Friday, 24 June 2016

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

PTI files reference in ECP to have Nawaz Sharif declared ineligible

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Dr Yasmeen Rashid has filed a reference in the Election Commission of Pakistan challenging eligibility of the Prime Minister, reported Friday.The opposition party has based its argument on the ground that Nawaz Sharif concealed his assets and thus has lost the moral authority to lead the nation.The reference states that nomination papers of the premier did not have declaration of his wealth which was revealed by Panama Papers as it published documents leaked from a law firm, Mossack Fonseca.The party has urged the commission to declare the Prime Minister ineligible in light of Article 62, 63 and different sections of People’s Representation Act.Election Commission of Pakistan’s Additional Secretary, Fida Muhammad has forwarded PTI’s case to the legal department for proceedings.PTI’s spokesperson, Naeemul Haq, while talking to the media outside the commission said that case against PM’s eligibility was very strong and the nation is living a very sensitive phase at this point in time.Which is why, he said that the courts especially the Supreme Court should conclude hearings of cases pertaining to electoral rigging within as less time as possible.Earlier in March International Consortium of Journalists studied a pile of documents that were leaked from the database of a Panama-based law firm by an anonymous source.Panama Papers published the documents naming all the influential names in the world who own offshore companies. The paper did not allege any single one of them of evading taxes or establishing shell companies for illegal purposes.However, it is a general perception that offshore companies are set up to evade foreign taxes on properties and assets abroad.PTI among other opposition parties demanded the Prime Minister to resign for concealing assets and stashing wealth abroad.It should be mentioned here that the Prime Minister does not own any company but his daughter and two sons were named in the paper.

Britain votes to leave EU, PM Cameron resigns

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LONDON (AFP) - Britain voted to break away from the European Union Friday, toppling Prime Minister David Cameron and dealing a thunderous blow to the 60-year-old bloc that sent world markets plunging.Cameron announced he would step down to make way for a new leader by early October after voters opted to exit the 28-nation alliance in defiance of his predictions of economic disaster and isolation.Britons decided 52 percent to 48 percent in favour of quitting the bloc, a margin of more than one million votes, according to final results from Thursday’s referendum.The British people have voted to leave the European Union and their will must be respected, Cameron said, as the shockwave of their decision sent sterling, global stocks and oil prices plummeting.The Conservative prime minister promised to try to steady the ship over the next few months but said a new leader should be installed by early October.I do not think it would be right for me to try to be the captain that steers our country to its next destination, he said outside his official Downing Street residence in London.The bookmakers’ favourite to replace him is former London mayor Boris Johnson, a rival from within his ruling Conservative Party who was the Leave camp figurehead.‘Independence day’Britain will be the first country to leave in the history of the EU, the culmination of decades of suspicion over European aims of creating an ever-closer political union.The vote also threatens the unity of the United Kingdom, with Scotland unwilling to follow the rest of the country out of the EU.Let June 23 go down in our history as our independence day, said top anti-EU campaigner Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party, who had promised Britons the chance to retake power from Brussels and rein in high immigration.We’ve done it We’ve won anti-EU campaigners shouted at the festivities in an office block in Westminster, popping open champagne bottles as Leave victories flowed in. Out Out Out, they chanted as dawn broke.‘Madhouse’The result saw sterling collapse 10 percent to touch a 31-year low of $1.3229. European stock markets dropped around eight percent at the opening bell, while British banking shares collapsed by some 30 percent.The Bank of England promised to take all necessary steps to secure market stability.It’s a madhouse in here. It has been a bloodbath. Carnage, said David Papier, head of sales trading at foreign exchange house ETX Capital in London.Voters appeared to have to shrugged off warnings that a Brexit would create a budget hole requiring spending cuts and tax increases once they lose unfettered trade access to the EU.Their decision will reawaken fears of a domino-effect ripple of exit votes in EU-sceptic members that could imperil the integrity of the bloc, already struggling with twin economic and refugee crises.Dutch far-right MP Geert Wilders and French National Front leader Marine Le Pen immediately called for referendums on EU membership in their own countries.The eurosceptic genie is out of the bottle and it will now not be put back, Farage said.The referendum means the world’s fifth-largest economy must now go it alone in the global economy, launching lengthy exit negotiations with the bloc and brokering new deals with all the countries it now trades with under the EU’s umbrella.‘Sad day’European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker has warned the EU will not be bending over backwards to help Britain in those negotiations. Analysts say it could take the island nation a decade to secure new trade accords worldwide.It looks like a sad day for Europe and the United Kingdom, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on Twitter.In a worst-case scenario, the International Monetary Fund has warned that the British economy could sink into recession next year and overall economic output would be 5.6 percent lower than otherwise forecast by 2019, with unemployment rising back above six percent.Thousands of jobs in the City could be transferred to Frankfurt or Paris, top companies have warned. The Brexit camp argued that the business world will adapt quickly, however, with Britain’s flexible and dynamic economy buoyed by new economic partners and selective immigration.Split in twoThe often vitrolic campaign has left Britain riven in two, marked by the brutal murder of pro-Remain British lawmaker Jo Cox, a mother of two who was stabbed, shot and left bleeding to death on the pavement a week ahead of the vote.Two years after Scotland voted in a referendum to remain in the United Kingdom, its political leader First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said a new independence vote is definitely on the table after Britain voted against the majority will expressed by Scots.Scotland sees its future as part of the EU, Sturgeon told television news after the vote.Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom, is now faced with the prospect of customs barriers for trade with EU-member the Republic of Ireland. Irish republicans Sinn Fein called for a vote on Irish unity following the referendum.Leaders of the European Union, a bloc born out of a determination to forge lasting peace after two world wars, will open a two-day summit on Tuesday to grapple with the British decision.Immigration and an erosion of economic security have become rallying cries for populist challenges that remain scattered across in Europe, just as they have for Donald Trump’s campaign in the US presidential election.WATCH VIDEO BELOW:

Three persons killed, 18 injured in blast near Quetta's Almo Chowk

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QUETTA (Web Desk) – At least three persons were killed and more than twenty others including two women sustained injuries in a blast on Airport Road near Almo Chowk in Quetta today (Friday), Dunya News reported.The injured have been shifted to Bolan Medical Complex (BMC) and civil hospital.According to police, explosives were planted in a bicycle parked on the roadside.Several nearby vehicles and shops were also damaged in the incident. Security officials have cordoned off the blast site.There was no immediate claim of responsibility but Balochistan province, of which Quetta is the capital, is home to a separatist insurgency that has been raging since 2004.The province borders Iran and Afghanistan and has been the target of Taliban and sectarian attacks.WATCH VIDEO:

Peshawar residents protest against prolonged power outages

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PESHAWAR (Dunya News) – Peshawar residents took to streets on Friday to protest against the prolonged hours of loadshedding.People living in Basheerabad, Mulkabad and adjoining areas siege Wapda House located on Shami Road and hurked stones on the gate due to which the CCTV camera broke away.Enraged protesters raised severe slogans against Wapda authorities.The residents said that their areas are undergoing loadshedding of 18-20 hours causing severe problems for them in Ramazan.However; the protesters dispersed peacefully after Wapda authorities assured them of minimizing loadshedding hours.

British PM David Cameron resigns

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LONDON (AFP) - Prime Minister David Cameron announced Friday he will resign after Britons voted to leave the European Union despite his campaign to keep it in the bloc.Cameron promised to try to steady the ship over the next months and did not give a precise timetable for his departure but said a new leader should be installed by early October.I do not think it would be right for me to try to be the captain that steers our country to its next destination, the British leader said outside his Downing Street residence in London.He said his successor should trigger the formal process for Britain to leave the European Union.I think its right that this new prime minister takes the decision about when to trigger Article 50, Cameron said.I would also reassure Brits living in European countries and European citizens living here that there will be no immediate changes in your circumstances, he said.Flanked by his wife Samantha, Cameron said he had fought to retain Britains membership of the EU head, heart and soul -- I held nothing back.But he added: The British people have made a very clear decision to take a different path and as such, I think the country requires fresh leadership to take it in this direction.Britons decided by 52 percent to 48 percent in favour of quitting the EU, a margin of more than one million votes, final results showed.

