Thursday 5 May 2016

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Karachi: 2 militants involved in attacks on traffic police arrested

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – The law enforcement agencies conducted an operation in Karachi’s District Central on Thursday and arrested two terrorists involved in attacks on traffic police officials, Dunya News reported.The arrested terrorists, Fahim-ul-Haq and Ubaid, belonged to banned Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and have confessed six separate attacks on traffic police officials during interrogation. Four officials were killed and five other were wounded in the attacks.On the other hand, residents in Korangi area of the city caught two dacoits and subjected them to torture and then handed them over to police. Police sources said that both dacoits were wanted in several cases of robberies and other street crimes.Police also carried out an operation in Mahmoodabad area and arrested an extortionist. Arms were also recovered from his possession.

Boxing: Khan hoping to 'do a Leicester' on Alvarez

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LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Amir Khan is taking inspiration from Leicester Citys remarkable Premier League title triumph as he prepares for a daunting battle with World Boxing Council middleweight champion Saul Canelo Alvarez in Las Vegas on Saturday. The 29-year-old Khan will start as a massive underdog when he climbs into the ring to face the hard-hitting Alvarez at the gambling havens sparkling new 20,000-seat T-Mobile Arena. Khan, who normally fights at welterweight, is stepping up by two divisions to face Alvarez, a destructive puncher who has compiled an impressive 46-1 record with 32 knockouts. The world title showdown is billed as a classic contrast of styles, pitting the elusiveness and speed of Khan (31-3, 19 knockouts) against the brute strength of the naturally bigger Alvarez. But in a week when the exploits of 5,000-1 shots Leicester have captivated the sporting world, Khan believes he is able to write another fairytale win. Im seen as the underdog in this fight against Canelo but I feel this is the year of the underdog, Khan said after arriving in Las Vegas this week. What Leicester City achieved is absolutely amazing. You would have been called crazy if you thought that Leicester would win the title at the start of the season -- its such an inspiring story. Im definitely going to use that to help me. Im ready to shock the world and beat Canelo. I know Im ready for this fight and want to get in the ring right now. Yet the bullishness of the challenger cannot mask the fact that even his trainer, the San Francisco-based Virgil Hunter, was sceptical about the wisdom of choosing to fight Alvarez. Initially I didnt like the fight. But I hadnt seen Amir. So when he came to camp I was surprised to see how much he had grown, Hunter said. Middleweights can knock out heavyweights. I dont think the weight will be that much of a factor. I think the weight might be a bit exaggerated in terms of Canelos effectiveness. Khans corner will hope the Britons mesmerizing hand speed will give him the advantage against Alvarez, whose only defeat came against another fighter with similar skills, the now retired Floyd Mayweather, in 2013. The fight could hinge on whether Khan will be able to stick and move for 12 rounds while simultaneously avoiding Alvarezs heaviest body blows. Alvarez is confident he will be able to hunt down an opponent who continues to face questions about his chin after more than a decade as a professional. Im very happy with the work that Ive done -- hes a very fast, elusive, tricky fighter. I know the work Ive done and Im confident I can go in there and break him down, Alvarez said. He will be surprised. Many think its just about my power but when they get in the ring they realise thats not all there is.Alvarezs trainer Chepo Reynoso acknowledged Khans trademark speed. Yes, hes fast -- but Saul also is not a turtle, Reynoso warned.

