Monday 25 April 2016

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Lahore: 15 suspects arrested in search operation in Iqbal Town

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LAHORE (Dunya News) – Police conducted a search operation in Iqbal Town and its adjacent areas over security concerns on Monday night and apprehended 15 suspects who failed to produce identity documents, Dunya News reported.Police searched hotels and hostels in the area and also conducted house-to-house search during which biometric device was also used and arrested 15 persons who failed to produce identity documents.A massive crackdown was launched in Punjab against the criminal elements after March 27 suicide attack in Lahore’s Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park in which more than 70 persons were killed and over 300 were wounded.The suicide attack was claimed by the Tehreek-e-Taliban’s Jamaat-ur-Ahrar faction, which once declared loyalty to Daesh, also known as Islamic State.The brutality of the attack, Jamaat-ur-Ahrar’s fifth bombing since December, reflects the movement’s attempts to raise its profile among Pakistan’s increasingly fractured militants.At least 29 children enjoying the outing were among those killed when the suicide bomber struck in a busy park in the heart of Lahore, the power base of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.It was Pakistan’s deadliest attack since the December 2014 massacre of 134 school children at a military-run academy in the city of Peshawar that prompted a government crackdown on militancy.After the attack, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif directed to launch a large-scale anti-terrorism operation across Punjab.Hundreds of suspects have been arrested from Faisalabad, Multan, Bahawalpur, Jhelum, Nankana, Lahore, Sheikhpura and other areas since then.

Karachi: Two accused arrested during police operation

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – Crackdown against criminals continued in Karachi as police arrested two more accused during operations in different parts of the city on Monday, Dunya News reported.According to details, police conducted an operation in Malir City area and arrested a drug peddler Rasool Bakhsh while his wife managed to escape from the scene. Police also recovered drugs from his possession.Police also conducted a raid at the Emergency Ward of Jinnah Hospital in Mahmoodabad area and arrested an accused in injured condition. Accused Gulzar was wounded in firing between two rival groups in Akhtar Colony. One person was killed and two were injured as a result of firing between two groups in Akhtar Colony.

WHO warns of risk of 'marked increase' in Zika cases

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PARIS (AFP) - The UNs health agency warned Monday of the potential for a marked increase in Zika infections, and the spread of the virus to new parts of the world, even as the outbreak declines in Brazil.Largely contained to Latin America and the Caribbean, Zikas range is likely to expand as summer arrives in the northern hemisphere -- and with it virus-transmitting mosquitoes.As seasonal temperatures begin to rise in Europe, two species of Aedes mosquito which we know transmit the virus will begin to circulate, World Health Organization assistant director general Marie-Paule Kieny told a Zika science conference in Paris.The mosquito knows no borders. Add to that the risk of Zika-infected men passing the virus on to women via sex, and the world could see a marked increase in the number of people with Zika and related complications, Kieny said.At the same time, with cooler temperatures in the tropics and subtropics, the outbreak in hardest-hit Brazil was clearly on the decline, she added, without providing numbers.About 600 disease experts from 43 nations are in the French capital to pore over scant but increasingly worrisome data about Zika.Despite a flurry of research, very little is known about the virus -- how long it can hide out in the human body, the degree of risk of sexual transmission, the full list of diseases and disorders it may cause, and all the mosquito types capable of transmitting it.Recent scientific consensus is that Zika causes microcephaly, a form of severe brain damage in newborns, and adult-onset neurological problems such as Guillain-Barre Syndrome, which can cause paralysis and death.Its not what we know but what we dont know that is concerning, infectious diseases professor David Heymann of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine told AFP on the conference sidelines.We cant make recommendations (for prevention) if we dont understand the full potential of a virus or bacteria.Kieny described Zika as a global emergency and a growing threat.There is no vaccine or treatment for the virus, which in most people causes only mild symptoms -- a rash, joint pain or fever.The most urgent priority, Kieny said, was for new tools for quickly diagnosing Zika -- particularly in pregnant women whose babies risk severe disability.Developers in the United States, France, Brazil, India and Austria are working on 23 vaccine-development projects, Kieny said. But it could take years, and the feasibility of an emergency-use vaccine was being examined.Until then, the first line of defence remains mosquito control and bite prevention, the experts said, and advising women in endemic regions to put off pregnancy.Duane Gubler of the Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore, said Zika surprised the world, just as Ebola before it, despite both viruses having been known about for decades.I think we should take this as a wakeup call and start developing our surveillance systems so we can monitor these viruses a little more effectively, he told the conference.Kieny said particular vigilance was required in Africa, where the virus was first discovered in Uganda in 1947.For Europe, the risk is somewhat lowered by the fact that the mosquito Aedes albopictus present in 20 countries in summer, is less prone to causing outbreaks than its cousin A. aegypti in the tropics, according to new research unveiled by the Pasteur Institute.While cases of local transmission are possible, the risk of a full-blown European outbreak appears low, French immunologist Jean-Francois Delfraissy said.A virus can be introduced to a new region when a local mosquito picks it up from an infected human -- someone coming back from a holiday in South America, for example. If it lives long enough, the mosquito then infects people from whom it takes a blood meal, starting a vicious cycle.A Zika outbreak began in Brazil in early 2015, followed nine months later by an surge of infants born with microcephaly, and an increase in Guillain-Barre cases.Brazil reported some 1.5 million infections out of an estimated global total of two million in more than 40 countries.In eight nations, there have been reports of person-to-person transmission via sex.

