Friday 8 April 2016

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Tennis: Kerber eases into semi-finals in Charleston

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CHARLESTON (AP) Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber moved a step closer to her second straight Volvo Car Open title, reaching the semifinals with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Irina Camelia Begu on Friday.Im feeling like home, the 28-year-old German told the crowd after her eighth straight match win on the green clay of Charleston.And this latest victory could be a powerful repeat omen - Kerber topped her Romanian opponent in the quarterfinals for a second straight year. That match last season required Kerber to gut out two difficult tiebreakers to advance. This one was an overpowering barrage of precise groundstrokes and relentless returns.Kerber was nearly sent packing after her opening match Tuesday night, but she escaped Lara Arruabarrena by winning a third-set tiebreaker. Ever since, Kerber has found her rhythm and defeated her past two opponents by identical scores.So the first (clay court) matches, of course, are like the toughest ones, she said. Now, Im feeling better and better. And its great, yeah, to play good tennis again on clay.Especially when shes looking to prove at the upcoming French Open that her first Grand Slam title in Melbourne was no fluke.Sure, its early in the clay-court season, but no ones looked more comfortable on the chalky, dusty, slow surface so far than Kerber while continuing a run of German power at the Volvo Car Open. Women from Germany have won three of the past seven titles here and the past two, with Andrea Petkovics 2014 title preceding Kerbers run to the top a year ago.I think the Germans love this tournament, Kerber said with a grin.Kerber won the final three games to take the opening set. Begu was up 2-1 and 0-30 in the second set when Kerber rallied back and won the game with a 93 mph ace, which her opponent thought was out although the call was backed by the chair umpire.Begus game unspooled after that. Kerber won eight of the next nine points to move in front for good.I was just trying to play more aggressive in the second set and it worked, she said.Kerber will face No. 7 seed Sloane Stephens on Saturday for a spot in the championship match. The 23-year-old American beat 14th-seeded Daria Kasatkina of Russia 6-1, 5-7, 7-5 and continue her best tournament run in six appearances. Stephens had never gotten past her first match before this season and it looked like she might not make it past Kasatkina, who took a 5-4 lead in the final set.Stephens fought off a match point to tie the set before breaking Kasatkinas serve to move in front. Stephens showed off her powerful serves, clocking 109 mph on match point that Kasatkina barely got a piece of on the return. Stephens was waiting near the net to tap the floater into the open court to move on. ithStephens, the last American left, pumped her fist to the cheering crowd.She said the transition to clay and windy conditions made things difficult. A lot happens out there, but Im happy I was able to stay calm and play well, she said.No. 5 Sara Errani of Italy is the only other seeded player remaining in the draw. Shell take on Yulia Putintseva, the 21-year-old from Kazakhstan who ousted Venus Williams on Thursday.

Football: Rooney to return to action next week

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MANCHESTER (AFP) - Louis van Gaal has revealed Manchester United and England captain Wayne Rooney will make his comeback from injury in the clubs under-21 side next week.Rooney has been sidelined for 11 games due to a knee injury and United manager van Gaal has opted not to rush him back to face Premier League title-chasing Tottenham on Sunday.Instead, the 30-year-old striker will play for the reserve team against Middlesbrough at Old Trafford next Monday -- 48 hours before Uniteds FA Cup quarter-final replay at West Ham.He is playing for the Under-21s and its going very well, van Gaal told reporters on Friday.He has trained with us only two times, so not too much, so he has to build up his capacity in the Under-21 team.Having had up to 10 senior players injured at the same time earlier this season, Uniteds injury problems are clearing up with only Rooney, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Luke Shaw and Adnan Januzaj unavailable for the trip to White Hart Lane.And van Gaal admits that has given him a more enjoyable selection headache to deal with in his squad.It makes my job more easy because I can select better, but it makes the time for my players a little bit more difficult, he said.There was a time that I could not select only the fit players. Now with all the youngsters who have proved they are capable to play, with all the players who are coming back, now I have to select.I have a bigger squad. I have said also to my players you have to help your colleagues when they are not selected. Now a lot of players are not selected to play or are sitting on the bench.While second-placed Tottenham are chasing leaders Leicester in a bid to win the title for the first time since 1961, United are desperate to finish in the top four to secure Champions League football next season.They currently trail fourth-placed Manchester City by one point, which could be four by the time United go to London on Sunday.However, United havent lost at Tottenham since 2001 and their record against the top sides in the Premier League this season is impressive - with five wins and three draws from nine games against the current top seven.They have had costly slip-ups against lower-ranked teams, though, which van Gaal attributes to the way teams have played against United.We need creative players. Also more fast players, quick-thinking players. The lower teams are mostly parking the bus, as the English say, he added.Thats more difficult. Top teams want to play against us, then we can play also. Thats the big difference. I have analysed it that way.After spending much of the season under seige from fans and former United players for his conservative tactics, van Gaal has weathered the storm and could still salvage his reputation by securing a top-four finish and winning the FA Cup.Its not so interesting, my record. Its interesting for the players that they have to win this game at this moment. We still have to close the gap of one point, he said.We have to win and we are dependable on the results of our competitors. We have to win and I have to say every week that we must win. The pressure is our pressure.The pressure is also on Tottenham Hotspur now. They have to close the gap on Leicester City. It is the same position more or less as Manchester United at this time.