Kidnapped brother of HDP leader could not be recovered yet

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HAZARA (Dunya News) – Brother of Hazara Democratic Party’s leader Abdul Khaliq Hazara could not be recovered so far.According to details, Abdul Ali Hazara alongwith his two employees were kidnapped a day before from his office in Regal Plaza by unknown armed men.However; the employees were released in Dasht area whereas Abdul Ali has not yet been rescued.Efforts are underway by the police to recover the kidnapped.Provincial Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti, Commissioner Qambar Dasti and Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Quetta Chaudhry Manzoor Sarwar reached Abdul Khaliq Hazara’s residence and ensured him of quick recovery of his brother while using all resources.Various political parties have also strongly condemned the incident.This is the second kidnapping incident in June.Before this, Asad Tareen, the son of the Balochistan local bodies’ minister Sardar Mustafa Khan Tareen went missing on May 20 and has not been recovered yet.

Ayyan Ali challenges re-inclusion of name in ECL for third time in SHC

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – Super model Ayyan Ali fileD a petition in Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday over re-including her name in Exit Control List (ECL) for the third time.The plea submitted in SHC adopted stance that despite the decisions of Sindh High Court (SHC) and Supreme Court (SC) the name has been placed in ECL for the third time.The petitioner asked the court to labeled the step as illegal.Furthermore, the plea also requested that hearing on Ayyan ‘s contempt of court plea should be conducted on Tuesday.Earlier, Ayyan Ali was restricted by the immigration officials from proceeding with boarding on the plane at Karachi airport and was not allowed to leave the country after her boarding pass was cancelled by the authorities.Immigration officials stated that they cannot allow the model to leave the country until they get permission from Islamabad.

China rejects bending rule for India to join NSG

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(Reuters) - China maintains its opposition to India joining a group of nations seeking to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons by controlling access to sensitive technology, said the head of the arms control department in China‘s Foreign Ministry.The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) met this week in Seoul, but China said it would not bend the rules and allow India membership as it had not signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the main global arms control pact.Applicant countries must be signatories of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of nuclear weapons (NPT), Wang Qun, the head of arms control department in China‘s Foreign Ministry, was quoted as saying in Seoul on Thursday night.This is a pillar, not something that China set. It is universally recognized by the international community, Wang said according to a statement released by the Chinese foreign ministry on Friday.China is leading opposition to a push by the United States to bring India into the NSG which aims to prevent nuclear weapons proliferation by stopping the sale of items that can be used to make nuclear arms.The issue of India‘s membership was not formally discussed at the NSG meeting this week, Wang said on Friday.The United States, which has a nuclear cooperation deal with India, considers it a nuclear power that plays by the rules and is not a proliferator, and wants to bring Asia‘s third largest economy into the 48-member group.India already enjoys most of the benefits of membership under a 2008 exemption to NSG rules granted to support its nuclear cooperation deal with Washington.On Friday, on the sidelines of the plenary meeting of the NSG, Wang stressed China considered it important to handle new memberships under a consensus and that there was no move yet to allow a non-NPT state to join.International rules will have to be respected, big or small, Wang told Reuters. Big like NPT. Small like the rules and procedures of this group.The important question of which we are concerned, is how to deal with the question of participation of countries within the group of non-NPT states. It‘s a formidable task.Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue on Thursday at a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at a regional summit in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, but there was no breakthrough.One diplomat at the NSG plenary in Seoul said the group’s outgoing chairman, Argentinian diplomat Rafael Grossi, would act as a “facilitator” to continue to search for an accession deal.Opponents argue that granting India membership would further undermine efforts to prevent proliferation. It would also infuriate Indias rival Pakistan, an ally of China‘s, which has responded to India‘s membership bid with one of its own.

Oil plunges as Britain votes to leave European Union

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SINGAPORE (AFP) - World oil prices plunged more than 6.0 percent in Asia Friday after Britain voted to bolt out of the European Union, sending markets into a tailspin and fuelling fears of another global rout.Crude tumbled sharply as results showed those wanting to exit the bloc were likely to win, fanning worries about the impact on demand as investors fled for safe investments.At one point US benchmark West Texas Intermediate fell 6.21 percent to $47.00 and Brent was down 6.17 percent at $47.77.They pared the losses later in the day and at around 0630 GMT, Brent dropped $2.14, or 4.20 percent, to $48.77 and WTI was down $2.18, or 4.35 percent, at $47.93.The news sent Asian stock markets collapsing, with Tokyo down almost eight percent, Hong Kong losing more than four percent, and Seoul and Sydney more than three percent down each. Futures trading also suggested London would lose seven percent and Frankfurt six percent.Now is the time of the extreme volatility... a vote for Brexit, could bring a big tail risk to the market, said CMC Markets analyst Margaret Yang.That is exactly why banks and brokerage firms have been on the alert, anticipating the risks and impacts that Brexit could bring to the market, she added.The Brexit vote has clearly weakened the near-term outlook for the UK and global economies, research house Capital Economics said.However, it added that we still think that it will ultimately prove to be less damaging than many estimates have suggested.Bernard Aw, an analyst with IG Markets in Singapore, said part of the reason for the plunge in oil prices was the strengthening of the dollar against the pound and higher-yielding currencies, which makes crude more expensive for holders of other units.The pound fell to its lowest level against the dollar since 1985, while Australias dollar was down 3.4 percent at one point, South Koreas won dived 2.4 percent and the Indonesian rupiah shed 1.1 percent.Malaysias ringgit was down 2.5 percent, one of its worst days since 1998.Theres a possibility that oil may fall more after the full results are out since weve already seen quite a plunge in the pound, Aw told AFP.

Shocked EU vows unity after Brexit vote

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BRUSSELS (AFP) -A stunned European Union vowed to remain united on Friday despite Britain voting to leave, as fears grew that a chain reaction of further referendums could tear the bloc apart.As Brussels, Paris and Berlin woke up to the grim news, leaders warned of a difficult divorce in a sign that Britain will win few concessions in negotiating life outside the circle of the other 27 members of the bloc.Today on behalf of the 27 leaders, I can say that we are determined to keep our unity as 27, EU President Donald Tusk told reporters in Brussels in the first official reaction to the vote.With global markets in turmoil, Tusk -- who had earlier warned that a Leave vote could end Western political civilisation -- said it was a historic moment but for sure not a moment for hysterical reactions.Although the EU had recently gone through the most difficult years in its 60-year history, it was worth remembering that what does not kill you makes you stronger, he said.But the biggest fear in capitals across the continent was of contagion, with immediate calls by far-right leaders in France and the Netherlands for their countries to hold their own votes on EU membership.French far-right leader Marine Le Pen said the British result was a victory for freedom and there should be referendums across Europe, while Dutch anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders said the Dutch people deserve a referendum as well.European Parliament President Martin Schulz said he was speaking to Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel to avoid a chain reaction of eurosceptic success across Europe.The chain reaction that the eurosceptics are celebrating everywhere will absolutely not happen, he told Germany’s ZDF television.‘Sad day’Stunned European nations said they were saddened by the news, as they struggled to work out what lies ahead, with meetings planned in several capitals ahead of an EU summit on Tuesday.EU heavyweight Germany said the news was truly sobering.It looks like a sad day for Europe the UnitedKingdom, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier wrote on Twitter.Sad for the United Kingdom. Europe carries on but it must react and win back the trust of its people. It is urgent, agreed his French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault, also writing on Twitter.French President Francois Hollande was expected to react to the news after a ministerial meeting on Friday morning.Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel admitted it was a blow to the European project.He called for a special meeting of EU leaders in July to reaffirm our commitment... We have to define our priorities and set out a new future for Europe.I respect but regret the outcome Brexit. Lux continues to work for a strong EU, Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel tweeted, while Lithuania’s President Dalia Grybauskaite wrote: Brexit: respect, regret, re-engage.But there were signs that Britain would find negotiating a new relationship with the EU difficult.The head of the main centre-right group in the European Parliament, Manfred Weber, warned that Britain should not expect an easy ride.Exit negotiations should be concluded within 2 years at max. There cannot be any special treatment. Leave means leave.

Obama expected to speak to Cameron after Brexit vote

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - US President Barack Obama is expected to speak to British Prime Minister David Cameron on Friday following Britain’s vote to leave the European Union, the White House said.The President has been briefed on the incoming returns in the UK referendum, and he will continue to be updated by his team as the situation warrants, the White House said in a statement.We expect the President will have an opportunity to speak to Prime Minister Cameron over the course of the next day, and we will release further comment as soon as appropriate, it added.The results of Britain’s Thursday referendum have struck a thunderous blow against the EU and spread panic through world markets Friday as the British pound collapsed to a 31-year low.Obama is in San Francisco, where he is set to meet with tech industry leaders on Friday.