Tennis: Djokovic, Nadal, Murray cruise into Madrid quarters

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MADRID (AFP) - World number one Novak Djokovic racked up his 30th win of a dominant season with a 6-2, 6-1 destruction of Spains Roberto Bautista Agut to reach the Madrid Masters quarter-finals on Thursday.The resurgent Rafael Nadal and defending champion Andy Murray also remained on course for a semi-final clash as they eased past Sam Querrey and Gilles Simon respectively in straight sets.Djokovic is playing in Madrid for the first time in three years, but hasnt taken long to adjust to the different conditions in the altitude of the Spanish capital as he has reached the quarters for the loss of just nine games.After a long game at 2-2 in the first set, I managed to break his serve. It was a flawless performance after that, everything worked very well, said Djokovic.Today the way I played gives me a lot of satisfaction. Im just hoping I can continue playing this well tomorrow.The Serb will continue his quest for a fifth title of the season against Milos Raonic as the big serving Canadian dumped out seventh seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-4, 6-4.Nadal stretched his perfect start to the European clay-court season to 12 matches as he fought back from going down an early break to beat Querrey 6-4, 6-2.The 14-time Grand Slam champion is in fine form after victories in Monte Carlo and Barcelona and is seeking to break Guillermo Vilas record with a 50th clay-court title in Sundays final.Nadal started slowly as Querrey stormed into a 3-0 lead and had a break point to lead 5-2.However, Nadal turned the match around by winning six straight games to seal the first set and break early in the second.Querrey broke back to level at 2-2, but Nadal pulled away in the final stages to remain on course for a fifth title in Madrid.I had the confidence that if I managed to make the rallies longer, more than three balls, I knew that things could turn around, said Nadal.Luckily thats what happened. I saved that important point when we were at 4-2. Then from 4-2 I managed to break him and from there on things went more or less perfectly.Nadal next meets Portugals Joao Sousa who overcame Jack Sock 6-1, 6-7 (3/7), 6-2.Murray extended his impressive record over Simon to 14-2 with a 6-4, 6-2 win over 16th seed.The two-time Grand Slam champion will face Tomas Berdych in the last eight after the Czech got the better of David Ferrer 7-6 (10/8), 7-5.After the first six or seven games I really started to hit the ball well, said Murray.I served well throughout the match. It was a good performance.Normally against Gilles its always a complicated match because of the way he plays.He always makes it very difficult. There are a lot of long rallies, but because of the conditions, it was a bit faster, I was able to get a lot more free points on my serve.World number six Kei Nishikori continued his fine form on the clay to reach the last eight with a 6-4, 7-5 win over 10th seed Richard Gasquet.Nishikori faces controversial Australian Nick Kyrgios on Friday after he dug deep to battle past Uruguayan clay-court specialist Pablo Cuevas 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 6-3.In the womens Madrid Open, the only remaining seed Simona Halep was victorious in an all-Romanian quarter-final against Irina-Camelia Begu 6-3, 0-6, 6-1. Halep -- a finalist in Madrid in 2014 - will face former US Open champion Sam Stosur after she beat Patricia Maria Tig 6-3, 6-4.American qualifier Louisa Chirico also continued her fairytale run to reach the semi-finals.Chirico, ranked 130 in the world, beat Australian Daria Gavrilova 7-6 (7/1), 6-2 to reach her first ever WTA semi-final where she will face Dominika Cibulkova, who came from a set down to beat the fourth Romanian in the quarters, Sorana Cirstea, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.

Football: Sturridge sends Liverpool into Europa League final

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LIVERPOOL (AFP) - Daniel Sturridge was involved in all three goals as Liverpool impressively beat Villarreal 3-0 at Anfield on Thursday to set up a Europa League final date with holders Sevilla.Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, Liverpool levelled the tie when Bruno Soriano put through his own goal under pressure from Sturridge, who scored the second goal in the 63rd minute before helping to tee up Adam Lallana for a late strike that completed a 3-1 aggregate win.It took Liverpool into their first continental final since the 2006-07 Champions League, preserving Jurgen Klopps hopes of finishing his first season as manager with both a trophy and a place in Europes elite competition next season.Wonderful night, brilliant game from my side. What a performance, Klopp told BT Sport.Everyone spoke a lot about this team before I came here. It was all about quality and not good transfers. I came here because I thought they had a nice squad, but now we are in the final. Basel. A longer seasonVillarreal, for whom centre-back Victor Ruiz was sent off, had been bidding to reach their first ever major final.But they could console themselves with the knowledge that following Sundays 2-0 win at Valencia in La Liga, their place in next seasons Champions League play-offs is already secure.The early goal was a hammer blow, said beaten coach Marcelino. We tried hard after that, but it was tough against an opponent who played with a huge amount of intensity.Sevilla, seeking to win the competition for the third season running, won 3-1 at home to Shakhtar Donetsk for a 5-3 aggregate success.But for all their recent pedigree in the competition, Liverpool will approach the final with significant momentum, having previously seen off both Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund in the competition.Anfield was staging its first game since the new inquests into the 1989 Hillsborough disaster ruled that 96 Liverpool fans were unlawfully killed and a stirring pre-match rendition of Youll Never Walk Alone, the club anthem, helped to electrify the atmosphere.There were early scares for the hosts when Simon Mignolet had to save from Mario Gaspar and Jonathan Dos Santos curled over, but in the seventh minute they levelled the tie.Nathaniel Clynes cross from the right was pushed away by Villarreal goalkeeper Alphonse Areola, but Roberto Firmino turned the ball back across goal and with the sliding Sturridge getting a touch just in front of him, Bruno contrived to bundle the ball into his own net.Shortly after, Lallana scuffed wide from James Milners superb, curved pass down the inside-right channel.Villarreal survived the onslaught, but the noise and early setback appeared to have rattled them and striker Roberto Soldado, formerly of Tottenham Hotspur, was booked after a series of indiscretions.After Philippe Coutinho, the tireless Milner and Sturridge had threatened for Liverpool, and Dos Santos headed over the bar for Villarreal, Klopps men scored their crucial second goal.Firmino miscued his attempt to larrup a left-foot volley towards goal from the edge of the box, but the ball ran to Sturridge, whose shot clipped Areola, struck the base of the right-hand post and rolled in.Having been left on the bench for Liverpools previous three games in the competition, the England striker celebrated with abandon.Ruiz saw red after a pair of bookings and with nine minutes to play it was all over as Firmino did brilliantly to reach the left-hand byline and cut the ball back for Sturridge, whose mishit shot was alertly poked home by Lallana.In Seville, where the tie resumed at 2-2, former Arsenal striker Eduardo gave 2009 champions Shakhtar hope by cancelling out Kevin Gameiros ninth-minute opener for the hosts.But Gameiro struck again early in the second half before a 59th-minute Mariano strike rubber-stamped victory for Unai Emerys side, who will go in search of a third consecutive Europa League trophy in Basel on May 18.