Spieth leads, Rory second as ill winds blow at Masters

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AUGUSTA (AFP) - Jordan Spieth threatened to run away with his second consecutive Masters crown before stumbling twice on the front nine and reaching the turn with only a three-shot lead over Rory McIlroy in Fridays second round at windy Augusta National.The 22-year-old American, who won last years US Open and Masters, stood on six-under par overall with nine holes to play, one-over on the round after a bogey at nine and a double-bogey blip at the par-4 fifth.It depends on how Jordan is going, said Australias top-ranked Jason Day. He seems to love this course and love this place. It depends on what he does.Giving hope to a chasing pack that struggled in vain to gain ground on the 18-hole leader was McIlroy, who seeks a victory to complete a career Grand Slam.He was two-over through 12 holes but birdied the par-5 13th and 15th and par-3 16th to seize sole possession of second.Hes a phenomenal talent and its my job and Jasons job and everyone elses to try to stop him dominating, McIlroy said of Spieth on Tuesday.Spieth is trying to join Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Nick Faldo as the only players to win the Masters two years in a row.He would also overtake Day for world number one with a Masters win if the Aussie finishes outside the top five. Day struggled in the wind to fire one-over 73 Friday and stand on one-over 145 overall.One-over is probably par for us, Day said. I felt like I did all right but its just tough out there. Its really tricky. At Amen Corner (holes 11-13) you dont know where the wind is coming from.It almost feels like a US Open where you have just got to survive. Im just trying to survive right now.South Korean-born New Zealander Danny Lee and American Scott Piercy shared the clubhouse lead at two-under 142 for 36 holes.Lee fired a 74 Friday, closing bogey-bogey to fall back, while Piercy shot 72, unable to make a run after birdies on two of the first three holes.Its just blowing so hard, Piercy said. The wind is playing a huge part. The greens are starting to dry out. If you get them downwind its hard to stop the ball. Even par goes a long ways today.No Kiwi has won a US event since Michael Campbell captured the 2005 US Open.Spieths playing partners, US amateur Bryson DeChambeau and Englands Paul Casey, were on the course at two-under.Spieth, who fired a six-under par 66 in round one, sank a 14-foot birdie putt at the first hole and put his approach two feet from the cup at the third to set up another birdie.The Texan four-putted the fifth green, missing from four and seven feet to fall back to six-under, and he needed to sink a 17-foot putt just to save par at the par-3 sixth.Spieth answered with a nine-foot birdie putt at the par-5 eighth but his third shot rolled off the front of the green at nine, leading to a bogey.- Els only doubles the first -Ernie Els, the 46-year-old South African who fired the worst score ever recorded on the first hole with a nine in round one, managed a double-bogey six at the first on his way to a 73 in the second round.The four-time major champion sent his approach at the first way left onto the adjacent ninth hole, punched the ball onto the green 47 feet shy of the cup.He missed his long par putt, then knocked a two-footer past the hole before sinking a comeback four-footer.Eight-time major champion Tom Watson appeared set to miss the cut in what would be the final round of his legendary career.The 66-year-old American was six-over with eight holes to play, likely needing multiple birdies to become the oldest player to make the cut in Masters history and extend his career by 36 holes.Others set to miss the cut were two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson, fellow American Rickie Fowler and South Africans Els and Charl Schwartzel.

