack our way of life and they attack us because of who we are, we will never let them win.Britains official national threat level from international terrorism was raised in August 2014 to severe, the second highest of five levels, meaning an attack is considered highly likely.Mark Rowley, Britains counter-terror police chief, announced increased patrols.As a precaution, forces across the UK have increased policing presence at key locations, including transport hubs, to protect the public and provide reassurance, he said.This is not in relation to any specific information or intelligence, he added.Rowley said that in London, extra police were being mobilised to conduct highly visible patrols at key locations, including on the transport network.Fifty-two people were killed in July 2005 Islamist suicide attacks on Londons transport system.Remain alert and vigilantDetectives appealed for any British nationals or media with footage of the attacks to assist the investigation by uploading images or video to an online platform.British police expertise was being offered to Belgian colleagues, Camerons spokeswoman said.This is a shared threat that we should be working together to tackle, she said.Senior police and government officials met to review security following the attacks.While the threat level has not changed there has been an increase in police presence at ports, airports, underground stations and international railway stations, a Cameron spokeswoman said.This will be kept under review in the coming days.Security was increased at Britains border control in Calais, northeastern France, and at the port of Dover across the Channel.It was also upped at Londons Saint Pancras international rail station. Eurostar passenger trains between the terminal and Brussels were suspended.We advise customers not to travel today unless essential, Eurostar said.London Gatwick, the countrys second-biggest airport, confirmed it had boosted security patrols.London Heathrow, Europes busiest airport, said police were providing a high visibility presence.Britain warned its citizens against travel to Brussels, and instructed British nationals in the city to remain alert and vigilant, and stay away from crowded places.Neighbouring Ireland also updated its travel advice to warn citizens to delay non-essential travel to Brussels, and warned of increased security in France following the attacks.

Grieving Brussels holds vigil at historic city square

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BRUSSELS (AFP) - Brussels I love you says the message written in chalk on a historic city square, a place for raucous celebration that has become a scene of grief after Belgiums worst terror attack.Wrapped in the national flag and carrying candles and flowers, Belgians flocked in their hundreds to the Place de la Bourse in the ancient heart of the city to grieve for the dead.The European Unions symbolic heart was left reeling Tuesday after some 35 people were killed in bombings at Zaventem Airport and on a metro train.A lone musician played a cello as a mourner waved a banner reading United against hate and another message scrawled on the ground said: Christians Muslims Jews = humanity.Its important to get together after moments like these, Leila Devin, 22, told AFP. It shows were united against terror.Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel joined the mourners after dark fell and European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker also paid homage to the dead.Tonight I am Belgian, he said, full of emotion.Landmarks around the world, from New Yorks One World Trade Center to the Eiffel Tower in Paris were lit up in the black, yellow and red of Beligums national flag in solidarity.Near the Place de La Bourse square, the usually bustling pedestrian streets of the city centre were nearly empty, with many shops closed.A stones throw away, there were no visitors by the iconic Manneken Pis statue of a young boy urinating, usually surrounded by a crowd of tourists waiting in line to snap a picture.Its sad, its unfortunate, its shocking, said Sofiane, an Algerian student, who had come to pay her respects.Were not scaredAll day, the sound of police and ambulance sirens echoed through the streets, with roads cut off by heavily armed soldiers and police officers.As night fell some signs of normalcy returned, with trains running from the main station and some roads opening up.But on the square, where the country traditionally celebrates the victories of its Red Devils footballers, the crowd continued to swell.Like Belgiums football team, the attacks have sparked a rare moment of unity in a country that is normally deeply divided between its French and Flemish-speaking communities.My mother and I came to show were proud of being Belgian and that were not scared. Because this morning I was terrified, said Analphia Desmet, a 22-year-old communications student.As more and more flowers were placed on the square, the crowd joined together to sing John Lennons Imagine.Mourners waved banners saying Brussels is beautiful and Je Suis Bruxelles (I am Brussels) -- a reference to the slogan that became rallying cry after the attacks on Pariss Charlie Hebdo magazine in January 2015.Were here to say were not scared, theres a dozen of them, but we are thousands, said Belgian student Juliette.