Football: Sevilla down Shakhtar to reach another Europa final

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MADRID (AFP) - Sevilla remained on course for a third consecutive Europa League title as Kevin Gameiro struck twice to down Shakhtar Donetsk 3-1 and progress to a final meeting with Liverpool 5-3 on aggregate on Thursday.The Andalusians have won the competition four times in the last 10 years and can secure their place in next seasons Champions League with victory over Jurgen Klopps men in Basel on May 18.Already holding the cushion of two away goals from the first leg last week, Gameiro gave Sevilla the perfect start when he fired into the far corner after just nine minutes.Former Arsenal striker Eduardo briefly gave the Ukrainians hope when he levelled on the night with a calm finish a minute before half-time.However, Sevilla quickly reasserted their stranglehold on the tie with a fine team goal finished off by Gameiro two minutes into the second-half for his 28th goal of the season.Brazilian right-back Mariano handed Sevilla a two-goal advantage they never looked like relinquishing when he smashed home a stunning third just before the hour mark from outside the box.

Golf: Aussie Leishman to skip Olympics over Zika fears

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SYDNEY (AFP) - Golfer Marc Leishman pulled out of the Rio Olympics on Thursday over fears about the Zika virus and its possible impact on his wife, after fellow Australian Adam Scott also withdrew.Leishman is Australias number three and after Scotts controversial move to skip Rio because of his busy schedule, he was in line to join world number one Jason Day in Brazil.But the threat of mosquito-borne Zika and the possible infection of his wife, Audrey, who almost died of toxic shock syndrome last year, have forced him to give it a miss.It is with deep regret that I have informed Golf Australia that I will be unable to represent my country in the upcoming 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Brazil, the world number 35 said on the Golf Australia website.Many of you may know that last April my children and I almost lost my wife, Audrey, to toxic shock syndrome.Since then Audrey has been prone to infection and is far removed from 100 percent recovery of her immune system.We have consulted with Audreys physician and due to her ongoing recovery from toxic shock and potential risks associated with the transmission of the Zika virus, it was a difficult yet easy decision not to participate.Brazil has been the epicentre of the Zika outbreak, which is blamed for birth defects in babies born to women infected with the virus.Australian Olympic team chef de mission Kitty Chiller said she sympathised with Leishmans situation.We understand that family must always come first and we respect Marcs decision not to play in Rio, Chiller said.Fijis former world number one Vijay Singh also reportedly cited Zika as among his reasons when he said last month that he was opting out of Brazil.Golf will return to the Olympics after a gap of 112 years in Rio but major-winners Scott, Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel have all chosen not to play.In Leishmans absence, Marcus Fraser, ranked 63, is set to join Day when Australias Olympic golf team is finalised on July 11.

Athletics: Coe calls for athletics to be 'more entertaining'

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DOHA (AFP) - Athletics must become a lot more entertaining and follow the lead set by basketball and winter sports to attract younger fans, Sebastian Coe urged on Thursday.The world athletics chief, speaking in Doha 24 hours ahead of the opening Diamond League meeting of the season, said his sport needed to adapt and use new formats and engage with its audience more on social media. We have to make our sport a lot more entertaining and a lot more innovative for younger people, that means the speed with which they watch events, Coe told reporters at a press conference in Doha.Our activity is athletics but our business is entertainment, he added.Coe cited the example of winter sports, which have brought in several new competitions in recent years, including 10 new events at the Sochi Olympics in 2014.These included the Luge relay, womens ski jumping and snowboard parallel slalom.Coe also pointed to the NBA, which has attracted hundreds of millions of fans on social media including Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.If you look at the way a lot of winter sports are presented... crowds are entertained and the way social media is used to bring the competitors into the lives of spectators, I think Nordic sports has definitely done that very well.If you look at the younger audiences which are now watching winter sports at the Olympic Games, thats actually a younger cohort than in the summer games.There are things we can learn from. If you look at the way the NBA, NHL have really pushed the envelope on social media, thats been quite innovative.He added: We have to be on our game on this.The IAAF president also re-affirmed recent claims that changes could be made to speed up the format of the Olympics and World Championships.He also said athletics should consider extending its season, which currently runs from May to September.We are never going to die, we are a strong sport, but I think we can be much better. I dont think we have kept up with other sports in the way we access younger people, said Coe.Fridays meeting in Doha is the opening outdoor event of an Olympics season but comes at a time when athletics is under a cloud and dealing with the latest doping allegations.Despite that, a strong field of some 80 current and former Olympic medallists will be competing in Qatar, including Kenyas Asbel Kiprop, the Netherlands Dafne Schippers and Jamaicas Veronica Campbell-Brown.