Fire Brigade struggles to put out Karachi garment factory fire

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – Garment factory located in SITE area has caught fire which is being tried to tackle with by over a dozen Fire Brigade vehicles for three hours, reported Friday.After a sudden fire erupted in the factory, three vehicles of the fire extinguishing department reached the site after learning about the news however, gauging the requirement of the scene, another two were called by the rescuers.Despite the efforts, fire was not put out but it intensified as nylon and other kinds of cloths were in the storage.The authorities declared it a third degree fire and department’s vehicles were called from across the city. The extinguishers are struggling on site as there is a gas pipeline laid near the burning factory.

Australia's ties to Britain to stay 'intimate' after Brexit

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SYDNEY (AFP) - Australia’s relationship with Britain will stay very strong and intimate, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said Friday, adding he was confident negotiations over a free-trade deal with the EU would not be jeopardised by the Brexit vote.Australian financial markets joined global exchanges in a sea of red as Britons voted to exit the bloc, with the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 down almost four percent during the day’s trade.I have no doubt... that our very strong and intimate relations with the United Kingdom will be entirely unaffected, Turnbull told reporters in Devonport in the southern island of Tasmania.And our very strong relations with Europe, with continental Europe, which are leading towards negotiations to a free-trade agreement, will also continue.We have enhanced our relations with the major continental European economies in recent years, in particular, of course, Germany and France.The multi-millionaire former banker said there would be a period of uncertainty and some instability in global markets but stressed there is no cause for Australians to be alarmed by these developments.Turnbull added that the impact on Australian trade deals in the short-term were likely to be very limited as it would take some years for Britain to negotiate its exit from the EU.We have to recognise that the global recovery is, in some parts of the world, fragile. So this uncertainty plays into that environment, he said.

Myanmar Buddhists ransack mosque as religious violence flares

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BAGO, Myanmar (AFP) - Scores of Buddhists ransacked a mosque in central Myanmar forcing Muslims to seek refuge overnight in a police station after a dispute between neighbours spilled into religious violence, officials and residents said Friday.Bouts of anti-Muslim violence have left scores dead across the country since 2012 and the febrile atmosphere poses serious challenges for Aung San Suu Kyi’s new government.The violence erupted on Thursday afternoon as a mob of around 200 Buddhists rampaged through a Muslim area of Thuye Tha Mein village in Bago province following an argument between neighbours over the building of a Muslim school.It started when a Muslim man and a Buddhist women started to argue and then people came to fight him, Hla Tint, the village administrator, told AFP.Parts of the mosque were destroyed... they also destroyed the fence of the Muslim cemetery, he added.Around 70 Muslims, including children, sought shelter in a police station overnight on Thursday, he said, adding there were no serious injuries and peace had been restored.Police and the secretary of the mosque confirmed the damage, while a Muslim resident told AFP his community of around 150 people is now living in fear.We had to hide as some people were threatening to kill Muslims. The situation has never been like this before, Tin Shwe OO, 29, told AFP, adding his family stayed at the small police station overnight.I do not dare to stay at my house. For the safety of my family, I want to stay somewhere else for about a week or so.Outbreaks of deadly violence have roiled the country threatening to unpick democratic gains since the army began loosening its stranglehold on the country in 2011.The worst violence struck central Myanmar and western Rakhine State which is home to the stateless Rohingya Muslim minority, tens of thousands of whom still languish in displacement camps after rioting.Buddhist nationalists vigorously oppose moves to recognise the Rohingya as an official minority group, instead labelling them Bengali -- shorthand for illegal migrants from the border with Bangladesh.Democracy champion Suu Kyi, who is currently visiting Thailand, has come under fire for failing to speak up for the Rohingya -- although she recently caused surprise by using the incendiary term during a visit to Myanmar by America’s top diplomat.Religious tensions pose a unique challenge to the new government and to Suu Kyi, a Nobel laureate once garlanded for her fight for rights for all.Her party is dominated by ethnic Bamar Buddhists and did not field any Muslim MPs in the election last year that drove it to power.Hardline monks -- known as the Ma Ba Tha -- are accused of stoking violence and tensions with hate speech.

India imports cotton from Pakistan as domestic prices climb

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MUMBAI (Reuters) India, the worlds biggest cotton producer, has contracted to import 20,000 bales from Pakistan for shipment this month after Indian prices jumped because of limited supply, industry officials told Reuters.The move is a role reversal from earlier this year, when Pakistan was buying cotton from India after its output had been hit by bad weather.Around 20,000 bales have been imported from Pakistan. Landed cost of imported cotton is lower than local prices, Dhiren Sheth, president of the Cotton Association of India (CAI), told Reuters.Indian cotton prices have risen by 28 percent since the start of 2015/16 season on Oct. 1 to 40,800 rupees per 356 kg candy (77.4 cents per lb) as two years of drought took its toll on output.Pakistani supplies are available at about 70 cents per lb on a free-on-board basis, said one Mumbai-based dealer with a global trading firm.Supplies are dwindling in both countries. The sharp rally in Indian prices is making imports viable from Pakistan, but it has limited quantity for exports, the dealer said.India has so far imported about 1.2 million bales in 2015/16 and needs another 400,000 bales before the new crop starts arriving from the end of September, Sheth said.The country has exported about 6.5 million bales of cotton this season, with Pakistan accounting for nearly 2 million bales.Indian buying has been pushing up prices in Pakistan, said Shahzad Ali Khan, chairman of Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association.The All Pakistan Textile Mills Association has urged the Pakistan government to restrict cotton exports to India in an attempt to provide raw material for domestic textiles production.Indian industry officials, including Sheth of the CAI, said that Pakistan should not restrict exports since it imported cotton when it was in need.
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Thursday, 23 June 2016

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Woman files petition in SHC, claims Sabri's killer's sketch resembles her lost son

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KARACHI (Dunya News) - Amjad Sabri a renowned qawwal got killed by unknown gunmen while police on Thursday have released killer’s sketch after which the story has taken a whole new turn, reported Dunya News.Hameeda Begum, resident of Clifton filed a petition in Sindh High Court (SHC) which stated that the sketch released by the police resembled his son who had been reported lost since 2014.Hameeda claimed that she had reported case of his missing son in Clifton police station. She also feared that police might accuse his son of involvement in terrorist activities.

Govt should bear Amjad Sabri's family's expenses: Sindh Assembly

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KARACHI: (Dunya News) – Unanimous resolution condemning renowned Qawwali singer Amjad Sabri’s murder was passed on Thursday by Sindh Assembly. The resolution said that government should bear the expenses of the slain singer’s children while his wife should be provided a job, reported Dunya News.The resolution paid tribute to Amjad Sabri and also prayed for his soul. Senior Minister Nisar Khuhro said that it was an attempt to malign Pakistan. He added that sick mentality separated Amjad Sabri from us. Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Khawaja Izharul Hassan said that the state should bear the educational expenses of Amjad Sabri’s children while his wife should be provided a job.On the other hand, Balochistan Assembly session was convened by Speaker Raheela Durrani where Opposition member Abdul Rehman Kheetran said that Amjad Sabri was a world renowned Qawwali singer and the session should pray for his soul. He added that Khan of Kallat Agha Salman Dawood’s wife should be given a proper funeral with all the protocol since it was Balochistan’s tradition. Prayers were held afterwards for Amjad Sabri and Khan of Kallat’s wife in the house.

Man fires shot at German cinema, several wounded

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FRANKFURT, June 23, 2016 (AFP) - An armed man who allegedly barricaded himself in a German cinema with several people inside Thursday is dead, Hesse state interior minister Peter Beuth said.Beuth said the assailant died in a struggle with police, without giving further details.Unconfirmed media reports said the masked man had stormed the multiplex in the western town of Viernheim and that several people were hurt, possibly by tear gas in a police operation.

Strong earthquake shakes Peshawar, surrounding areas

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PESHAWAR (Dunya News) – Strong earthquake shook Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) region including Peshawar and different cities of the province on Thursday, reported Dunya News.The epicenter of earthquake with a magnitude of 5.1 on Richter Scale was reported to be in Hindu Kush mountain range with a depth of 202km.Fear and panic spread among citizens, they left their homes, workplaces and ran onto the streets reciting Kalma Tayyaba.