Boxing: Fury-Klitschko re-match set for July - trainer

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LONDON (AFP) - Tyson Fury will defend his World Boxing Association (WBA) and World Boxing Organisation (WBO) heavyweight titles in a re-match against Wladimir Klitschko in Manchester on July 9, the British boxers trainer and uncle Peter Fury announced Friday.Fury senior tweeted that the rematch would be confirmed later on Friday, saying: (On) 9th July Tyson Fury vs Klitschko is coming to Manchester Uk.Official announcement coming 12 noon (UK time, 1100 GMT).Hamburg-based Klitschko lost his WBA, IBF, IBO and WBO belts to Fury on points in Duesseldorf last November as the Ukrainian suffered his first defeat in more than a decade.Fury, from Manchester, northern England, was stripped of the IBF belt for agreeing to face Klitschko in a re-match.Talks, however, proved protracted. Fury suffered a minor back injury last month and recently said that he thought the delay was due to Klitschkos hope he will gain weight in the time between bouts.I think they think I will put on 10 stone and self-detonate, but thats not going to happen, explained Fury. When I get the date, Ill go straight back in the gym and start working it off.Ive got a back injury. An old injury flared up when I went over to help Hughie (my cousin) out for his fight (on March 26).I got taken to hospital and ever since then, every time I get punched in the back, it goes into a spasm, like a trapped nerve. Its a painful experience.But, listen, when they announce the date, Ill be ready, back injury or not.Furys decision to opt for a re-match with Klitschko paved the way for Charles Martin to win the vacant IBF title when Ukrainian Vyacheslav Glazkov injured a knee during their bout in January.The American will defend his title against Britains Anthony Joshua, an Olympic gold medallist in 2012, at Londons O2 Arena on Saturday.This week has seen Fury and Joshua exchange insults via Twitter in the build-up to that world title fight.

Badminton: Lee through to semi-finals at Malaysian Open

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KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - Malaysias badminton ace Lee Chong Wei is through to the semi-finals of the Malaysian Open after dispatching Denmarks Viktor Axelsen in a quarterfinal match on Friday.Lee, ranked third in the world, displayed confidence and fine form in the 40-minute game with swift attacks and a sturdy defence to win 21-14, 21-13. He had missed last years edition because of a suspension after testing positive for dexamethasone, a banned anti-inflammatory, at the world championships in Copenhagen in 2014.But in April last year the Badminton World Federation said Lee accidentally had ingested the banned substance and handed him an eight-month backdated ban, which effectively cleared him to resume his career.I controlled the game and was confident from the start. This was my best game to date and I am hoping for strong crowd support ahead of the semi-finals, said Lee, who will square-off against Danish shuttler Jan O Jorgensen, ranked fifth in the world, in the next round on Saturday.Jorgensen will be a tough proposition, especially after his big win. But my record against him is great and I hope to better it when I play him, added Lee, who has repeatedly said he wants to realise his Olympic dreams this year.Jorgensen cruised past a limp Lin Dan in the quarterfinals, wrapping up a 21-17, 21-4 triumph in 32-minutes to send the tattooed Chinese superstar, ranked number three in the world, packing.I feel good after beating one of the favourites. He is one of my idols and I grew up watching him, but he will be ever dangerous when the Olympics comes along, said Jorgensen.In another quarterfinal match, world number one Chen Long defeated compatriot Tian Houwei 21-16, 21-16 and will meet Indonesias Jonatan Christie in the semi-finals.