Air strikes on Syria displaced camp killing 28 as Aleppo truce holds

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ALEPPO (AFP) - Air strikes killed at least 28 civilians Thursday in a camp for the displaced in northern Syria near the Turkish border as a 48-hour ceasefire took hold in Aleppo.The truce came after fierce violence in and around Aleppo and was made possible as President Bashar al-Assads regime and rebel forces gave in to mounting diplomatic pressure for a pause.But as relieved civilians went out onto the streets after two weeks of heavy fighting in the divided city, a key battleground in Syrias five-year civil war, others were attacked further west.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said air strikes struck the camp for internally displaced people near Sarmada, in Idlib province, which is controlled by Syrias Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front.Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said women and children were among 28 civilians killed while 50 others were wounded.Mamun al-Khatib, director of the Aleppo-based pro-rebel Shahba Press news agency, said regime aircraft fired missiles on the camp in the village of Al-Kammouna.Two missiles fell near the camp causing people to panic and two more fell inside where a dozen tents caught fire, he said.Online images showed emergency workers putting out fires among damaged blue and white tents.EU humanitarian aid commissioner Christos Stylianides denounced the strikes.Shocking bombardment of refugee camp on Syria/Turkey border is unacceptable. My thoughts are with the people who suffered already enough, he tweeted.The February 27 ceasefire brokered by the United States and Syrian ally Russia, calls for and end to fighting between regime forces and rebels nationwide but does not include jihadist held areas.Fierce violence in and around Aleppo that claimed the lives of more than 280 civilians since April 22 sparked an intense diplomatic push by Washington and Moscow to salvage peace efforts.Late Wednesday the Syrian army said it had agreed to calls from Russia and the United States for a two-day truce in Aleppo that would begin from 1:00 am on Thursday.An AFP correspondent in Aleppo said Thursday there had been no signs of fresh air raids since the ceasefire took effect.Residents who had cowered indoors for days emerged and some set up tables and chairs on the streets to enjoy the sunshine, drink tea and smoke cigarettes, the correspondent said.Shopkeepers also reopened their doors while fruit and vegetable markets -- one of which was struck in an April 24 raid that left 12 dead -- were again up and running.The local council dispatched bulldozers to remove rubble in stricken areas where water and electrical supplies were also restored, the AFP correspondent said.After a whirlwind of talks involving diplomats from top world powers and the United Nations, US Secretary of State John Kerry announced the truce had taken effect and that violence had already fallen off.He said US officials in Geneva were coordinating with their Russian colleagues on enhanced monitoring efforts for this renewed cessation.The Russian defence ministry said its ceasefire monitors had agreed with their US counterparts to oversee this truce until midnight on May 6.In Aleppo, the head of the local branch of the powerful Jaish al-Islam (Army of Islam) rebel force, Ahmad Sanada, told AFP the group would respect the truce.The head of Syrias opposition High Negotiations Committee Riad Hijab meanwhile urged the international community to impose robust measures to ensure respect for the ceasefire.Diplomats are hoping a nationwide ceasefire can underpin efforts to resolve Syrias five-year war that has already killed more than 270,000 people and forces millions out of their homes.Mediators hope that UN-backed peace talks could resume later this month in Geneva, although previous rounds have failed to make any major breakthrough with the regime rejecting the oppositions demand that Assad step aside as part of a political transition.On Thursday, a suicide attack and a car bombing in central Homs province killed at least 12 civilians including two women, the Observatory and state television said.The twin bombings came amid recent fighting in the area between Islamic State group fighters and regime troops.IS claimed responsiblity for the attacks, according to SITE Intelligence Group.The area is located near Palmyra where on Thursday Russian maestro Valery Gergiev led Saint Petersburgs celebrated Mariinsky orchestra in front of a crowd of Russian soldiers, government ministers and journalists.Palmyra, a UNESCO world heritage site, was retaken from IS on March 27 with Russian support.The concert was held against the backdrop of Palmyras Roman theatre where IS jihadists staged mass executions less than a year ago.

Kerry to travel to Paris for Syria talks

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - US Secretary of State John Kerry is to travel to Paris next week for talks on the conflicts in Syria and Ukraine, the State Department said Thursday.But a State Department spokesman was unable to say whether Kerry would attend a French meeting on Syria with Arab ministers called for the same day.Kerry will be in Paris on Monday for talks with his French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault, then fly on to Britain the next day.On Monday Ayrault will also meet the Saudi, Qatari, Emirati and Turkish foreign ministers to discuss efforts to restart the Syrian peace process.But US officials are working to arrange a new meeting of the broader International Syria Support Group, which Washington co-chairs with Moscow.And State Department spokesman Mark Toner was unable to say whether Kerry would attend the French meeting -- even though he will be in Paris.We welcome those kind of efforts, Toner insisted, but added: I cant say right now, as I said, whether the secretary himself will be participating. I imagine well have some level of participation. We do believe that the ISSG still plays a primary role.Toner was also unable to say whether Kerry will attend another meeting planned by Ayrault for May 30 to relaunch the Palestinian-Israeli peace process.Were still discussing it, he said. Im sure they will probably discuss it in Paris next week.After Paris, Kerry is due to spend two days in Britain, first at an anti-corruption summit in London and then on May 12 to visit Oxford University.