Nisar approves NIC certification process

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Interior Minister Chaudhary Nisar on Thursday convened an important meeting and approved the certification process of National Identity Cards (NICs), Dunya News has learntThe meeting was attended by Secretary Interior Ministry, National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) Chairman and National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) officials.Nisar directed NADRA officials to settle the issues of blocked ID Cards in the given time period. In the meeting, he was briefed about a helpline which had been set up by NADRA for the general public in order to provide information regarding fake and suspicious ID cards.

Rabbani asks Nisar to ensure Shahi Syed's security amid security threats

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Awami National Party (ANP) Senator Shahi Syed was receiving threats while Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani on Thursday asked Interior Minister Chaudhary Nisar to provide maximum security to the Senator in this regard, reported Dunya News.Addressing a senate session, Shahi Syed told the House that he had been receiving continuous death threats by extremists, terrorists, and target killers. Considering Shahi’s plea, Rabbani then wrote a letter to Nisar and acknowledged him of possible threats that he had been receiving so that the ministry could ensure security measures in this regard.Raza Rabbani said that Shahi had already informed him of threats and requested for security protection.

Body found in search for missing family off Florida coast

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MIAMI (AFP) - Rescuers found a body Wednesday off Florida’s Gulf Coast near where a father and his three teenage children went missing aboard a sailboat on Sunday, the Coast Guard said.The unidentified body, wearing a life jacket, was found shortly after the Coast Guard located debris from what appeared to be a shipwreck, spokesman Nyx Cangemi told AFP.Ace Kimberly, 45, and his daughter Rebecca, 17, and sons Donny, 15, and Roger, 13, were last seen Sunday morning near Englewood, around 80 miles (130 kilometers) south of Tampa, the Coast Guard said.They left Sarasota, Florida earlier in the day aboard a 29-foot (9-meter) sailboat, heading south for Fort Myers earlier on Sunday.Kimberly later called his brother to report heavy seas, saying he saying he was attempting to survive with his children, the agency said.The Coast Guard launched air and sea rescue crews to search for the missing family.On Wednesday, an air crew found a tarp, four water bottles, six life jackets, a basketball, sneakers and a propane tank 33 miles off Florida’s coast, the Coast Guard said during a news conference.It also found a green kayak believed to belong to the missing family, the agency said on Twitter.We’ll do everything we can for as long as we can, Coast Guard Captain Gregory Case said during the news conference. It is a tough case.The family’s relatives are terrified, as you can imagine, he added. They’re all feeling what we’re all feeling, very anxious, upset and hoping for the best.The Coast Guard did not receive a distress call from the boat and were alerted by Ace’s brother, Case said.

Saudi deputy crown prince, U.N. chief talk protecting Yemen's children

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UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon met Saudi Arabia’s powerful deputy crown prince on Wednesday and the pair discussed improving civilian protection in Yemen after a U.N. report briefly blacklisted a Saudi-led coalition for killing children.Ban removed the coalition from the blacklist earlier this month pending review after Riyadh, a major U.N. donor, threatened to cut Palestinian aid and other U.N. funding. Saudi Arabia has denied using threats, although Ban blasted Riyadh for exerting unacceptable pressure.When asked on his way into the meeting if he was still upset with Ban, Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is in New York for business meetings after visiting Washington and the U.S. West Coast, said: I’m not angry.Prince Mohammed, who was 45 minutes late for the meeting, simply smiled when Ban told him that he stood by the U.N. report on children and armed conflict, a diplomatic source told Reuters.The U.N. report said the coalition, which began an air campaign in March 2015 to defeat Iran-allied Houthi rebels, was responsible for 60 percent of child deaths and injuries in the conflict last year, killing 510 and wounding 667.An official U.N. statement said Ban and Prince Mohammed discussed putting into place concrete measures that could improve the situation on the ground to better protect children and civilians in Yemen.The Secretary-General expressed the hope that by the time he presents the Children and Armed Conflict report to the Security Council in August, he could point to progress on the protection of children and civilians in Yemen, it said.Prince Mohammed, who is also the kingdom’s defense minister, did not answer questions when he left. Saudi U.N. Ambassador Abdallah Al-Mouallimi described the meeting as excellent.The focus was on international issues, especially the issues of the region and there was broad agreement on virtually everything that was discussed, Mouallimi told reporters.He said Ban and Saudi Arabia were both optimistic about peace talks in Kuwait between the government and Houthis, which have dragged on for two months with few concrete results.Leila Zerrougui, the U.N. envoy on children and armed conflict, opposed Ban’s decision to remove the coalition from the blacklist, despite Saudi threats that the U.N. could face a fatwa declaring it anti-Muslim, diplomatic sources said.A fatwa is a legal opinion used in Sharia, or Islamic law. In Saudi Arabia fatwas can be issued only by the group of top, government-appointed clerics and are sometimes commissioned by the ruling family to back up its political positions.

Athletics: Kenyan president signs anti-doping bill into law

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NAIROBI (AFP) - Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday signed the amended anti-doping bill into law in a move that clears the way for the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to review Kenyas compliance with its code.WADAs compliance committee had ruled that Kenya was non-compliant when its board met in Montreal on May this year, citing issues related to the anti-doping legislation.We look forward to WADAs review and declaration of Kenya as compliant with existing rules, said Kenyatta.Kenya has always supported clean sport and will continue to do so, he added.Kenya has come under scrutiny over its flagging doping system, neccessitating changes to legislation to avoid explusion of its world-beating distance runners from Augusts Rio de Janeiro Olympics.In May, WADA declared Kenya non-compliant after the legislation to criminalise doping passed in parliament failed to meet its requirements, forcing a review to include sections which had been left out from the original draft passed by the world anti-doping agency.

Bear that walks like a human re-emerges in New Jersey

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OAK RIDGE, N.J. (AP) — A New Jersey black bear that walks upright on its two hind legs and has become a social media darling has re-emerged and has been captured on video months after its last sighting.The bipedal bear nicknamed Pedals was spotted in the town of Oak Ridge, NJ.com reported Wednesday (http://bit.ly/28Nrq7L). The bear appeared to be in relatively good health and was moving briskly in a video posted to Facebook featuring the bear. The man who posted the video wrote that he spotted the bear Monday.Pedals apparently has an injured leg or paw that doesn’t allow it to walk comfortably on all fours, according to experts. Prior to the latest video, there had been no reported recent sightings and officials asked the public for help in locating the bear.Lawrence Hajna, spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Protection, said officials expect the bear to make it through next winter.The bear has an indomitable spirit, Hajna said.The bear first gained fame after it was spotted ambling around neighborhoods and was caught on videos that were posted on social media and shown on national television.Last year, supporters pushed for Pedals to be moved to a sanctuary in New York state, but New Jersey officials have said they won’t allow the bear to be captured and transferred to the facility. Hajna said at the time that the bear would do better in its natural habitat and the agency would step in if its condition deteriorated.

Italy hopeful of hurting champions Spain

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LILLE (AFP) - Italy coach Antonio Conte believes his team can thrive as the underdogs when they face Spain in the first knockout round at Euro 2016 next Monday.The Azzurris reward for finishing top of Group E is a meeting with the reigning champions in a repeat of the Euro 2012 final, when Spain outclassed the Italians 4-0 in Kiev.Given that Contes side were written off in some quarters before the tournament began, just reaching the knockout phase could be considered a success in itself.But the coach said his players could take inspiration from their performance in beating much-fancied Belgium 2-0 in their opening game at the tournament last week when they head to the Stade de France.The players are doing everything they have to. They are working very hard and we have to keep grafting. We must not have any anxiety, said Conte after a much-changed Italian side, with top spot in their group already assured, lost 1-0 to the Republic of Ireland on Wednesday.The first aim was to get into the last 16. Now we have a match against one of the favourites but lets not forget where we started from.We mustnt get above our station. A last-16 match against Spain should excite us and we need to play like we did against Belgium, against a side who are supposedly superior.Crazy imbalanceItalys wins against the Belgians and Sweden allowed Conte to rotate his squad against Ireland in Lille, where he made eight changes to his starting line-up.But winning the group has done little to help Italy, who find themselves on the wrong side of what now has the look of an extremely uneven draw.If the Azzurri do manage to beat Spain -- who also knocked them out on penalties in the Euro 2008 quarter-finals -- their reward could be a quarter-final against world champions Germany. Hosts France or England could come in the semi-finals.There is a crazy imbalance in the draw for the second round, but those are the rules and we have to respect them, Conte said.Paris Saint-Germains Brazil-born midfielder Thiago Motta was one of those who came into the Italy side at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy.Motta, 33, is likely to drop out of the team again come Monday to make way for Romas Daniele De Rossi for a match he says Italy can win.We know that Italy are not as good a side as Spain or Germany but we know we can win by playing to our strengths, said Motta, who appeared as a substitute in the 2012 final.Nobody believed in us before the tournament and then after two matches we were already through.Italy had looked set for a tie against Croatia before Ante Cacics team claimed a surprise 2-1 victory over Spain to leave the reigning champions second in Group D and on a collision course with the Azzurri.Motta added: Once the match starts there will be no favourites. They will try to control possession but Croatia showed that there are weaknesses in their side and we have the weapons to cause Spain problems.