US strike kills 'dozens' at Qaeda training camp in Yemen

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ADEN (AFP) - US military planes killed dozens of fighters at an Al-Qaeda affiliates training camp in a mountainous region of Yemen, the Pentagon said Tuesday.The raids came almost one year since the Saudi-led Arab coalition launched its bombing campaign against rebels who challenged the authority of the Yemeni government and seized much of the country.Yemeni government and tribal officials had earlier said Saudi-led air strikes killed or wounded dozens at a training camp in Hajr, west of Hadramawts provincial capital Mukalla.Fighters have held the city since April.The early morning raid at a camp used by more than 70 Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula fighters deals a blow to AQAPs ability to use Yemen as a base for attacks that threaten US persons, Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said in a statement.We continue to assess the results of the operation, but our initial assessment is that dozens of AQAP fighters have been removed from the battlefield, Cook said.It demonstrates our commitment to defeating Al-Qaeda and denying it safe haven.It was not immediately clear whether there were any civilians among the casualties.Tribal sources said wounded militants were taken to a hospital in Mukalla, while witnesses spoke of around nine vehicles rushing casualties out of the area.Dozens of Al-Qaeda militants were meanwhile seen rushing to the hospital to donate blood, according to residents.The World Health Organization says fighting in Yemen since March 2015 has claimed the lives of almost 6,300 people, while the UN human rights chief last week said half of all those killed were civilians with the vast majority of those deaths caused by coalition strikes.Watchdogs Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch urged the United States, Britain and France to halt arm deliveries to Saudi Arabia that could be used in the Yemen conflict.Riyadh launched the intervention in Yemen last year after Shiite Huthi rebels seized control of large parts of the country, including the capital Sanaa, and forced the government into exile.Peace talksLoyalist forces backed by coalition strikes and ground troops have since retaken much of the south but have failed to dislodge the rebels from other areas including Sanaa.They have recaptured second city Aden and the southern port has been declared the permanent seat of the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi.But in the past few weeks, AQAP fighters and the self-proclaimed Islamic State group have bolstered their presence in southern and eastern Yemen.The Sunni extremists were also reinforcing their grip on parts of Aden in defiance of the authorities and the Saudi-led coalition as the latter were busy pounding the Huthi rebels.Last week, Saudi-led coalition warplanes struck the fighters in Aden, for the first time since the pro-government air campaign was launched on March 26 last year.AQAP, which is well entrenched in Yemen where it has been active for years, is classified by the United States as Al-Qaedas deadliest franchise and had claimed attacks on the West in the past.It ruled the southern province of Abyan for a year before being driven out in June 2012. But in April, it seized Hadramawts provincial capital Mukalla and nearby oil installations.From Mukalla, AQAP has expanded to regain its foothold in southern provinces including Abyan last year and nearby Lahj and Shabwa.Saudi Arabia launched the intervention in Yemen last year after Shiite Huthi rebels seized Sanaa and pushed southwards, forcing the government into exile.Several rounds of UN-brokered peace talks have failed to nail a solution for Yemen.But Yemeni Foreign Minister Abdulmalek al-Mikhlafi said he was 99 percent sure a new round of talks would take place in Kuwait later this month.A Yemeni government official said on Monday the peace negotiations would be accompanied by a ceasefire.The union of journalists, meanwhile, accused rebels of killing cameraman Mohammed al-Yemeni in third city Taez while he was covering clashes.

Cellular service in twin cities suspended

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The mobile phone service in Islamabad and Rawalpindi was suspended on early Wednesday ahead of Pakistan Day parade in the capital as a precaution to avert any untoward incident. The cellular service will be restored at 3:00pm. On the other hand, authorities have also banned entry of heavy traffic in Islamabad and Rawalpindi till 1:00 while the roads around the venue of the Pakistan Day parade will remain closed for all kind of traffic.

Karachi: 11 accused arrested during Rangers, police operations

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – Crackdown against criminal elements continued in Karachi as Rangers and police apprehended 11 accused during operations in different parts of the city on Tuesday.According to details, Rangers conducted operations in Baldia, Horia Bazar, Khara Dar and Lines Area and arrested eight accused. Rangers spokesman said that target killers were also among the arrested persons.Rangers also conducted an operation in Orangi Town and arrested one accused. Sources said that the arrested accused was member of a political party.On the other hand, Brigade Police conducted an operation and arrested an accused. In yet another operation, police arrested an accused from Firozabad area after an encounter. Police said that arms, stolen goods, a motorcycle and a car were recovered from the arrested persons.