Greedy wives to blame for corruption: Indonesian minister

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JAKARTA (AFP) - An Indonesian minister has suggested an unusual reason for the scourge of corruption in the graft-ridden country -- men are just trying to please their greedy wives. Indonesia has struggled against graft for years, with the countrys vast bureaucracy crippled by corruption and leading public figures, from ministers to senior judges, jailed for accepting kickbacks.But rather than taking aim at the grasping officials themselves, Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin suggested it was greedy wives who were fuelling corruption.The wives of the elite in Indonesia are well-known for their love of expensive designer clothes and handbags. Corruption is often motivated by many things, he was cited as saying in Kompas newspaper, referring to extraordinary demands from family members that pushed people to behave unusually.My message is not to demand too many material things that are out of the ordinary, that would be an outstanding contribution by women, he added. His comments were not warmly received, with housewife Viona Syavita saying it was unfair to point the finger solely at women.Dont just blame wives, that is really too much, Syavita said.Saifuddins predecessor as religious affairs minister, Suryadharma Ali, was jailed for six years for corruption earlier this year. One accusation against him was that he helped relatives skip the long waiting list to go on the pilgrimage to the Muslim holy city of Mecca.Indonesia was ranked 88th out of 168 countries and territories in NGO Transparency Internationals Corruption Perceptions Index last year. A number one ranking represents the least corrupt.a

IMF urges Gulf states to adapt to lower oil prices

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DUBAI (AFP) - The International Monetary Fund forecast Monday economic growth in the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council will be 1.8 percent this year, down from 3.3 percent in 2015, and urged spending cutbacks.In an interview with AFP, IMF regional chief Masood Ahmed also said the oil-exporting Gulf states should press forwards with diversifying their revenue base faced with persistent low crude prices.OPEC heavyweight Saudi Arabia is expected Monday to announce reforms aimed at diversifying its almost total economic reliance on crumbling oil prices.This year will see a continuation of a low oil-price environment, so we are going to see further -- maybe $100 billion or so, in terms of lower revenues from oil exports Ahmed said of the GCC which groups Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.This is now beginning to affect not just the financing (of governments) but also the economies in terms of their economic activities, he said in Dubai, where he launched the IMFs regional economic outlook update.Oil prices have shed some 70 percent from their mid-2014 peak value to $40 per barrel. The IMF said markets expect prices to recover modestly to $50 by the end of this decade.The largest Arab economy, Saudi Arabia, is now expected to grow by 1.2 percent this year, compared with 3.4 percent in 2015.Economic growth in the UAE will also drop from 3.9 percent last year to 2.4 percent in 2016.Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Oman will become significant debtors between 2016 and 2021, the IMF report said, with financing needs exceeding their reserves.The plunge in revenues has forced the Gulf monarchies to make unprecedented fuel and energy subsidy cuts and plan to introduce indirect taxation. They have also scaled back spending on large projects.They need to pursue the measures they have started on cutting back and adjusting their spending, and to put in place revenue like the VAT (value-added tax), Ahmed said.VAT would add another 1.5 percent to gross domestic product once it has come into place hopefully by 2018, he said.But such measures will take years to implement, and authorities should ensure implementing them in a sustained way, and building the institutional capacity to be able to do this is going to be important.Many Gulf countries can introduce phased adjustments thanks to the comfortable financial surplus amassed over years of high oil revenues, he said.In addition to balancing their budgets, Gulf countries face a major challenge ensuring that the private sector grows in a way that provides employment, Ahmed said.The private sector is currently slowing because partly they used to sell many of their products to the government which is curbing spending.The big challenge is to revitalise the private sector, and that is really a transformation of the economies going forward, Ahmed said.Another priority is to create incentives for nationals to seek private sector instead of public sector jobs.Diversification of economies that depend on a single commodity like oil is not an easy task, and experience around the world shows that this is something that requires sustained effort, learning by doing and learning from each other, so I see this as an ongoing challenge over the coming years, Ahmed said.Oil revenues constitute the bulk of GDP for most Gulf countries.Ahmed also argued that GCC countries that peg their currencies to the US dollar should maintain the link which has served the GCC well.It provides an anchor of stability during a period when many other things, including the price of oil, are changing and quite volatile. It also reflects the nature of these economies, which trade in commodities priced in dollars.Of Riyadhs expected reforms announcement Monday, Ahmed said: Were looking forward to that vision.In terms of what has already been said about it, it is an ambitious strategy to not only try and balance the budget of the kingdom over the next five years, but also to create an economy that is not so much dependent on oil.I think that these are exactly the right kinds of objectives, he said. The level of ambition responds to the challenge that is faced.