PCB to appoint Haroon as Director Cricket Operations

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ISLAMABAD (APP) - Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is mostlikely to appoint former Chief Selector Haroon Rasheed as the newDirector of Cricket Operations at the end of this month.Haroon, was discharged from the responsibilities of chief selector when PCB dissolved the selection committee after the national team’s poor performance in the Asia Cup and the World Twenty20.Haroon has worked in PCB at different positions including that of chief selector, manager, coach and Director game development.Talking to APP, a PCB official said that Haroon is a top candidate for the post of Director of Cricket Operations as he is liked by many senior officials in the board.He said the board had given advertisement for the hiring of Director Cricket Operations and its condition includes having 10 years or more working experience in top cricket positions.“Haroon meets all the conditions that are required for the position,” he said adding he himself is also very eager to get a role again in the board.He said recently in a meeting Haroon’s name was prominently mentioned when the appointment of Director Cricket operations cameup.“Majority of the members want Haroon to be named as the newDirector Cricket operations,” he said.

Saudi suspect found dead after gunfight in Shia town

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RIYADH (AFP) - A man wanted by Saudi authorities has been found dead after a police raid and exchange of gunfire in a Shia town, the interior ministry said Thursday.The dead man, Abdul-Rahim al-Faraj, and his brother Majid al-Faraj were wanted for allegedly shooting at security forces, some of whom were killed, the ministry said.They were also sought for attacking citizens and public property, and for armed robbery.Police came under fire on Wednesday night while searching the suspects’ home in the Eastern Province town of Awamiya, a ministry statement said.Officers returned fire during the incident which coincided with iftar, when Muslims break their fast during the holy month of Ramazan.No police or bystanders were hurt during the gunfight, but a local clinic later notified security officers that it was in possession of the body of a man who died from a gunshot.Authorities were able to identify the corpse as that of Abdul-Rahim al-Faraj.Police seized firearms and ammunition from the suspects’ home and were continuing to hunt for Faraj’s brother Majid.Eastern Province is home to most of Saudi Arabia’s Shiites, who have long complained of marginalisation in the Sunni-dominated kingdom.Awamiya, a town of about 30,000, has been the scene of repeated incidents since 2011, when a wave of protests began among Shias demanding reform.The latest shooting comes with tensions high in neighbouring Sunni-ruled Bahrain, where there has been an escalating crackdown on the Shia majority, just over the causeway from Eastern Province.A resident in the Shia-dominated district of Qatif, which includes Awamiya, said armoured vehicles have been deployed at checkpoints.

Mark Zuckerberg's photo reveals tape attach to webcam, microphone

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NEW YORK (Web Desk) - Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Tuesday posted a photo of himself to celebrate Instagram growing to 500 million users.But the photo revealed something more than he would have expected.Behind him was his laptop on which something weird was spotted.The camera and microphone of the laptop was taped in what appears to be saving his computer from spying.It’s also ironic given that Facebook is frequently accused by conspiracy theorists that it’s listening in on private conversations.Zuckerberg joins other hacker luminaries who tape over their webcams, including FBI director James Comey and NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.

Karachi is now more peaceful and safe city than before: Pervaiz Rashid

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ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) Federal Minister for information Broadcasting and National Heritage Senator Pervaiz Rashid has said that the menace of terrorism will be eliminated with full force and the whole nation is united in this struggle.Speaking to reporters in Islamabad today (Thursday),Pervaiz Rashid strongly condemned the assassination of renowned Qawwal Amjad Sabri.“In his killing, we have lost one of the great voices in the art of Samaa and Naat,” he said.He further stated:“Amjad Sabri was known as ambassador of peace across the globe. Through his voice, he gave lessons regarding love of God and love with the humanity. He used music for a virtuous purpose. He didn’t try to create rift among the people. Amjad Sabri brought people together and tried to spread message of love,” Pervaiz Rashid said.The Information Minister urged the Sindh government to take an immediate notice of the incident to bring the culprits to book.He also extended his heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved family.Karachi is now more peaceful and safe city than before, he added.The Information Minister said actions have been taken against terrorists in the operation Zarb-e-Azb across the country.He pointed out that those faced action in the operation are now attacking prominent personalities.
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Wednesday, 22 June 2016

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Islamabad: Two killed in firing near Bani Gala

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – According to details, a police official named Mahmood opened fire at the residence of a female advocate near Noor mosque in the jurisdiction of Bani Gala Police Station, Dunya News reported.Two people, including a woman, were killed and two other were wounded in the firing incident. Police sources said that the attacker committed suicide after the incident. The dead and injured were shifted to a nearby hospital.

Target killer among three accused detained in Karachi

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – Rangers and police stepped up operations in Karachi after the murder of renowned qawwali singer Amjad Sabri on Wednesday and arrested three accused, including a target killer, during search operations in different parts of the city.Rangers conducted a search operation in Gharibabad area and carried out house-to-house search and detained several suspects.On the other hand, police carried out an operation in Gulshan-e-Iqbal area and arrested a target killer named Asad Ali. According to SSP East, Faisal Abdullah, the arrested target killer was involved in murder of three persons in Pak Colony and also wanted in 17 cases of robberies.Police also arrested two accused in injured condition after an encounter in Alfalah area. Police sources said that the arrested accused were looting people in the area.

Solar plane powers on over Atlantic after turbulence

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MADRID (AFP) - The Solar Impulse 2 plane went through a long night of turbulence over the Atlantic, its weary pilot said Wednesday as he continued on the challenging leg of its sun-powered trip around the world.The experimental plane, which took off from New Yorks John F. Kennedy airport on Monday, is flying over the Atlantic at the hands of Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard and is due to land in Spains southern Seville airport early Thursday.By around 2100 GMT on Wednesday, the aircraft -- which is powered in the night sky by energy supplied by its 17,000 photovoltaic cells -- had completed 89 percent of its 6,000-kilometre (3,700-mile) flight across the Atlantic.After a long night of turbulence and little sleep, I see the first light of the day, Piccard tweeted earlier on Wednesday.Already the last afternoon above the Atlantic. Three days are feeling short, he tweeted later, with a photo of white clouds.Piccard also said he spotted a commercial airplane flying by at one point on Wednesday.Solar Impulse 2 mut have caught his eye since their flight path curved slightly, he tweeted.The voyage marks the first solo transatlantic crossing in a solar-powered airplane, and Piccard has been getting little sleep as he survives on short catnaps.During his crossing, he has seen whales cavorting in the waters beneath the plane, a gorgeous full moon in the nighttime sky, and more.You will not believe me, but to my right, I see an iceberg in the Atlantic Ocean. Check it out he tweeted a day ago.No heavier than a car but with the wingspan of a Boeing 747, Solar Impulse is being flown on its 35,400-kilometre trip round the world in stages, with Piccard and his Swiss compatriot Andre Borschberg taking turns at the controls of the single-seat plane.Borschberg piloted a 6,437-kilometre flight between Japan and Hawaii that lasted 118 hours, smashing the previous record for the longest uninterrupted journey in aviation history.The plane, now on the 15th leg of its east-west trip, set out on March 9, 2015 in Abu Dhabi, and has flown across Asia and the Pacific to the United States with the sun as its only source of power.After the Atlantic crossing, Piccard and his colleague have two options: they could either make their way to Abu Dhabi with one more stop, as originally planned, or they could try to fly the rest of the way in one go.The plane typically travels at a mere 48 kilometres per hour, although its flight speed can double when exposed to full sunlight.Borschberg and Piccard say they want to raise awareness of renewable energy sources and technologies with their project.