Eiffel Tower lit up in Belgian flag colours in show of solidarity

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LAHORE (Web Desk) – Paris’s renowned landmark, the Eiffel Tower, was lit up in Belgian flag colours Tuesday in a show of solidarity, after multiple terrorist attacks in Belgium’s Capital Brussels left 35 dead.One of the most widely recognized structures throughout the world; the Eiffel Tower was bathed in the colours of red, yellow and black, in a show of support to those affected by the attack and to symbolize France’s unity with the country.The tower was lit up recently as well, when France itself became the target of extremism. A string of bombings and armed attacks left 130 dead in Paris in November, the onslaught claimed once again by the Islamic State (IS) extremists.In New York, World Trade Centre will also display the colors of the Belgian flag, as its408-foot (124-meter) antenna is lit up in a show of solidarity.

Huge manhunt after Brussels attacks horror

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BRUSSELS (AFP) - Belgium launched a huge manhunt Tuesday after a series of bombings claimed by the Islamic State group ripped through Brussels airport and a metro train, killing around 35 people in the latest attack to bring carnage to the heart of Europe.Two massive suicide blasts by attackers with bombs in their bags hit the check-in hall at Zaventem Airport, strewing the scene with blood and mangled bodies and sending hundreds of terrified travellers fleeing in terror.Belgian authorities released pictures of two of the suspected attackers pushing trolleys with their bombs through the terminal and said they were actively searching for a third whose bomb failed to go off.Police helicopters hovered over the city late into the night and raids were under way across Belgium, prosecutors said, adding that a bomb, an Islamic State flag and chemicals had been found in one apartment.The fact that extremists were able to hit high-profile targets in Brussels, Europes symbolic capital, just months after IS militants killed 130 people in Paris, will raise fresh questions about the continents ability to cope with the terror threat.It also underscores doubts about how Belgium has allowed extremism to develop unchecked, coming just four days after the arrest in Brussels of key Paris suspect Salah Abdeslam after four months on the run.This is a day of tragedy, a black day, Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel, announcing three days of national mourning after the deadliest attacks we have ever seen in Belgium.Belgian King Philippe condemned the cowardly and odious assault.The Islamic State claimed the bombings, saying soldiers of the caliphate had carried out the attacks against the crusader state of Belgium.Extreme barbarityLeaders across Europe reacted with outrage, with the EU vowing to combat terrorism with all means necessary on a continent that has been on high alert for months.The whole of Europe has been hit, said French President Francois Hollande, whose country is still reeling from Novembers attacks.Several global landmarks including Paris Eiffel Tower and Berlins Brandenburg Gate, as well as the European Commission in Brussels, were illuminated in the colours of the Belgian flag -- black, yellow and red.Hundreds of flights and trains were cancelled Tuesday as security across Europe was tightened after the bombings, which Michel branded blind, violent and cowardly.But as Belgium raised its terror alert to the maximum level four, he insisted that Belgium would not be cowed.People were just going to work, to school and they have been cut down by the most extreme barbarity, Michel told a news conference. We will continue to protect liberty, our way of life.About an hour after the airport blasts at around 8:00 am (0700 GMT), a third explosion rocked Maalbeek metro station, in the heart of the citys EU quarter, just as commuters were making their way to work.The city is the headquarters of both NATO and the European Union.Belgian authorities published surveillance camera images showing the three male suspects of the airport attack-- two have dark hair and were both wearing a glove on only one hand, and a third, being hunted by Belgian police, is wearing a hat and a white coat.They came in a taxi with their suitcases, their bombs were in their bags, Zaventem mayor Francis Vermeiren said. They put their suitcases on trolleys, the first two bombs exploded. The third also put his on a trolley but he must have panicked, it didnt explode.Belgian authorities had been on alert after Abdeslam, Europes most wanted man, told investigators he had been planning an attack on Brussels.Pierre Meys, spokesman for the Brussels fire brigade, told AFP at least 14 people had been killed at the airport, while Brussels mayor Yvan Mayeur said around 20 died in the metro.Witnesses described horrific scenes at the airport, with victims lying in pools of blood, their limbs blown off.Chaotic scenesThere were chaotic scenes as passengers fled in panic, and plumes of dark smoke could be seen rising from holes punched through the roof of the building by the blasts.A man shouted a few words in Arabic and then I heard a huge blast, airport baggage security officer Alphonse Lyoura told AFP, his hands bloodied.A lot of people lost limbs. One man had lost both legs and there was a policeman with a totally mangled leg.At Maalbeek station, paramedics tended to commuters with bloodied faces as the citys normally peaceful streets filled with the wailing of sirens.The wounded in the two attacks included four US Mormon missionaries, two Britons, eight French and two Colombians.Airports across Europe swiftly boosted security, while across the Atlantic, New York and Washington ordered security personnel to key areas.Messages of solidarity poured out on social media, with thousands of people sharing images of beloved Belgian cartoon character Tintin in tears.Brussels residents held a candlelit vigil in the Place de la Bourse square where they sang songs and waved the Belgian flag.US President Barack Obama said Washington stood with Belgium in the face of the outrageous attacks and ordered US flags flown at half mast, while UN chief Ban Ki-moon said those responsible for the despicable bombings should face justice.It has been a week of drama in Brussels. Last Tuesday saw a shootout in the citys south that saw an Algerian IS-linked militant killed.Investigators believe Abdeslam slipped out of the apartment as the gunbattle erupted. He was arrested three days later in Brussels gritty Molenbeek district -- just around the corner from his family home.Foreign Minister Didier Reynders said at the weekend that Abdeslam -- believed to have played a key logistical role in the Paris carnage -- had told investigators he was planning some sort of new attack in Brussels.Belgian police also named a new suspect -- Najim Laachraoui -- whose DNA was found on explosives used in the Paris attacks.