Yemen foes discuss key issues in direct talks: UN

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KUWAIT CITY (AFP) - Yemen foes discussed major political and security issues Thursday in face-to-face negotiations aimed at bringing an end to 13 months of devastating war, the UN envoy said.As the talks got underway in Kuwait City, the airport in Yemens government-controlled second city of Aden reopened after months of closure due to security issues.Three joint working groups formed by the United Nations exchanged views on resolving the political and security issues, and the release of prisoners and detainees, said UN envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed.The teams were formed from members of the warring delegations on Wednesday when direct talks resumed following a three-day interruption after the government delegation walked out in protest against the seizure of an army camp by the rebels.The talks were entering their third week on Thursday, but there has yet to be a breakthrough with delegations trading accusations of violating the ceasefire that took effect on April 11.We have learned that ceasefire violations were committed in the past two days and this is a disturbing development, Ould Cheikh Ahmed told a news conference.The UN special envoy urged those involved in the negotiators not to allow the ceasefire violations to impact the ongoing peace talks.He said a joint UN-sponsored ceasefire monitoring committee had been asked to investigate clashes on the ground and submit detailed reports.Earlier on Thursday, the head of the Yemeni government delegation, Foreign Minister Abdulmalek al-Mikhlafi, demanded action from UN mediators over rebel shelling of besieged third city Taez.Mikhlafi said his negotiators had submitted proposals to the UN envoy for implementing an April 11 ceasefire in Taez, where loyalist troops have been under rebel siege for months, trapping tens of thousands of civilians.But rebel spokesman Mohammed Abdessalam said it was the government that was responsible for the flare-up in Taez.The forces of aggression are blocking political discussions in Kuwait... by invoking false pretexts alongside a serious escalation, Abdessalam tweeted.Taez lies on one of the fault lines of the conflict that has raged since March last year between the rebels and the government and its allies in a Saudi-led military coalition.Mikhlafi warned that rebel shelling of Taez would have serious consequences on the peace process, unless the international community honours its undertakings to shore up the fragile ceasefire.In Aden, passengers disembarked from a Yemenia plane coming from Jordan on Thursday, marking the first flight in months to reach the countrys second biggest city.The airport has been closed to civilian traffic since early 2015.It was badly damaged during months of fighting between rebels and pro-government forces who finally managed last summer to retake Aden with help from a Saudi-led coalition.Since then Aden has been declared the temporary capital of Yemen.Airport director Tarek Abdo said the reopening of Aden airport was made possible after security improved in the southern port city.There has been mounting international pressure to end the Yemen conflict that has killed more than 6,400 people and displaced 2.8 million since March last year.The hard-won talks opened in Kuwait on April 21 but the first round of face-to-face negotiations was held only on Saturday.