IMF warns the US over high poverty, inequality

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - The International Monetary Fund warned the United States Wednesday over poverty and rising inequality in the country, saying both could hold back its economic potential.The IMF cut its outlook for US economic growth this year to 2.2 percent, compared to 2.4 percent forecast at the beginning of the year. It cited the impact of slower global growth overall, the contraction in the energy industry due to low oil prices, and a slowdown in domestic consumer spending.The Washington-based global crisis lender said the US economy is in good shape generally, growing more strongly than other leading advanced economies, with unemployment at a nearly nine year low and inflation in check.The worlds largest economy has repeatedly demonstrated its resilience in the face of financial market volatility, a strengthening dollar, and subdued global demand, the report said.Yet it identified stark trends that it said will slowly choke off avenues to future growth if not addressed soon, particularly a very high level of poverty for a rich country and increasing inequality.The IMF said the ageing of the US population, with a surge of baby-boomers moving into retirement, is combining with a troubling stall in productivity gains and lack of investment in workers and physical capital to present a new challenge to the economy.On top of that, it said the growth of inequality and persistence of high poverty would exacerbate those trends.It noted that 46.7 million Americans -- one out of seven people -- are living in poverty, including 20 percent of all children. Working Americans share of all income in the country has fallen by five percent in 15 years, and the middle class is the smallest it has been in three decades. The polarization in income distribution, the Fund said, has effectively cut consumer demand by 3.5 percent since 1999 -- the equivalent of losing one years consumer spending out of 15.That trend will only further crimp the economy, said IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde.Not only does poverty create significant social strains, it also eats into labor force participation, and undermines the ability to invest in education and improve health outcomes, she said in a statement.Our assessment is that, if left unchecked, these four forces -- participation, productivity, polarization, and poverty -- will corrode the underpinnings of growth (both potential and actual) and hold back gains in US living standards.The IMF said that in order to reverse these trends, the United States must invest more in education and infrastructure, and must expand support for the poorest through taxation reforms, a higher minimum wage, and better social programs like childcare that will help the poor get and retain jobs.The IMF also said that ratification of the Trans Pacific Partnership trade pact, which was signed last year between major Pacific Rim countries, would strengthen US growth prospects in the future.

Oil prices retreat on US stockpiles data

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NEW YORK (AFP) - Oil prices fell back beneath $50 a barrel on Wednesday after official data showed a small retreat in US petroleum inventories and a rise in gasoline supplies.Data from the US Energy Information Administration were quite disappointing with only a modest drawdown in crude stocks and a jump in gasoline stocks, said Houston energy consultant Andy Lipow.US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for delivery in August dropped 72 cents to $49.13 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.In London, Brent North Sea oil for delivery in August lost 74 cents at $49.88 a barrelIn the weekly US oil reserves report, gasoline stockpiles were at 237.6 million barrels for the week ending June 16, up 0.1 percent from last week and 8.8 percent from the year-ago period. The summer is the heaviest season for driving in the US.As with financial markets, the oil market was waiting for the outcome of the British referendum on Thursday on whether to leave the European Union. US equities weakened in the afternoon following polls showing the Leave faction slightly ahead.Oil prices had pushed back into the $50 range, after sinking near $25 a barrel in February, as supply disruptions in Canada and Nigeria countered worries about the global supply glut.

Pound, euro push higher ahead of knife-edge Brexit vote

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NEW YORK (AFP) - The British pound and the euro both strengthened Wednesday on the eve of Britains European Union referendum, amid market hopes that voters will opt to remain in the bloc.The Leave and Remain sides were virtually even in polls the day before Thursdays vote, and markets were girded for shock if the leave camp wins.Breaking with the European Union, economists have warned, could cause significant economic disruption, especially in trade, for both sides and sharply slow the British economy in the short run.At 2100 GMT, the pound was up 0.7 percent to $1.4737, at the high end of the narrow trading for the pair since the beginning of the week.Likewise, the euro added 0.5 percent against the US dollar to $1.1313.The dollars relative weakness, despite its clear safe-haven attraction in the Brexit vote, was due in part to the bearish tack of Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen in two days of testimony to Congress on Tuesday and Wednesday. She said the US economy faces considerable uncertainty and sounded less confident in a rebound in inflation and further strengthening of the US employment market than she had a month ago.

Funeral prayers of Amjad Sabri to be offered today

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – The funeral prayers of renowned qawwali singer Amjad Sabri will be offered today (Thursday) in front of Iram Bakery at the Liaquatabad Road of Karachi and will be buried in the Paposh Nagar graveyard, Dunya News reported. Amjad Sabri was killed in a gun attack by some unidentified miscreants in the Liaquatabad area on Wednesday. Eye-witnesses said that two unidentified gunmen riding on a motorcycle opened fire at his car while he was heading for the studio of a private television channel to take part in the Iftari transmission.Sources privy to police stated that at least eleven bullets were fired at the car with four penetrating the vehicle on the sides and six going through the windscreen.Reportedly, two bullets fatally injured Sabri with one penetrating the face and other his chest. Sabri’s assistant, who was travelling with him, got injured in the attack and was transferred to the hospital.President Mamnoon Hussain condemned the attack. Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif took notice of the incident and demanded report of the incident from Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Qaim Ali Shah.Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Shehbaz Sharif also condemned the incident. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan condemned the incident and stated that the attack on Sabri was a question mark over the measures taken by the provincial government to ensure peace in the province. Khan demanded that the culprits be apprehended as soon as possible and be awarded with befitting punishment.Sindh Home Minister Suhail Anwar Sial took notice of Sabri s killing and demanded report of the incident from Sindh Inspector General Police (IGP) A.D. Khawaja and Additional IG. Sial also called a high-level meeting over the sad happening.Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah dismissed Station House Officer (SHO) of the area where the attack took place. He also contacted Director General (DG) Rangers, Sindh, Major General Bilal Akbar after the incident and directed that the matter be investigated.Deputy Inspector General (DIG) West addressed the media and stated that two unidentified gunmen attacked Sabri using a 30 bore pistol.According to the investigation report, four terrorists were following Sabri’s car since he left his home to reach the studio. The report stated that the attackers had covered their faces. Sabri’s car was attacked as it approached near the underpass.

CM Sindh, DG Rangers discuss law and order situation in Karachi

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KARACHI (Dunya News) - Director General Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, Maj Gen Bilal Akbar called on Sindh Chief Minister, Qaim Ali Shah at the Chief Minister House on Wednesday and discussed law and order situation in Karachi, Dunya News reported.DG Rangers and CM Sindh also discussed in detail recent terrorism incidents in the city, particularly the murder of renowned qawwali singer Amjad Sabri in the metropolis on Wednesday.The chief minister also asked DG Rangers to step up the ongoing targeted action in Karachi and make it more effective.Earlier, DG Rangers Maj Gen Bilal Akbar presided over a high level meeting at the Rangers Headquarters and to review the recent surge in the target killing and terrorist incidents in the city.It was decided in the meeting that indiscriminate action would be taken against terrorists to protect the lives and property of the citizens.