Oil prices steady after Brussels attacks

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - Oil prices were barely changed Tuesday with markets showing little impact from the bombing attacks in Brussels that killed around 35 people.US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for delivery in May was down seven cents at $41.45 a barrel.Brent North Sea crude for May delivery added 25 cents to $41.79 a barrel.Analysts said the tendency of such attacks to dampen economic activity could put some downward pressure on crude prices, especially because the Brussels Zaventem Airport was one of the two targets of the bombings, claimed by the Islamic State group.What weve seen in the past with these terror attacks, there is always a little bit of concern that it will take its toll on demand, said Phil Flynn of Price Futures Group.Because this is a very popular airport in Europe, there are concerns that people will cancel vacations, and the possibility that demand for jet fuel will fall.OPECs secretary-general Abdalla el-Badri said in Vienna on Monday that 15 or 16 nations would join talks on output caps in Doha on April 17, Bloomberg News reported.Badri also said he hopes that prices have bottomed, adding that he expects crude to see a moderate bounce rather than reach previous high levels.Qatars oil ministry has invited Iran to the meeting, even as Tehran insists it is not ready to accept production limits.The prospect of an Iranian exemption has kept world crude prices under pressure, despite the increase in Iranian output so far being more than outweighed by a sharp fall in production by other OPEC members, notably Iraq.According to OPECs latest monthly report, Iran pumped out 3.1 million barrels per day of crude in February, up from 2.9 million in January.Overall production by the cartel fell by 175,000 bpd in February to an average of 32.28 million bpd, largely because of the steep drop in Iraqi output and smaller falls in Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates.Sydney-based CMC Markets analyst Michael McCarthy said traders do not expect much from the Qatar meeting.I would be surprised if many people in the oil market are holding out much hope for this meeting, he told AFP.The levels of trust required to get so many different nations and companies to curtail their production, I dont think is there. While it may add to the firm tone of the market, I dont think it is a key driver.

Dollar pushes higher after deadly Brussels bombings

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NEW YORK (AFP) - The dollar pushed modestly higher Tuesday after the deadly bombings in Brussels claimed by the Islamic State group that left around 35 people dead.There was little of the strong move to safety often seen after such incidents, with the markets becoming inured to them, as one analyst said.The dollar edged up to $1.1216 against the euro and to 112.35 yen. The Swiss franc, traditionally a key safe-haven currency, was weaker against the euro and dollar.The more instability there is in Europe, the harder it becomes for the euro to maintain its levels. And the fact it happened in Brussels, which is the unofficial capital of the eurozone, has an impact on the market as well, said Boris Schlossberg of BK Asset Management.Overall there is a real sense of uncertainty on the market right now because nobody is sure whether or not its going to be a one-off event.