Oil dips as Saudi nears completion of oilfield expansion

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NEW YORK (AFP) - Oil prices fell on Monday amid concerns about elevated US inventories and Saudi Arabias reported imminent completion of a key oilfield expansion project, potentially adding to abundant global supplies.US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for delivery in June fell US$1.09 (2.5 per cent) to US$42.64 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.In London, Brent North Sea crude for June, the European benchmark, closed at US$44.48 a barrel, down 63 cents (1.4 per cent) from Fridays settlement.Both contracts had clocked weekly gains in the past three weeks.Phil Flynn of Price Futures Group noted that prices chopped between gains and losses on Monday in light volume. They turned lower when Genscape, the private forecaster, showed an increase in crude supplies in Cushing, Oklahoma, Flynn said.US commercial crude supplies are currently near historic highs and traders keep a close eye on the levels at the Cushing oil terminal, where the supplies serve as the price basis for WTI contract. The Department of Energy reports on stockpiles report on Wednesday.Bloomberg News meanwhile reported that the Saudi state oil company Aramco will complete an expansion of its Shaybah oilfield by the end of May, allowing the worlds largest exporter to maintain total capacity at 12 million barrels a day. The move will see Shaybahs capacity rise from 750,000 barrels to 1.0 million barrels a day.The report caused market jitters, said Bernard Aw, an analyst with IG Markets in Singapore.If the Saudis ramp production up by a substantial amount, the US$40 mark should be easily broken. That creates a problem that were not even going to see the oil market rebalance, not even by the first half of next year, he told AFP.Separately Saudi Arabia unveiled a sweeping reform plan to wean its economy away from oil dependence. The measures include the possible public offering of less than five percent of Aramco, which a top prince said is worth in total US$2-2.5 trillion.

Dollar slips, yen rises ahead of central bank meetings

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NEW YORK (AFP) - The dollar slipped against the euro and the yen on Monday in a cautious market ahead of interest rate decisions by the Federal Reserve and Bank of Japan this week.Though the Fed was largely expected to hold ultra-low interest rates unchanged at the end of a two-day meeting on Wednesday, traders hoped the post-meeting statement would shed light on the outlook for future rate hikes.The euro hit a technical support level at 1.12 on Friday and we have seen a little bounce-back since, said Boris Schlossberg of BK Asset Management. But mostly its just the market positioning itself before the Fed rate decision, he said.The dollar fell to US$1.1266 per euro around 2100 GMT, down 0.3 per cent from Friday.The Fed was expected to remain cautious amid worries about the global economy, including Britains June vote on exiting the European Union and weak inflation.Any softening of the Feds concern regarding international headwinds or any signs that officials see inflation pressures beginning to mount would suggest a higher probability of a hike in June and likely send the dollar higher, said Omer Esiner at Commonwealth Foreign Exchange.The yen, meanwhile, rebounded from Fridays plunge in reaction to a Bloomberg News story that the central bank may take steps to support major financial institutions hit by its negative-rate policy.The Japanese currency rose 0.5 per cent against the greenback and 0.2 per cent against the euro.If the Bank of Japans meeting on Wednesday and Thursday results in easier policy, that could send the yen lower, Esiner said. But, he said, the extent to which any yen losses can be sustained is unclear, especially against a still nervous and risk-averse global market backdrop.