UK's Cameron slips in polls amid tax saga

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LONDON (AFP) - David Camerons approval rating has slipped, with a tax row taking its toll on the prime minister, according to a poll published Friday.The YouGov poll was taken in the wake of revelations in the Panama Papers that Camerons late father had an offshore fund but before the prime minister admitted to having held shares himself in the company.The new survey showed Camerons approval rating at 34 percent compared to 39 percent in a similar poll in February.The same rating for opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn rose to 30 percent compared to 25 percent.The poll also showed Cameron and finance minister George Osborne to be the least trusted politicians on tax avoidance, with 68 percent of respondents saying they would not trust the British prime minister.Seventy percent said they would not trust Osborne.Cameron admitted Thursday he had held a 30,000 GBP stake in the offshore fund, selling the stake in the Bahamas-based trust in 2010, four months before he became prime minister.Downing Street issued four statements following Sundays publication of the leaked files, which showed how Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca had helped firms and wealthy individuals set up offshore companies.He initially dismissed the story as a private matter before saying he and his wife and children would not benefit from any offshore funds in the future.The prime minister maintains that he paid full income tax on the dividends paid by the fund.Labour MP John Mann said Cameron had no choice but to resign, and is to call for an investigation into whether Cameron broke the MPs code of conduct.Camerons popularity had already slipped as a result of the widening divisions in his Conservative party over the EU referendum.He is leading the campaign for Britain to stay in the European Union in the June 23 referendum.But Londons Tory mayor Boris Johnson, six senior Conservative ministers and an estimated third of the partys 330 MPs are backing a so-called Brexit.

Greece expels second wave of migrants to Turkey under EU deal

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DIKILI (AFP) - Greece deported a second batch of more than two hundred migrants to Turkey on Friday under a controversial EU deal to stem mass migration as Germany announced a sharp drop in asylum claims.Greek officials said two boats carrying 124 migrants -- most of them Pakistani men -- had been sent back across the Aegean Sea where hundreds have lost their lives in a quest to reach Europe.A small group of activists leapt into the water, clutching onto the anchor of the first ferry in an unsuccessful bid to stop the deportation, while a group of protesters chanted EU, shame on you and Freedom for the refugees.After arriving at the Turkish harbour town of Dikili, security officials escorted the downcast migrants, clutching blankets and with small backpacks on their shoulders, off the vessels.A Greek government statement said the migrants included 111 Pakistanis, four Iraqis, as well as citizens of Bangladesh, India, Morocco, Egypt, and a man claiming to be of Palestinian origin.One of the Pakistanis was not accepted by Turkish authorities at Dikili for undisclosed reasons and was returned to Lesbos, the statement said.In a separate operation, another 97 people -- mainly Pakistanis and Bangladeshis -- were returned to Turkey via the land border, Greek police said.The deportations are taking place under a deal between Turkey and the European Union, which is straining under the pressure from the unprecedented flow of migrants into its territory.Turkey has promised to take back all irregular migrants entering Greece since March 20 while Europe has agreed to resettle one Syrian refugee directly from camps in Turkey for each Syrian deported.The deported migrants arriving in Dikili underwent health checks and registration before they are due to be sent by bus to Kirklareli on the Bulgarian border, from where they are expected to be deported back to their home country.Late Thursday, Turkeys parliament approved a deal signed in 2010 allowing for the repatriation of Pakistani migrants, local media reported.The threat of deportation is aimed at discouraging people from making the often deadly crossing in flimsy boats.Off to good startThe transfers began Monday with some 200 migrants returned to Turkey, but then stalled after a last-minute flurry of asylum applications.Human rights watchdogs say the scheme is badly flawed, and have raised concerns that migrants may not have the chance to apply for asylum before being deported.Several European foreign ministers were heading on Friday to Greece and Turkey to discuss the latest developments in the migrant crisis and meet rights groups, Dutch officials said.While concerns remain over the deal, Germany -- Europes top destination for refugees -- said it had got off to a good start.Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere announced that asylum applications had dropped 66 percent in March.In December 2015, it was 120,000 people, in January 90,000, in February 60,000 and in March 20,000, he said.De Maiziere has warned that the shutdown of the Turkey-Greece route may encourage more migrants to attempt the even more dangerous Mediterranean crossing from Libya to Italy.The drop in migrant numbers appears largely due to much-criticised border closures in the Balkans, as well as an increased clampdown by Turkey on people smugglers.Turkish state media said this week that 400 smuggling suspects had been arrested so far in 2016, and more than 65,000 migrants intercepted at sea and on land.Greece, which has borne the brunt of the migrant crisis, plans to evacuate a huge makeshift camp at the port of Piraeus ahead of the busy tourism season.Officials said they would distribute leaflets from Monday in four languages in a bid to convince some 5,000 migrants to leave of their own accord.Nothing for nothingWhile Europe appears to be getting its side of the bargain, Turkey warning that if the EU broke its promises it will not implement the agreement.We have received lots of thanks for our action on the refugees and in the fight against terrorism. But we are not doing this for thanks, said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.Everything should happen in line with what has been promised, what has been set out in the text.Turkey has been promised visa-free travel for its citizens to Europe by June 2016, and the revival of its long-stalled EU accession process.Turkey is also to receive a total of six billion euros ($6.8 billion) in financial aid up to the end of 2018 for the 2.7 million Syrian refugees it is hosting.Rights groups have criticised these concessions as a dirty deal, with the EU accused of turning a blind eye to Erdogans slide into authoritarianism and crackdown on press freedom.