Football: Record-man Ronaldo puts Portugal into last 16

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LYON (AFP) - Cristiano Ronaldo scored two trademark brilliant goals Wednesday to go into European Championship history and rescue Portugal in a 3-3 draw that took them into the last 16.The Real Madrid ace became the first player to score at four European championship finals and his 17th match in a Euro tournament was also a record.The 31-year-old opened his account in style with a deft backheel flick on 50 minutes, then a bullet header 12 minutes later to twice equalise at the Stade de Lyon.The result left Hungary on top of Group F. Portugal squeezed through as one of the best third-place finishers, but now face a tough tie against Croatia.It was an insane match, said man-of-the-match Ronaldo.We had to chase down the match, it was very hot, but the main goal was to qualify.I cant say Im not happy, these are good records, but the priority was to make it through to the 16, Ronaldo added.Following their draws with Iceland and Austria, Portugals captain had been feeling the pressure.He threw a TV reporters microphone in a lake on the morning of the game in Lyon.But he delivered when it mattered as Portugal equalised three times in a topsy-turvy match.Hungary captain Balazs Dzsudzsak matched Ronaldo by netting two second-half goals as the mighty Magyars continued to surprise by winning the group.Three draws were enough to see Portugal advance in third behind Iceland. Hungary took the lead in sweltering conditions at the Stade de Lyon when veteran midfielder Zoltan Gera unleashed a thunderbolt.There appeared nothing on when Portugal fail to clear a corner, but the 37-year-old Gera belted a low left-footed drive into the bottom-right corner which gave Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio no chance on 19 minutes.At the other end, Hungary goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly, who has made grey sweatpants the must-have fashion item back home, saved a swirling Ronaldo free-kick on 29 minutes.Nani had the ball in the Hungary net five minutes from the break, but his effort was ruled offside.The Fenerbahce forward was not to be denied, though, when his crisp finish, after a lovely pass in from Ronaldo, put Portugal level on 42 minutes.The game burst into life with four goals in the opening 20 minutes of the second-half.Hungary regained the lead just two minutes after the break when Dzsudzsaks well-struck free-kick took a slight deflection off the Portugal wall on 47 minutes.Yet, with his country in need, Ronaldo came up trumps.The Real superstar made sure he would leave Lyon with two records when he flicked his shot past Kiraly on 50 minutes to make it 2-2.But Portugals second equaliser only served to galvanise Hungarys resolve.Dzsudzsak drilled a free-kick off the wall, but pounced on the rebound and his left-footed shot deflected off Nani, past Rui Patricio, into the far corner on 55 minutes for a 3-2 lead.There was, however, no denying Ronaldo.Just moments after coming on, Ricardo Quaresma fired in a corner and Ronaldo drove his header past Kiraly on 62 minutes.By now it was end-to-end stuff as Hungarys attacking midfielder Akos Elek hit the woodwork on 64 minutes, but it stayed 3-3 at the final whistle.As Hungarys German coach Bernd Storck put it: We didnt give them many chances, but whenever Ronaldo has the ball, he can score.We all know hes a world class player and you cant control him.

Football: Brady heroics take Ireland into Euro last 16

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LILLE (AFP) - Robbie Brady struck with just five minutes remaining as the Republic of Ireland claimed a dramatic 1-0 win over Italy in Lille on Wednesday to reach the knockout phase of Euro 2016.Bradys goal arrived just when it looked as if Ireland were heading out due to a combination of Italy goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu and Romanian referee Ovidiu Hategan.Ireland had to win the match at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy against an Italian side already assured of first place in Group E and got the win they needed to set up a last-16 tie against hosts France.Before Brady struck, Sirigu, standing in for Gianluigi Buffon in the Italian goal, made a superb save to deny Daryl Murphy while Hategan twice waved away Irish penalty appeals in the first half.Coach Martin ONeill made four changes to the side that lost 3-0 to Belgium last weekend in Bordeaux as Ireland looked for their first win over Italy in a competitive match since the 1994 World Cup in the United States. James McClean and Daryl Murphy started while it was all change in central defence with Richard Keogh and Shane Duffy chosen to partner one another. With top spot in the group sewn up and with one eye on their last-16 tie against Spain next Monday, Italy coach Antonio Conte made eight changes to his side.The lack of rhythm of what was essentially an Italian B team played into the hands of Ireland, who came out of the traps flying, adrenaline pumping and with a vast support behind them. The roof was closed at the stadium, a decision which had the effect of raising the noise levels but also helped to protect a shocking pitch from further deteriorating before it is replaced for the knockout rounds. The surface may not have lent itself to flowing football but Jeff Hendrick showed great technique to fashion a shooting opportunity on his left foot that flew inches wide from 20 metres out early on. Murphy, who had never scored for Ireland in 21 previous appearances stretching back nine years, came closest to breaking the deadlock in the first half with a header from Bradys 21st-minute corner that was tipped over by Sirigu. Ireland were the better side and were twice left fuming at the match officials as penalty calls went against them in the final five minutes of the half.First the Romanian referee and his assistants failed to spot Angelo Ogbonna wrestling with Murphy in the area and then he ruled that Federico Bernardeschi played the ball fairly as he took out McClean. In between those two incidents which increased the temperature inside the arena, Italy threatened as Ciro Immobile shot narrowly past from 25 yards. It had taken 43 minutes for the Azzurri to worry Darren Randolph but they needed only eight minutes of the second half to come close again. This time the AC Milan wing-back Mattia De Sciglio crossed from the left and Juventus striker Simone Zaza, with his back to goal, hooked his shot just over. The momentum began to slip away from Ireland after Sirigu turned away a Murphy strike from a difficult angle and captain for the night Seamus Colemans follow-up effort was blocked.Italy substitute Lorenzo Insigne then curled a shot against the post and the last 16 looked to be slipping away from Ireland as Wes Hoolahan was denied by Sirigu when left with just the goalkeeper to beat on 84 minutes.But Hoolahan was the source of the winning goal only a minute later as his cross from the right found Brady steaming in to head home.

Football: Iceland beat Austria 2-1 to go into last 16

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PARIS (AFP) - Substitute Arnor Ingvi Traustasons last-gasp winner fired Iceland past Austria 2-1 in their final Group F match at Euro 2016 on Wednesday to book a last-16 showdown with England.Jon Dadi Bodvarsson swept Iceland into an 18th-minute lead at the Stade de France, with Austria paying dearly for Aleksandar Dragovics missed first-half penalty.Alessandro Schopf came off the bench to level for Austria on the hour, but Traustasons 94th-minute strike condemned Marcel Kollers side to a premature exit.Iceland, the smallest nation to appear at a major finals, will play England in the last 16 in Nice after finishing second in the group, behind Hungary but above Portugal, following a thrilling 3-3 draw in Lyon.I think everybody who was watching the game realised how much it meant to us. We were willing to sacrifice everything to win, said Icelands joint coach Heimir Hallgrimsson.We were lucky on occasions but showed fantastic mentality throughout and there were a lot of tired legs.Dragovic returned to a three-man Austrian defence after suspension, with captain Christian Fuchs and Florian Klein operating as wing-backs in what was a must-win game for the worlds 10th-ranked side.Iceland stuck with the same starting XI from their first two matches and were almost ahead inside two minutes at the Stade de France.Gylfi Sigurdssons intricate flick found Johann Gudmundsson in plenty of space and the Charlton Athletic winger hammered a 30-yard drive that crashed against the crossbar.Marko Arnautovic nearly punished Hannes Halldorsson after Icelands goalkeeper dallied on the ball, but the Stoke City player lost his footing with the goal gaping allowing Halldorsson to scramble clear.Iceland grabbed the crucial opening goal on 18 minutes as Aron Gunnarssons long throw was helped on into the path of Bodvarsson who steered past Robert Almer with Austrias defence slow to react.Centre-back Kari Arnason sliced narrowly over after a corner was only partially cleared, but Austria began to threaten with Arnautovic testing Halldorsson before heading over from a Julian Baumgartlinger cross.And Kollers men should have levelled on 37 minutes when Ari Skulason was penalised for tugging the shirt of David Alaba inside the area.Dragovic stepped up but the centre-back fired the spot-kick against the outside of the post as Iceland breathed a huge sigh of relief.Birkir Bjarnason thought he had increased Icelands lead on 38 minutes, only for his effort to be correctly ruled out for offside. Baumgartlingers curling strike from distance forced Halldorsson to tip over, and Koller rolled the dice by throwing on Marc Janko and Schopf for the second half.It almost immediately paid off as Alaba swept a low right-footed strike towards the corner, but Arnasons superb goal-line clearance denied the Bayern Munich star. Sigurdsson embarked on a marauding run through the heart of Austrias midfield but volleyed a difficult chance just wide.Austria had Iceland pegged inside their own half though and it took a piece of individual brilliance on the hour from Schalke midfielder Schopf to breathe life into the team.The 22-year-old skipped into the area past two defenders before threading the ball just inside the far post for Austrias first goal of the tournament.Iceland still looked menacing though and Sigurdsson almost restored their lead on 65 minutes when his effort was rebuffed by Almer after a slick exchange of passes.Schopf went close to firing Austria ahead after combining cleverly with Janko, but Halldorsson raced off his line and blocked superbly with his legs.Alabas dipping free-kick then forced the Iceland keeper to turn over, but Austrias search for the vital second goal saw them caught on the counter in the dying seconds as Traustason sealed a historic win.