Israeli shelling kills Gaza woman in worst clashes since 2014

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GAZA CITY (AFP) - Israeli tank fire killed a Palestinian woman in her Gaza home on Thursday, the second day of the worst clashes between the army and Hamas fighters since the devastating 2014 war.The confrontation came as a new tunnel was discovered reaching into Israel from the Palestinian enclave.Since the clashes broke out, Hamas and other militant groups have fired bullets and mortar rounds on at least 10 occasions, and the Israeli air force has carried out at least three bombing raids.Israeli tanks stationed on the border have also fired multiple times at what the army said were Hamas targets.Late on Thursday afternoon, tank shelling that followed a mortar attack from the Khan Yunis area in southern Gaza killed Zeina Al-Amour, 54, according to the Nasser hospital that pronounced her death.A 21-year-old was also wounded in artillery shelling in the area.Overnight air raids wounded four people, three of them children, medical and security officials said.The Palestinian attacks were targeting Israeli forces working near the border fence searching for tunnels crossing under the border, like those whose destruction it cited as one of the main achievements of the 2014 conflict.The army announced a new tunnel was found on Thursday, after a first one was discovered in mid-April.The flare-up has raised concerns over the fate of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the Islamist rulers of Gaza, that has held since the 50-day war left more than 2,251 Palestinians and 73 Israelis dead.Hamass armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, accused Israeli forces of encroaching into Gazan territory and said it was ready to respond.Hamas will not allow the continuation of Zionist aggression on the Gaza Strip, it said in a statement.Israeli army spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner said the new tunnel discovered Thursday had been about 30 metres (100 feet) deep.Lerner did not say how far into Israel the tunnel stretched or when it was built, but confirmed the discovery was made by Israeli forces on the Gazan side of the border.The army would continue to act along the disputed border region.We will not be deterred by the Hamas threats, and continue our actions in the wake of the violation of our sovereignty, until the last of the tunnels is found and exposed, Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon said in a statement.Israeli media have reported a major technological advance in Israels ability to detect Hamas tunnels, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month hailing the breakthrough in the ability to locate tunnels.The army has kept the nature of the alleged technology secret and Lerner refused to elaborate.However the Shin Bet security service said Thursday a Hamas tunnel expert was arrested in the weeks before the first discovery.Mahmud Atawnah, 29, from Jabalia area of northern Gaza, was taken into custody at the beginning of April after crossing the border fence into Israel, it said, adding he had provided a lot of information on the Hamas tunnel industry.Gaza has been devastated by three conflicts between Israel and its Hamas rulers and other Palestinian factions since 2008, and reconstruction has been painstakingly slow amid an Israeli blockade on all imports that could have military purposes.Although renewed violence has raised fears of a fresh conflict, sources on both sides downplayed the danger.Israel has no interest in escalation whatsoever, Lerner said.Mustafa al-Sawaaf, former editor at the Hamas-affiliated Palestine newspaper, said the Islamist movement was not looking for a wider conflict.What happened are feelers and will not lead in the near future to a showdown between the resistance and the occupation, he said, saying Hamas was sending a message to Israel to stop its incursions.I think the message has been delivered.On Thursday, Israeli General Yoav Mordechai denied reports a ceasefire had been agreed.The army intends to maintain its activities against Hamas as it continues to breach Israeli sovereignty and build tunnels, he said in a statement.The border region has remained relatively quiet since 2014, despite allegations by the army that Hamas is building new tunnels from the enclave that could reach into Israel.Most of the sporadic rocket fire from Gaza has been attributed to fringe Islamist groups challenging Hamass authority, although Israel holds Hamas responsible for all fire from the territory and routinely responds with attacks on its positions.

Turkey PM to quit as Erdogan tightens grip

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ANKARA (AFP) - Turkeys Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Thursday announced he would step down in two weeks as ruling party chief and premier, in a shock exit set to further boost President Recep Tayyip Erdogans growing powers.Divisions between Davutoglu and Erdogan that had been rumoured for months burst into the open on Wednesday, with the two leaders holding crisis talks at the presidential palace that failed to resolve the conflict.Davutoglu said after a central executive committee meeting of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) that the party would hold an extraordinary congress on May 22 and he would not be standing for a new mandate.This means that the premier -- who headed the government since 2014 when Erdogan moved from the premiership to the presidency -- will step aside from his twin jobs of AKP boss and prime minister and the congress will choose a new leader.According to the conventions of the AKP -- a party co-founded by Erdogan to bring Islam into the mainstream of Turkeys secular politics -- the party chairman and head of government are the same person.I dont think I will be a candidate in the next congress in the current circumstances, Davutoglu said.He added that after consultations with friends, including Erdogan, I have decided that it will be better to change party leader... for the continuation of the AK Partys unity.The development, branded a palace coup by the opposition, rattled financial markets.In an emotional farewell statement, Davutoglu gave a long description of his achievements as premier and insisted he held no regrets.But alluding to a lack of support by some within the AKP, he said he could not be a candidate for the party leadership if there is no consensus.The appointment of a potentially more pliant prime minister would allow Erdogan to further consolidate his powers as he seeks to win backing for controversial constitutional changes to make Turkey a presidential system.Since becoming president after over decade as premier, Erdogan has sought to tighten his grip on the levers of power, leading critics to accuse him of authoritarianism and cracking down on press freedom.What happened is a palace coup. Davutoglu should have resisted, said Kemal Kilicdaroglu, head of the main opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP).Soner Cagaptay, director of the Turkish Research Program at the Washington Institute, said the move was the next stage in a hollowing out of Turkish institutions by Erdogan.It shows how much power has been massed in one persons hands, he told AFP, adding that Erdogan was now exercising more control than anyone in Turkeys modern democratic history.Leading potential successors to Davutoglu include the presidents longtime henchman Transport Minister Binali Yildirim, and the youthful Energy Minister Berat Albayrak, 38, who is married to the presidents eldest daughter Esra.But press reports also pointed to less high-profile figures, such as Deputy Prime Minister Yalcin Akdogan, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag, or AKP deputy chairman Mehmet Ali Sahin.The political tumult unnerved financial markets, with the lira losing almost four percent in value against the dollar on Wednesday.The currency rallied by 1.84 percent Thursday, supported by the prospect of a smooth succession process as Davutoglu stays on to the May 22 congress and his apparent lack of public rancour.The prime ministers office also said Davutoglu would go ahead with a scheduled visit to Bosnia on Friday and Saturday.Still, the shake-up comes at a challenging time for Turkey, with Ankara battling Kurdish militants in the southeast and in Iraq, Islamist jihadists on the Syrian border as well as hosting 2.7 million refugees from the Syria war.Relations between Erdogan and Davutoglu had been seen by analysts as uneasy, but the speed with which their divisions burst into the open took many by surprise. The premier championed a March deal with the EU to stem the flow of refugees across the Aegean Sea -- an accord in which the president has shown little interest despite Turkey on the verge of winning visa-free travel to Europe for its citizens. Davutoglu had said there was no need for haste in Erdogans drive to create a presidential system in Turkey, a pet project of the president that risked diminishing the premiers own powers.A decision last week by the AKP executive committee to remove Davutoglus right to appoint regional party officials was seen by commentators as the most severe blow yet to the premiers authority.But Davutoglu vowed to stay on as an AKP lawmaker and pledged to never voice a single word of criticism of Erdogan, saying their strong relationship would continue until my last breath.In a speech in Istanbul on Thursday, Erdogan made no mention of the premiers resignation.