Oil prices jump 6 percent on US stockpile draws, Keystone

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NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices rose more than 6 percent on Friday to end with the biggest weekly gain in a month as drawdowns in U.S. crude stockpiles fed hopes that a punishing global oversupply may be approaching a tipping point after nearly two years.The shutdown of the Keystone crude pipeline to Cushing, Oklahoma supported U.S. crude futures. Oil also drew support after Russia said its crude output fell in April, ahead of a meeting of major oil-producing countries in Doha aimed at freezing output.U.S. gasoline and diesel prices rallied more than 5 percent each. U.S. crude has mostly gained this year from cheap gasoline pump prices and benign driving weather. Ultra low sulfur diesel, also known as heating oil, rebounded this week on forecasts for seasonably cold weather through late April.Brent crude futures settled up $2.51, or 6.4 percent, at $41.94 a barrel, hitting a session high above $42.U.S. crude futures closed up $2.46, or 6.6 percent, to $39.72. Earlier, it rose to nearly $40.For the week, both benchmarks rose about 8 percent, their most since the week ended March 4.We are starting to draw crude inventories in the U.S. said Scott Shelton, energy broker with ICAP in Durham, North Carolina. Run rates are rising and U.S. production is falling.This is very different I think than what was expected. The market perceives that these draws may continue as the Keystone outage will increase the likelihood, Shelton said.U.S. crude stockpiles fell by nearly 5 million barrels last week versus analysts forecasts for a build of 3.2 million barrels.The closure of the Keystone pipeline cut 590,000 barrels per day from the market. The pipeline was scheduled to resume operating on Tuesday.U.S. energy companies cut oil drilling rigs for a third week in a row, adding to improving fundamentals.In Brent, the front-month contract has been trading at its smallest discount to the second-month since January, indicating more upward potential for the European benchmark.Aside from planned oilfield maintenance works in Norway and Britain that are supporting Brent, global crude prices have also been helped by last months disruptions in Nigerian supplies at a venture operated by Royal Dutch Shell.Put Doha on top of it, and your eyes are looking towards the tightening of the market, said Bjarne Schieldrop, chief commodities analyst at SEB Bank in Oslo.

Tough talk fails to stem yen's rise

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NEW YORK (AFP) - Tokyos criticism of the yens surge momentarily pushed it lower, but then the Japanese currency brushed off the jawboning to continued its rise late Friday.Warnings by spokesman Yoshihide Suga that the government will take action if the yen keeps strengthening appeared to have an impact: the currency slipped back to 109 yen per dollar after having threatened to move below 108 on Thursday.Suga said that the yens strong rise in recent weeks, which has threatened to hurt Japanese exports, was one-sided, adding that excess volatility and disorderly movements in exchange rates can have adverse implications.The government is monitoring the foreign exchange market closely. Depending on the situation, we will take necessary action, he said.But hours later the currency reversed course to end the day at 108.10 yen per dollar, the highest level in more than 17 months.The yen did move weaken slightly against the euro, to 123.21 versus 123.17, but with little news to support moves into the dollar or euro, the yens gains did not look under threat.Although the surging yen has raised speculation that the Bank of Japan may soon intervene to weaken its currency, skepticism remains over the efficacy of the central banks attempts to do so, especially in light of its recent easing into negative interest rate territory, which had no lasting impact on restraining yen appreciation, James Chen of Forex.com said in a market analysis.The euro added ground on the dollar as well, pushing almost to the $1.14 level.