England determined to avoid fresh humiliation

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NEW DELHI (AFP) - Skipper Eoin Morgan vowed that England would not take lowly Afghanistan lightly in a must-win World Twenty20 tie on Wednesday after exiting their last two major tournaments with egg on their face.Englands 2014 World T20 campaign ended in an embarrassing 45-run defeat against the Netherlands while a disastrous showing at last years 50 over World Cup was capped by a chastening loss to Bangladesh.Morgans side will hope to record a resounding win against Afghanistan on Wednesday in New Delhi as they seek to up their run rate in a tight group but the captain said there would be no taking victory for granted.Speaking to reporters on the eve of the match, Morgan recalled the horrific feeling in the dressing-room at the time of the Dutch debacle but said the atmosphere was totally different after Fridays morale-boosting victory over South Africa.Our priority is on winning. Tomorrow is a big game and we are certainly not taking Afghanistan for granted. First and foremost we need to get into that game with the right mindset, he said.I think Holland was a unique set of circumstances, I think we were already out of the tournament. We went into the game with a particularly wrong mindset, he added.Disappointment of getting knocked out of the world cup is horrific, so coming into this game we are really fresh.Although Afghanistan have lost their two matches in the group stages, they caused South Africa a fright on Sunday with a brisk start to their run chase, with opener Mohammad Shahzad scoring 44 in just 19 balls.I think they are a dangerous side. They have played a really exciting brand of cricket, said Morgan.We watched the early stages of the tournament when they played and qualified, played some really good cricket. And we watched both games, South Africa and Sri Lanka.I think he (Shahzad) is a good batsman but I think it will be rude of me to single out any batsman... I think as a side they can be quite strong and very destructive.Morgan said England were considering bringing in Liam Dawson as a third spinner alongside Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid on a pitch that is expected to offer more turn than Mumbai, the venue of Englands first two games.Although Afghanistan are effectively out of the tournament, skipper Asghar Stanikzai said his side was determined to leave India with victory against a major team under their belt.We have played good cricket and looking to play well against England as well, he said.There will definitely be pressure on England ... We are eager to win at least one match in next two. The guys are playing to win.TeamsEngland (from): Eoin Morgan (captain), Moeen Ali, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Liam Dawson, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, James Vince, David Willey.Afghanistan (from): Asghar Stanikzai (captain), Amir Hamza, Dawlat Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Hamid Hassan, Karim Sadiq, Mohammad Nabi, Mohammad Shahzad, Najibullah Zadran, Noor Ali Zadran, Rashid Khan, Samiullah Shenwari, Shafiqullah Shafiq, Shapoor Zadran, Usman Ghani.

Lahore displays fireworks in commemoration of 'Youm-e-Pakistan'

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LAHORE (Dunya News) – At the stroke of midnight, Fireworks display was observed in several areas of Lahore Tuesday, as the whole nation looks all set to celebrate ‘Youm-e-Pakistan’ (Pakistan Resolution Day) throughout the country today (Wednesday). A spectacular fireworks display was held at Minar-e-Pakistan, Gulshan Park and Jillani Park.The sky lit with a kaleidoscope of colours due to the fireworks display. A huge gathering of citizens flocked to Minar-e-Pakistan to view the spectacle and were greatly entertained by it.Citizens were seen raising the slogan of ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ (Long Live Pakistan) and waved the national flag.The country’s citizens will be celebrating the national holiday in commemoration of Lahore Resolution of 1940 and the adoption of Pakistan’s first constitution on 23rd of March 1956.

Nation to celebrate 'Pakistan Day' with passionate zeal today

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LAHORE (Dunya News) – All preparations have been finalized and the patriotic fervor is at an all time high as the country’s nation preps itself to celebrate ‘Pakistan Resolution Day’ today (Wednesday) with a great deal of passionate zeal. Pakistan Army’s parade ceremony will be displayed in the Federal Capital, Islamabad. Events have been finalized in all major and small cities across the country while for the first time in its history, an exclusive ceremony will also be held in the United Nations (UN) to commemorate the occasion, with a performance by the renowned singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan.The day dawned with a 31-gun salute in the Federal Capital and a 21-gun salute in the Provincial Capitals. Seminars, rallies and ceremonies have been arranged by government and private organizations all across the country.A military parade will be held in Islamabad which will include aerial acrobatics by JF-17 Thunder, F-16 Mirage and F-7 fighter jets of Pakistan Air Force (PAF). A display of complete range of ballistic and cruise missiles will also be part of the parade.A parade will also be held at Liberty Chowk in Lahore which will be topped off with a spectacular fireworks display and a laser light show in the evening.Special ceremonies in commemoration of the Resolution Day have also been arranged at Lahore’s Wagah border and in Kasur’s Gunda Singh border.Cellular phone service in Islamabad and Rawalpindi were suspened in the early morning hours, ahead of Pakistan Day parade in the capital as a precaution to avert any untoward incident.The cellular service will be restored at 3:00pm. On the other hand, authorities have also banned entry of heavy traffic in Islamabad and Rawalpindi till 1:00 while the roads around the venue of the Pakistan Day parade will remain closed for all kind of traffic.
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