Airlift for thousands trapped by Canada wildfires

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LAC LA BICHE (AFP) - Canada prepared Thursday to airlift to safety up to 25,000 people who were forced from their homes by raging forest fires in Albertas oil sands region, and now risk getting trapped north of Fort McMurray.The oil city of 100,000 people has been ordered evacuated after firefighters backed by air tankers and helicopters failed to prevent the monster blaze from engulfing entire neighborhoods.Authorities are now concerned that evacuees who found refuge north of the city could become trapped if shifting winds send the flames spreading towards them.Right now we are working with industry to do as much air evacuation as possible, said Alberta Premier Rachel Notley.And we are doing everything we can to open the highways so we can get fuel up there and then get those folks moving south as quickly as we can.Carried out with government and petroleum industry aircraft, an airlift will begin Thursday for a first 8,000 people, said Scott Long, executive director of operations of the Alberta emergency agency.The government has declared a state of emergency in Alberta, a province the size of France that is home to one of the worlds most prodigious oil industries.More than 1,100 firefighters are currently battling 49 separate blazes across the province -- seven of them totally out of control.The fire has engulfed 85,000 hectares (210,000 acres) of forest including 12,000 in the area surrounding Fort McMurray, now the epicenter of the inferno, where 2,000 homes have been destroyed.Television footage from the center of the disaster zone showed trees ablaze on the edge of highways crowded with bumper-to-bumper traffic trying to leave as billowing black smoke darkened the sky. Bright orange embers whizzed through the air and floated down onto cars. The footage weve seen, the cars racing down highways while fire rages on all sides, is nothing short of terrifying, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told lawmakers in Ottawa.The Alberta government has sent a tanker under guard to help rescue vehicles stranded south of Fort McMurray, with three mobile fuel stations set up along a 200 kilometer stretch of road.Trudeaus government has pledged to match one dollar for each dollar donated by the public to the Red Cross, which is providing aid to those in need.Thousands of evacuees thronged the tiny hamlet of Lac La Biche, about 300 kilometers south of Fort McMurray, after making a chaotic escape.Theres no guide on how to get out of a forest fire, evacuee Alan Javierto told AFP, recounting a hurried, frightening evacuation as homes and businesses were reduced to cinders.The flight from Fort McMurray began in earnest shortly before midnight Tuesday after a mandatory evacuation order.Late Wednesday fires forced the evacuation of Saprae Creek, a neighborhood east of the citys airport where even firefighters were forced to pull out.As strong northwesterly winds whipped up the flames, three more communities to the south were evacuated, including Anzac, with police going door-to-door to make sure no residents were left behind.Oil companies crucial to the region such as Suncor, Syncrude and Shell have pulled out non-essential employees, and set up emergency shelters in their huge bungalow worker communities.All three major firms have slashed their output -- with Suncor shutting down its main production site north of Fort McMurray, and Shell Canada stopping production at its Albian site, with an output of 255,000 barrels per day. Alberta has been left bone-dry after a period of unusually scant rainfall and unseasonably high temperatures.One lawmaker, Rona Ambrose, who represents the affected region, wept as she vowed in parliament that it would recover from the disaster.Fort McMurray is a place where Canadians have come from all across this country. Its a tough day for Albertans but we will persevere she said through tears. One particularly hard hit area was the Beacon Hill neighborhood some five kilometers from downtown Fort McMurray, where 70 percent of homes were in ruins. Even harder hit was the Waterways neighborhood, where nine in 10 homes have been reduced to charred remains. Television footage showed the smoldering remains of a large motor home park, and the blackened carcasses of cars consumed by the flames. Public Security Minister Ralph Goodale, called the fire terrifying.This kind of disaster will not be solved in a day or two, a week or two, or a month or two. Were all going to have to be here for the long haul.