Yorkshire's Gillespie denies Australia approach

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LONDON (AFP) - Yorkshire coach Jason Gillespie insisted Monday he was committed to the reigning English county champions after being linked with a role as Australias bowling coach.The former Australia fast bowler has forged a fine reputation as a coach during four years in charge of Yorkshire, helping the Headingley club return to the First Division and then overseeing their back-to-back County Championship titles that have left the White Rose bidding for three in a row this season.Last year saw Gillespie touted as a candidate to replace England coach Peter Moores before the job went to compatriot Trevor Bayliss.Australia coach Darren Lehmann, who played cricket alongside Gillespie for South Australia and Australia, said last week in a radio interview that his old team-mate would certainly be at forefront with other bowling coaches when they looked to appoint a successor to Craig McDermott, who stepped down in March.But the 41-year-old Gillespie, who took 259 wickets in 71 Tests, said Monday he had no immediate plans to leave Yorkshire, telling the countys website: I havent had any contact, so theres nothing to report to be honest.If anything changes, Ill let you know. At this point, its just focusing on my role here, added Gillespie, who has also coached the Adelaide Strikers in Australias Twenty20 Big Bash League.There is still a lot to do at Yorkshire and I solely want to concentrate on helping this team win cricket matches.You dont rule out opportunities in the future. Its whether you feel like you can make a difference in any job that comes available. Its well documented that Ive got four kids under the age of 10. My eldest daughter, shes 21, has just had a little girl. So family is important, and it should be an important consideration.Any job that comes up, certainly, Ive always said family comes first.If any opportunities come up in the future, that would certainly be a consideration.

Hampshire bring in Best as Edwards cover

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LONDON (AFP) - English county side Hampshire have signed one West Indies fast bowler to replace another after confirming Monday that Tino Best had signed a short-term contract following the ankle injury suffered by Fidel Edwards.Surgery now beckons for Edwards, who fractured his ankle during a pre-match football kick-about during Hampshires First Division draw away to county champions Yorkshire at Headingley last week.Edwardss setback was one of he more bizarre blows that have affected an injury-hit Hampshire this season, with newly-signed England paceman Reece Topley breaking his hand while batting.Unfortunately Fidel has had a serious break and will have to undergo surgery on Tuesday, said Hampshire director of cricket Giles White.Its a real shame for him, he has been unbelievable since he has been with us and has become an extremely popular member of the club.We will support him through his recovery and look forward to having him back in a Hampshire shirt as soon as possible. He is a class act and the team will miss him, the former Hampshire batsman added.The 34-year-old Best, a veteran of 25 Tests, joins Hampshire having last played for the West Indies in a Twenty20 international in January 2014.A fiery competitor, four years ago Best entered the record books when he made 95 against England at Edgbaston -- the then highest score by a No 11 batsman in a Test match, although that record was subsequently eclipsed by Australian Ashton Agars 98, also against England, at Trent Bridge in 2013. White said he was looking forward to having Best on board. He trained with us in Barbados during pre-season and looked good. It has come about at short notice, initially on a short term contract.He seems excited about the opportunity and very motivated to do well; we look forward to seeing how things develop.Hampshire have a long history of recruiting West Indies players, with two of the teams finest all-time fast bowlers, Andy Roberts and Malcolm Marshall, both enjoying stints with the south coast county.

MQM military wing operative sentenced to 33 years in prison

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – According to a Rangers spokesman, an Anti Terrorism Court has sentenced Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) operative Haider Ali to 33 years in prison for possession of illegal weapons, explosive material and direct involvement in murder cases.Accused Haider Ali was arrested by Rangers from Mahmoodabad area of Karachi in 2013 and a case was registered against him in Mahmoodabad Police Station.

Uzair Baloch reveals names of two PPP figures before JIT

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KARACHI (Dunya News) - The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) formed to probe Uzair Baloch case has completed its report. This was revealed in Dunya News programme Dunya Kamran Khan Kay Sath on Monday night.This was also disclosed in the programme that Uzair Baloch has revealed names of two key figures of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), including a woman leader, during JIT probe.Sindh government is pressurising authorities for removal of the names from the final JIT report. On the other hand, Advisor to Sindh Chief Minister (CM) for Information Maula Bakhsh Chandio said that he was unaware of the JIT report.

