Tuesday 15 November 2016

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Lasbela: 2 killed, 20 injured in road accident

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LASBELA (Dunya News) – According to details, a Karachi-bound bus turned turtle near Lasbela in Balochistan province on early Wednesday morning, killing at least two people and injuring 20 others.Edhi sources said that the ill-fated bus was going to Karachi from Quetta. Condition of 14 injured persons is stated to be critical. The sources further informed that the accident was caused due to over-speeding.

Karachi: 4 accused arrested in separate police operations

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – Crackdown against criminal elements under National Action Plan (NAP) continues in Karachi as four accused were taken into custody during police operations in different parts of the city on Tuesday, Dunya News reported.According to details, police conducted an operation in Boat Basin area and arrested two accused involved in street crimes. Police sources said that arms, stolen motorcycle and mobile phones were recovered from arrested persons.Police also conducted an operation at the Super Highway and arrested two accused. Police sources said that at least 144 bottles of liquor were recovered from the arrested accused. The arrested persons were shifted to police station for further investigation.On the other hand, a spokesman of the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat said that Rangers conducted a raid near Nagan Chowrangi and apprehended a leader of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat named Saheeb Nadeem. The Rangers personnel shifted Saheeb Nadeem to some undisclosed location for further investigation.

By-election in NA-258 to be held on November 24

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – National Assembly constituency NA-258 consists of Malir and Gudap areas of Muslimabad, Ibaheem Haidri, Rahreh Goth, Keatal Colony, Gulshan Hadeed, Baloch Goth and other adjacent localities.This constituency was considered as the stronghold of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) but Hakim Baloch of Pakistan Muslim League won this seat it the 2013 general elections. The seat fell vacant when Hakim Baloch resigned and joined PPP.Hakim Baloch is now contesting by-election from this constituency on PPP ticket. MQM’s Mumtaz Ali Imrani, JUI-F’s Maulana Akran Shah and Sunni Tehreek’s Munawar Ali Gabol are among the 16 candidates in the field.Pakistan Muslim League has not fielded any candidate for the seat while Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has boycotted the by-election.

Mannequin challenge goes virals, all celebrities taking it

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LAHORE (Web Desk) - Mannequin challenge is the new thing that has gone viral on Internet and everybody seems to be taking this challenge, whether it is former US President Bill Clinton, his wife Hillary Clinton or first lady of USA, Michelle Obama.In the past there was Ice Bucket challenge but now it is Mannequin challenge, in which group of people freezes with music in the background most of the times. They remain frozen for some time, with camera showing all of them one by one.It started from Edward H. White High School in Jacksonville, Florida on October 26, 2016 but now some top sports personalities and celebrities have taken it, including star Portuguese Football Cristiano Ronaldo with his team, Begian team, English team, Spanish team and German league team Borussia Dortmund.1. Hillary and Bill Clinton with their campaign team:Former US President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary Clinton, who was candidate in the recently held presidential elections, did the Mannequin challenge one day before the elections. They were on a plane and all of their team members made different poses in it.2. Michelle Obama withLeBron James and Cleveland CavaliersMichelle Obama, the wife of current US President Barack Obama did it with Basketball team Cleveland Cavaliers. Michelle made a selfie pose in this challenge as she stood with some of the best Basketball players in the world.3. Cristiano Ronaldo with team PortugalOne of the best Football player of the world, Cristiano Ronaldo did it with Portugal team as he showed his six packs and other players struck different poses.4. Spain football team2010 World champions Spanish football team also took Mannequin challenge just afterjust friendly game against England.5. Indian and English cricket commentators/former playersThe challenge was also taken by commentators, former cricketers of India and England during the first test match between both countries. The former players included Ian Botham, Kapil Dev, Nasser Hussain, Michael Atherton, Sanjay Manjrekar.STORY BY: TALAL DAR

UN condemns Syria over civilian attacks

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UNITED NATIONS, United States (AFP) - UN member states on Tuesday overwhelmingly condemned escalating attacks against civilians in Aleppo and called for a ceasefire to pave the way to a settlement of the five-year war in Syria.A resolution drafted by Saudi Arabia, which is backing rebels fighting the Syrian government, was adopted by a vote of 116 to 15, with 49 abstentions, in the General Assemblys human rights committee.Russia and Iran, Syrias allies in the war, were among the 15 who voted against the measure, which is expected to go to the full assembly next month.The UN rights committee has voted every year to condemn Syria over the human rights crisis since the war began in March 2011.Saudi Ambassador Abdallah Al-Mouallimi recited poetry about Aleppo and invoked the fate of Aylan Kurdi, the Syrian toddler whose lifeless body washed ashore in Turkey last year, as he appealed for support.Syrias Ambassador Bashar Jaafari shot back, saying the Saudi regime should be the last to talk about human rights and defending his government for waging what he termed as a war against terrorism.The resolution expresses outrage and grave concern at the violence in rebel-held east Aleppo and demands that humanitarian aid be delivered to all Syrians in need.It deplores the attack on an aid convoy in rural Aleppo on September 19 and calls for the perpetrators to be held accountable.Backed by Russia, Syria launched a fresh assault on rebel strongholds on Tuesday as diplomatic efforts to end the war remained deadlocked.More than 300,000 people have died in the war that began with anti-government protests.The committee also criticized Iran for its use of the death penalty in a resolution adopted by a vote of 85 to 35 with 63 abstentions.