Stokes ready for more 'death' duty despite World T20 final hurt

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LONDON (AFP) - England all-rounder Ben Stokes has insisted he is willing to bowl at the death again despite being struck for four sixes in the last over of the World Twenty20 final defeat by the West Indies.With the West Indies needing 19 off the final six balls of last Sundays tournament climax in Kolkata, England were strong favourites for victory.But powerful batsman Carlos Brathwaite made a mockery of the match position by sending four successive Stokes deliveries soaring into the stands, a total of 24 runs, as West Indies won with two balls to spare.It was a chastening experience for Stokes and one which the Durham fast-medium bowler said had left him feeling completely devastated.Nevertheless, asked if he would bowl at the death again in a major match, Stokes told Fridays Daily Telegraph: A hundred percent. Definitely. It is something I work at a lot. Some days they go well. Some days they dont. That was a bad day but I wont be shying away from it.Nor did he hide from the emotions he felt at the end of an extraordinary see-saw match.I thought, Ive just lost the World Cup. I couldnt believe it, he said. I didnt know what to do. It took me so long to get back on my feet. I didnt want to get back up.It was like the whole world had come down on me. There werent any good things going through my mind. It was just complete devastation.Stokes though made it clear he was determined to emerge stronger from a painful experience.Setbacks make you want to be better again, he said. This will be in my mind for quite a long time and I will reflect on it for a long time, the 24-year-old added. It will be a little bit of motivation to make sure this does not ever happen again. So train 10 minutes longer every now and again to get better.Meanwhile Stokes also paid tribute to Brathwaites remarkable ball-striking, insisting he had no regrets about his decision to bowl yorkers despite being way off target with his first ball of the last over, which went down the legside.It was amazing hitting. I just did not execute what I wanted to do, he said.I have wondered if it would have been different if I had gone four slower balls into the deck, but they could have been hit for four sixes and then I would have thought why didnt I go for four yorkers?I know that I can run up and hit my yorkers nine out of 10 times so I am not going to look back and wish I had changed anything.

Khyber Agency: Tribal police appoint first ever female officers

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LANDI KOTAL (AFP) - Pakistan tribal police have for the first time in the countrys history recruited three Christian women to work alongside their Muslim male colleagues.The three were among a group of 15 female Christian applicants for the job, despite the fact that the posts were open to all religions. Officials said no Muslim women applied due to local traditions in the conservative tribal society.Their basic job is to carry out body searches of women passing through the Torkham border crossing, Khalid Khan, a senior official in Pakistans Khyber tribal district told AFP.Khyber is one of Pakistans seven tribal districts situated next to Peshawar and bordering Afghanistan, and thousands of Afghans families pass through the Torkham border crossing between the two countries daily.But they will also help us in house to house raids, Khan said.Security agencies elsewhere in the country have recruited women police, but Khan said the tribal districts were facing a shortage of female applicants.We consider it as a first drop of rain and we are hopeful that more women, both Muslims and Christians will apply, another official in Khyber tribal district told AFP, requesting anonymity.A tribal police force with more than 4,500 personnel assists other security agencies to maintain law and order in Pakistans seven tribal districts.The tribal force are mainly responsible for controlling local crime and drug smuggling while the military and paramilitary are responsible for border control and security.The new recruits will do three months of basic training before being deployed at Torkham.I do not want to be at home like other women, I want to serve my country and help my family, twenty-one-year-old Riffat Abid, one of the successful applicants, told AFP in Landi Kotal border town.Landi Kotal is home to a limited number of Christian families. The men mostly work as sweepers while men and women with basic education also work as nurses at local hospitals.Another successful applicant Mehak Ghaffar, 20, said her husband was getting up to 7,000 rupees ($66) which was insufficient to feed 12 members of the family. This was the happiest day of my life, our family has been facing extreme poverty for generations and I want to get rid of that, Ghaffar told AFP at her small home.At least my kids will not work as sweepers, we, the three women, will be the initial drops of rain for our families, Ghaffar added.The other fortunate candidate Naila Jabbar, 22, said she feels like a man when she leaves her home.I become a man when I leave my home, I am happy that I will support my family, Jabbar said.