Corruption found in procurement of wild animals for Lahore Zoo Safari

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LAHORE (Dunya News) – Corruption has been found in regards to the procurement of wild animals to be kept in captivity at the Lahore Zoo Safari, reported Dunya News.According to sources, the government spent around Rs 27.5 million in the purchasing of wild animals. White lions were purchased at a cost of Rs 13 million whereas their market rate cost is around Rs 5.6-5.9 million thus a blow of over Rs 7 million was delivered to the national reserve.3 Bengal Tigers were bought for Rs 10 million and 83 lac while market rate varies between Rs 60 thousand to Rs 70 thousand.2 jaguars were bought for Rs 10 million and 10 lac while government faced a loss worth Rs 60 lac.The issue was surfaced when market rates and international rates were compared. National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has completed the investigation of this case but action against the accused still remains a question.

Peculiar ailment: The 'solar kids' of Mian Ghundi

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QUETTA (Dunya News) – Three children living in the Mian Ghundi region close to Quetta suffer from an utmost suspicious ailment. The children seem to be active, full of life and normal during day time however, as soon as the sun sets their bodies start becoming dysfunctional and they seem to be half dead, reported Dunya News.Hashim, who is the father of the three children, has spent many years of his life rejoicing upon the sight of dawn but every sunset leaves him gloomy. Rasheed and Shoaib, his two sons, seem to be perfectly fine every morning whenever the sun appears on the horizon. The children feed the cattle and play cricket on the rocky fields of Mian Ghundi. From the looks, the children seem to be living their lives normally however they are suffering from such an ailment whose symptoms are there to observe but the disease as such has not been diagnosed as of now.Shoaib and Rasheed go to the Madrassa just like other normal children where they recite the Holy Quran, both of them have learnt various chapters of the Quran by heart as well. As the sun goes down, goosebumps begin to appear on their skins and their bodies become dysfunctional. They find it difficult to sit on their own weight therefore they have to be given some sort of support to sit.Ilyas, who is the younger brother of the two, also suffers from the same condition. Their father tries to provide them with the best treatment possible keeping in view his financial conditions but the doctors have yet been unable to diagnose the disease. Hashim looks towards the government to support him in this hour of need.Dunya News’ team took the children to some of Quetta’s most famous hospitals but to no avail as the doctors were baffled after getting to know about the children’s odd condition.The team then took Rasheed and Ilyas to Children Hospital Quetta, where Dr Dilshad Qureshi was puzzled after coming across the peculiar case. She suggested a number of tests for the ‘solar children’ but was unable to explain the disease the kids were having which resulted in furthering Hashim’s worries regarding his children’s condition.Hashim has paid visit to numerous hospitals to get his children treated but every time, he has been disappointed. His financial conditions do not allow him to arrange more treatments for his children for a long time.State Minister for Health Saira Afzal Tarar took notice of this news and decided to establish contact with the parents of the children on urgent basis and announced that the children will be treated at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Hospital.

NA Speaker uses illegal electricity to organise illegal 'political function' at government school

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LAHORE (Dunya News) – National Assembly (NA) Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq organised an illegal event at Government Girls Middle School, Rasool Park, Samanabad where he was invited as chief guest and addressed the public over Orange Line Metro Train on Monday, reported Dunya News.Later, it was also revealed that organisers of the event used illegal electricity to light up the event however NA Speaker rejected the very allegation.Addressing to the ceremony Ayaz threatened Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and said that if Imran would head towards Raiwand, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) workers will advance towards Bani Gala.Talking about Panama Leaks he said that not only the top-notch 250 personalities but everyone will be interrogated with regard to corruption. He also said that those who dream to hold office should wait until 2018.

COAS arrives at Jordan, meets political, military leadership

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RAWALPINDI (Dunya News) – Chief Of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif has reached Jordan on a 2-day visit, Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) has stated on Monday, reported Dunya News.During his visit, Army Chief met Jordanian Prince El Hassan bin Talal, civil and military leadership. Jordanian Joint Chief Of Staff General Mashal Al-Zaben and Chief of Royal Jordanian Air Force Major General Mansour Al Jabour, welcomed COAS on his arrival to Jordan.Regional security and defence cooperation related matters were discussed in the meeting. General Sharif has been awarded with the highest honour of Jordan in appreciation of his struggle to cope with numerous challenges and efforts for peace and stability in the region.
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