Panama Leaks: PM Office receives Opposition's letter along with TORs

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Prime Minister (PM) Office Thursday received Opposition’s letter along with its proposed Terms of References (TORs) regarding the commission that will be investigating the Panama Leaks issue.Leader of the Opposition Khurshid Shah had earlier written sent a single page letter to PM Nawaz Sharif. The Opposition’s TORs were also attached with letter.The PM Office verified that it has received the letter along with TORs. Sources of PM Office have stated that the PM will conduct further action after the Law Ministry offers its opinion on it.Meanwhile talking to the media in the Federal Capital Shah discussed about the Panama leaks issue and the Opposition’s stance over PM Nawaz Sharif’s resignation. Shah added that the government has not approached the Opposition to discuss the issue.The Opposition leader further stated that the Opposition has not demanded PM’s resignation but given him an opportunity to present himself before the Parliament and explain himself. He said that even PM’s family has confessed to evading taxes. He demanded holding every one accountable who either evaded taxes or got them written off.He said that it was not the Opposition that has accused the PM of corruption but the foreign media. He added that initiating process of accountability with the PM and his family was asked by the Opposition because he was the ruler of the country.

London looks set to elect first Muslim mayor

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LONDON (Dunya News/AFP) - London was on track to become the first EU capital with a Muslim mayor as voters went to the polls Thursday after a bitter campaign between Prime Minister David Camerons Conservatives and the opposition Labour party.Labour lawmaker Sadiq Khan, a former government minister and son of a bus driver from Pakistan, is tipped to beat Conservative multimillionaire environmentalist Zac Goldsmith in the race to run the British capital. Khan is ahead of Goldsmith according to survey polls while the results will be announced in the evening today. Voting was to continue until 10:00 pm (21:00 GMT). Khan voted in his multi-ethnic constituency of Tooting in south London, and Goldsmith in his leafy, affluent southwestern suburb of Richmond.The campaign to replace Conservative Boris Johnson in City Hall has been ugly, with Khan forced to deny support for Islamic extremists and Goldsmith rejecting claims of playing on voters religious prejudices.But many Londoners are more concerned about issues such as a housing crisis and burdened transport system.On the big issues everyone seems to be saying the same things, everyone wants more transport and affordable homes, said Thomas Bramall, 27, a trainee solicitor. For me the candidates dont seem particularly distinguishable.Muslim or non-Muslim, it doesnt... matter for the community, said 57-year-old Koyruz Zoman, a Muslim cook from Whitechapel in the ethnically diverse East End.Whoever comes in, we want what theyve promised.Khan v GoldsmithThe vote was taking place on the same day as regional polls in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which are expected to leave the balance of power in those regional devolved administrations broadly unchanged.The elections are a key test for Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, the veteran socialist elected in September.The party has been convulsed by a row over anti-Semitism that has resulted in the suspension of a Labour MP, a former Labour London mayor and several activists.A poor showing in the polls, which include 124 local authorities across England, would embolden Corbyns critics on the moderate wing of the party.Cameron will also be hoping for a good result, however, as he grapples with deep splits in his party ahead of the June 23 referendum on Britains membership in the EU.Twelve candidates are standing for mayor of London but polls point to a straight fight between Khan and Goldsmith, with the former between 12 and 14 points ahead.However, experts caution that turnout will be key.Both men come from different backgrounds. Khan, 45, grew up in social housing and worked as a human rights lawyer before entering politics, while Goldsmith, 41, is the son of the late tycoon financier James Goldsmith.Khan has dismissed attempts to link him with Islamic extremists as desperate stuff, but Cameron repeated the claims in angry clashes with Corbyn in parliament on Wednesday.Cameron said Khan had shown a pattern of behaviour in appearing publicly alongside people like Sajeel Shahid, the man who trained the ringleader of the 7/7 attacks (in London).Scottish nationalismIts been the nastiest campaign, said Leeanne Collaco, a 28-year-old human resources manager from Whitechapel.She said religion was not as important as Khans modest background, saying: His family have known struggles. He probably would fight harder for a fairer London.Londons Evening Standard newspaper endorsed Goldsmith on Wednesday, as he spent the last day of campaigning on a 24-hour tour of the city.Of the two strong candidates, he has more compelling ideas on tackling pollution and congestion, the paper said.In the Scottish Parliament, First Minister Nicola Sturgeons pro-independence party is looking to tighten its hold on power as it seeks to build support for a second vote on leaving the UK following a failed referendum on the issue in 2014.If Britain as a whole votes to leave the European Union but Scotland votes to stay in, Sturgeon says that would be a pretext for her Scottish National Party to demand another independence referendum.In Wales, polls put Labour on course to retain their dominance in the Welsh Assembly, with the Conservatives and nationalists Plaid Cymru vying for second place.In Northern Ireland, the delicate balance in the power-sharing executive set up after decades of sectarian violence also looks set to continue.
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