Football: Belgium seal last-16 berth in Ibrahimovic farewell

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NICE (AFP) - A late goal by Premier League target Radja Nainggolan earned Belgium a last-16 berth with a 1-0 win over Sweden making superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic end his international career with a defeat.The Roma midfielder, reportedly wanted by Chelsea, controlled a cross from Eden Hazard outside the area and powered it into the net in the 82nd minute. Belgium now take on Hungary in Toulouse on June 26.Sweden finished third in the group and will look back with regret on a flat performance in their opener against Ireland.Facing elimination if defeated, both teams pushed forward to attack which produced a pulsating first half hour in balmy Nice.Chances came thick and fast. Sweden almost had a dream start three minutes in when a goalmouth half-volley by Marcus Berg, in for John Giudetti as strike partner to Ibrahimovic, was batted out by Thibaut Courtois.Playing in unfamiliar turquoise jerseys, Belgium launched regular raids with Kevin De Bruyne through the middle and Hazard, roving from wing to wing, at the heart of the danger.Midway through the half, a backheel from Hazard let the Man City star fire a shot straight at the Isaksson.Another surging De Bruyne run forced a yellow card for Albin Ekdal after a last-ditch trip on the Man City star, while twice in five minutes he drilled dangerous crosses across the goalmouth.But Swedens defence contained Romelu Lukaku, whose double against the Republic of Ireland in Belgiums previous game resurrected their Euro 2016 campaign after the opening defeat to Italy.At the other end, Ibrahimovic had little joy, bar the occasional half-chance snapshot or attempt at a spectacular volley. But none came to anything on an ultimately frustrating night for the Swedish legend who announced his international retirement ater Euro 2016 on Tuesday.It was Belgium who nearly entered the break in front, when Meurier headed an inch-perfect De Bruyne cross just wide of Andreas Isakssons post.As the clock ran down in the second half the temperature began rising again.Belgium had a strong penalty claim turned when a Carrasco cross was blocked, while on the hour Isaksson dived at full length to keep out a De Bruyne drive.With fifteen minutes to go Belgium nearly made a breakthrough when a powerful Lukaku break was foiled by Isakksson who spread his body well to the shot.A minute later, an identical run by the Everton striker, this time with a neat finish, was ruled offside.Time was running out on Ibrahimovic when he went close with a freekick turned away by Courtois with a quarter hour to go.Then a header was cleared off the line by Meunier.But there was to be no salvation for Sweden, nor one more game for Ibrahimovic. He battled to the end, almost snatching a late equaliser with a half volley on the turn, but the dying minutes were instead marked by the Belgian fans raucously chanting Bye Bye Ibrahimovic

Tennis: Djokovic relishing Murray challenge at Wimbledon

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LONDON (AFP) - Novak Djokovic admits he was flattered to discover Andy Murray and his coach Ivan Lendl are working overtime to end his two-year reign as Wimbledon champion.Djokovic holds all four Grand Slam titles after winning the French Open earlier this month and the world number one is heavily favoured to defend his crown at the All England Club.Murray has been Djokovics most consistent rival over the last six months, but the Serb has won 13 of their last 15 meetings, including at the Australian and French Open finals this year.It was that failure to get the better of Djokovic which played a key role in the world number twos decision this month to reunite with Lendl, who was Murrays coach when he defeated Djokovic in the 2013 Wimbledon and 2012 US Open finals.Lendl announced his return to the fray by claiming he and Murray would do all they could do end Djokovics spell as the preeminent force on the mens tour.Its flattering to hear that, Djokovic said. I know theres been a lot of talk about a potential match-up between Andy and me, and with Ivan coming to his team, but its still very early.We have to be respectful to all the players at Wimbledon, more than 120 players, so we take it by step by step.Djokovics coach Boris Becker said he was surprised by Murrays decision to go back to his former coach given the Scots excellent recent form, but the world number one believes it is a good move.I dont think its a surprising decision from Andy, Djokovic said.When Ivan was his coach Andy won a couple of Grand Slams, an Olympic gold medal and made the best results in his career.I think it was a logical move for him to take. Theyre a good team so its going to be an interesting tournament.While Murray spent last week sealing a record fifth title at Queens, Djokovic has not played a competitive match since winning the French Open almost three weeks ago.The three-time Wimbledon champion instead began honing his grass-court game at The Boodles on Wednesday, an exhibition event, where he lost 6-3, 7-5 to world number 11 David Goffin.Regardless of his low-key preparation, Djokovic heads to Wimbledon in high spirits after a first success at Roland Garros brought him the last major title missing from his collection.There is certainly a great sense of relief, no doubt about it, Djokovic said.Of course I am very proud and thrilled to be able to hold all four grand slam titles at the same time. Its a remarkable achievement for my team and I.But were moving on, its back on grass now and starting from scratch.As well as the calendar Grand Slam, Djokovic could still win the Golden Slam if he adds an Olympic gold medal to that collection.Golfer Rory McIlroy has announced he will not be travelling to Rio because of concerns regarding the Zika virus, but Djokovic has no intention of withdrawing.No, I dont. Im still planning to go and its going to stay that way, he added.

Tennis: Radwanska through in Eastbourne, Wozniacki crashes

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EASTBOURNE (AFP) - Agnieszka Radwanska relied on a steady serve and a solid game to beat Eugenie Bouchard 6-3, 6-3 in a battle of former Wimbledon finalists for a place in the quarter-finals of the WTA Eastbourne event on Wednesday.The top-seeded Pole, losing 2015 finalist, improved to a perfect 4-0 over Bouchard, who played for the Wimbledon title two years ago but whose ranking has taken a slide from the top 10 to her current 48th.I was serving pretty good, that helps in this kind of match, said world number three Radwanska, who lost early a week ago on Birmingham grass at the start of her Wimbledon run-up campaign.In the important moments I was serving good. Every match like this gives you a lot of confidence. Its easier afterwards in the end of the tournament or going to the Grand Slams.Im just very happy with that win and with the game. I was feeling very good on court, conditions were also much nicer than yesterday. You could probably do everything what you wanted to do. I dont think I can really complain about anything today.Radwanska is competing on the south coast for the 10th time and on Wednesday won in 62 minutes as she dominated her Canadian opponent.She next faces 12th seed Dominika Cibulkova, a winner over Kateryna Bondarenko 7-6 (7/3), 6-3, and who came from a break down in the opening set.Qualifier Monica Puig defeated 2009 champion Caroline Wozniacki 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.Puig, from Puerto Rico and ranked 43rd in the world, battled through a two-and-a-quarter-hour contest against the former number one.The 22-year-old Puig double-faulted on her first of two match points but completed the job at Devonshire Park in style with an eighth ace.Finishing with an ace is the best way to go. I hope I can keep this up. Im excited for the next round and ready for whatever comes up, said Puig.I thought I was in trouble quite a few times. She makes you work for every single point, so it was really up to me to stay very focused in my game plan and what I wanted to accomplish.It was a really tight match and Im just really happy I got through. I stayed with my game plan the whole way. I was just extremely positive throughout the match.Wozniacki, 37 in the world, who missed the clay season with an ankle injury, had reached the semi-final in her last three appearances.You dont climb Mount Everest in one day, she said. I played really well. Im happy with that. The ankle, the bodys feeling good. Im pleased with that.Two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova, was upset by Eastbourne local Johanna Konta, who produced a fightback victory over the fifth seed 5-7, 6-4, 6-0. Russian Elena Vesnina beat Madison Brengle 7-6 (7/2), 6-4.

England's women run riot against Pakistan

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LONDON (AFP) - Englands women made history with their highest ever one-day international score as openers Tammy Beaumont and Lauren Winfield scored centuries in a 212-run victory over Pakistan at New Road on Wednesday.Englands total of 378-5 from 50 overs helped them establish a winning 2-0 lead in the series.It also forms part of the ICC World Championship and England have climbed to third spot in the table behind Australia and the West Indies, with the top four automatically qualifying for the 2017 World Cup in England.England surpassed their previous highest total of 376-4, also against Pakistan in 1997 at the Ghandi Stadium in Jalandhar, India.The previous highest 50-over score in all cricket at New Road was also beaten - Worcestershires 365-7 against Scotland in the Friends Provident Trophy in 2007.Anya Shrubsole finished with impressive figures of four for 19 as Pakistan were dismissed for 166 in 47.4 overs.
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