Khyber Agency: Tribal police appoint first ever female officers

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LANDI KOTAL (AFP) - Pakistans tribal police have for the first time in the countrys history recruited three Christian women to work alongside their Muslim male colleagues.The three were among a group of 15 female Christian applicants for the job, despite the fact that the posts were open to all religions. Officials said no Muslim women applied.Their basic job is to carry out body searches of women passing through the Torkham border crossing, Khalid Khan, a senior official in Pakistans Khyber tribal district told AFP.Khyber is one of Pakistans seven tribal districts situated next to Peshawar and bordering Afghanistan, and thousands of Afghans families pass through the Torkham border crossing between the two countries daily.But they will also help us in house to house raids, Khan said.Security agencies elsewhere in the country have recruited women police, but Khan said the tribal districts were facing a shortage of female applicants.We consider it as a first drop of rain and we are hopeful that more women, both Muslims and Christians will apply, another official in Khyber tribal district told AFP, requesting anonymity.A tribal police force with more than 4,500 personnel assists other security agencies to maintain law and order in Pakistans seven tribal districts.The tribal force are mainly responsible for controlling local crime and drug smuggling while the military and paramilitary are responsible for border control and security.The new recruits will do three months of basic training before being deployed at Torkham.I do not want to be at home like other women, I want to serve my country and help my family, twenty-one-year-old Riffat Abid, one of the successful applicants, told AFP in Landi Kotal border town.Landi Kotal is home to a limited number of Christian families. The men mostly work as sweepers while men and women with basic education also work as nurses at local hospitals.Another successful applicant Mehak Ghaffar, 20, said her husband was getting up to 7,000 rupees ($66) which was insufficient to feed 12 members of the family.This was the happiest day of my life, our family has been facing extreme poverty for generations and I want to get rid of that, Ghaffar told AFP at her small home.At least my kids will not work as sweepers, we, the three women, will be the initial drops of rain for our families, Ghaffar added.The other fortunate candidate Naila Jabbar, 22, said she feels like a man when she leaves her home.I become a man when I leave my home, I am happy that I will support my family, Jabbar said.Christians make up an estimated 1.6 percent of Pakistans 200 million people and have long faced discrimination in the Muslim-majority country.

Paris attacks suspect Abrini arrested: police source

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BRUSSELS (AFP) - Paris attacks suspect Mohamed Abrini was arrested Friday, a police source said as Belgian authorities announced they had detained several people in connection with the deadly Brussels airport and metro bombings.The police source gave no details of the location or circumstances of Abrinis arrest but VRT television said it took place in the Anderlecht district of the Belgian capital which was home to several other suspects now linked to both the Paris and Brussels attacks.Abrini, 31, a Belgian of Moroccan descent, was caught on film at a motorway service station en route to Paris shortly before the November 13 killings with another suspect, the now detained Salah Abdeslam.Abdeslam, whose brother Brahim blew himself up in Paris, was arrested March 18 in Brussels, not far from his familys home in the Molenbeek district of the capital.Abdeslam -- who his lawyer said also intended to blow himself up but backed out at the last minute -- fled back to Brussels after the Paris attacks, which left 130 dead, finding refuge in the city despite a massive manhunt.He is now awaiting extradition to France.The man in the hatThe developments came just one day afer Belgian prosecutors launched a fresh appeal for help in finding the suspected surviving attacker in last months Brussels airport bombings, releasing a video of the escape route taken by the so-called man in the hat.Police have been searching for this third suspect ever since he was seen on CCTV next to the two suicide bombers at the airport.An accomplice struck a Brussels metro station shortly afterwards, leaving a total of 32 people dead.There was some initial media speculation that the third man was Abrini and police sources told AFP at the time that it was one possibility investigators were considering but nothing appeared to come of it.Separately, the Belgian federal prosecutors office said several arrests were made Friday in connection with the Brussels airport and metro attacks.The federal prosecutor confirms that there have been several arrests in the course of the day in connection with the attacks on the airport and metro, a statement said.For the moment, it is impossible to say more. Later, we will give more information in a statement or at a press conference, it added.The police video released Thursday shows the third man, wearing a dark hat and a light-coloured jacket, fleeing the airports departure hall after the bombs went off at 7:58 am on March 22.He then continued on foot towards central Brussels where surveillance cameras lose track of him at 9:50 am, having discarded his jacket on the way.The man appeared calm and at several points appeared to be on the phone.The federal prosecutor appealed for anyone who might have seen the man to come forward and stressed that investigators were urgently looking for the jacket which might give invaluable information to the investigators.Last week, police asked all residents and business owners in the Brussels region who have external surveillance cameras not to delete any footage from March 15 onwards.Belgium criticisedCritics say Belgium has not done enough to tackle Islamic radicalisation as close links have emerged between the Brussels and Paris killings which were claimed by the Islamic State group.They say Abdeslam must have had some help to have been able to elude the police for four months and then was only finally tracked down in his home base in Molenbeek.Abdeslam says he had no knowledge of the Brussels attacks, according to his lawyer, despite having links to Khalid El Bakraoui, who blew himself up at Maalbeek metro station.He also knew one of the airport bombers, Najim Laachraoui, who drove to Hungary with Abdeslam in September.More links between the suspects have come to light following the arrest near Paris last month of Reda Kriket, who police said was planning an attack of extreme violence based on the arms and explosives found in a flat he used.Two suspects in that case, identified as Abderrahmane A. and Rabah M, were remanded in custody in Belgium on Thursday, prosecutors said.Three other suspects held in connection with the Paris attacks, as well as Abdeslam himself, also had their detentions extended.

Ajit Doval calls Pakistan's NSA, complains on Abdul Basit's statement

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LAHORE (Dunya News) – The Indian government is upset over Pakistan’s High Commissioner Abdul Basit’s earlier statements. Indian National Security Adviser NSA) Ajit Doval contacted his Pakistani counterpart Nasir Khan Janjua Friday. The Indian NSA expressed his dissatisfaction over Basit’s remarks and kept complaining about the matter.According to the Indian media, Doval contacted Pakistan’s NSA late at night. He stated that Pakistan should reject the High Commissioner’s statement.The Indian media has also claimed that the statement may also negatively affect the upcoming expected visit of Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi if Pakistan does not takes a clear stance over the issue.Pakistani High Commissioner Abdul Basit, in a talk with the media, had earlier stated that Pakistan is desirous of peaceful relations with its neighbor but India was not cooperating on any level.Basit added that India is not willing for comprehensive talks with Pakistan, which was why the peace process remained suspended between both countries.The High Commissioner had further stated that the arrest of the Indian RAW agent Kulbhushan Yadav was a confirmation of Pakistan’s stance and suspicions.

Panama Leaks: PTI leaders advise Imran to postpone intraparty elections

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Punjab’s Parliamentary leadership Friday has advised their chairman Imran Khan to postpone the party elections for 3 months, according to sources. The advice came in light of the on-going and hotly debated Panama Leaks debacle.The leadership is advising Khan that he should delay the intraparty elections if he wants to start a campaign against the ‘Sharifs’ or hold any protests regarding the Panama Papers’ revelations.PTI’s Parliamentary leadership has also advised that Khan should hand over an interim leadership to someone in Punjab, so that concerted efforts for a campaign or demonstrations can be made.The leadership warned that difficult time will be faced if the campaigns or demonstrations were held without the leadership.Meanwhile PTI’s chairman has stated that he will announce the decision after discussing it with his party members. It is being said that the decision will be announced in the next 48 hours.On the other hand, PTI’s election commission has already announced the schedule for the intraparty elections.
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