Djokovic books semifinal spot by beating Raonic

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LONDON (AFP) - Novak Djokovic booked his place in the semi-finals of the ATP Tour Finals with an emotional 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/5) victory over Milos Raonic on Tuesday.Despite having a spiritual guru in his camp these days, Djokovic has been anything but serene lately and once again the defending champion cut an angst-ridden figure for long periods of a tense clash in the prestigious season-ending event at Londons O2 Arena.Djokovic had reacted furiously after being grilled by the media about a potentially dangerous incident when he slammed a ball into the stands during his win against Dominic Thiem on Sunday.This time, the world number two grumbled over camera flashes from the crowd and held a finger to his lips to urge them to be quiet, while moaning when Raonic tried some gamesmanship by taking his time tying up his shoelaces at a key moment in the first set tie-break.But, to his credit, Djokovic handled everything a fired-up Raonic threw at him to ensure he remains on course to win the Tour Finals for a fifth successive year and record-equalling sixth time in total.The 29-year-old, who has now won 20 of his last 21 matches at the Tour Finals, would also regain the number one ranking from Andy Murray if he leaves south London with the silverware.I managed to hang in there mentally and stay strong and believed that the opportunities would come and that I could take them, Djokovic said.Milos was hanging in there and only one or two points separated us in the second set.It could have gone either way this match. Hes such a strong player and has got firepower.With Austrias Thiem having kept alive his hopes of reaching the semi-finals with a 6-3, 1-6, 6-4 victory over Gael Monfils earlier on Tuesday, Djokovic knew a win would seal his last four berth with one match still to play.Djokovic had won all seven of his previous encounters with Raonic, dropping only one set in the process, but he had his hands full with the powerful Canadian this time.Wimbledon finalist Raonic, who defeated Monfils in his opening match, earned break points in the Serbs first two service games, but Djokovic wriggled out of trouble on both occasions and the set went to a tie-break.Despite serving eight aces and hitting more than three times as many winners as Djokovic, Raonic just couldnt kill him off and in the breaker an ill-timed double fault on set point gifted the first set to the Serb.It had taken Djokovic 64 minutes to move ahead and the 12-time Grand Slam champion wasnt going to let that effort go to waste.He broke in the first game of the second set and recovered from dropping serve three games later to hit back with another break for a 3-2 lead.Just as the finish line was in sight, Djokovic was broken again in the eighth game and he had to save a set point at 5-6 to force another tie-break.Djokovic was pushed hard in the breaker, but he had the answer on every big point and eventually wrapped up a gutsy victory in two hours and 14 minutes.Tour Finals debutant Thiem could join Djokovic in the last four after seeing off flamboyant Frenchman Monfils.The 23-year-old will need to defeat Raonic in his last group match on Thursday to reach the semi-finals.Monfils is almost certain to be eliminated after losing his first two matches.It was a very close match but luckily he helped me in the last game. Maybe I was the lucky one today, Thiem said.I am very happy theres still a chance for me to reach the semi-finals, but Milos Raonic is an amazing opponent.

Buffon equals European record as Italy, Germany draw 0-0

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MILAN (AFP) - Gianluigi Buffon earned a European record-equalling 167th cap as Italy played out a goalless friendly draw with their Euro 2016 quarter-final tormentors Germany in Milan on Tuesday.The 38-year-old Buffon, who made his Italy debut in 1997, is now level with retired Spain legend and fellow goalkeeper Iker Casillas.Although Buffon is now just 17 behind world record-holder Ahmed Hassan of Egpyt (184), the appearance of AC Milans Gianluigi Donnarumma for a more positive second half was a reminder that retirement may not be too far off.Hosting Germany just four months after a dramatic penalty shoot-out defeat ended their Euro 2016 hopes in Bordeaux, Italy were looking to end their three-game winless streak against the world champions.But the hosts failed to transform a promising finish to the game into a win, Torino striker Andrea Belotti notably hitting the upright late on.Like Italy coach Giampiero Ventura, Germany boss Joachim Loew has one eye on the future and made several changes to his established starting line-up.Juventus midfielder Sami Khedira and Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil were both rested, and regular skipper and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was out with a virus, handing Bernd Leno the gloves for the night.Buffon had to be alert to thwart Thomas Mueller as he chased a ball over the top and the Juventus keeper was also grateful to Davide Zappacosta for producing a timely block after Leon Goretzkas flick sat up nicely for Mueller to unleash a first-time drive.Donnarumma, just 17, replaced Buffon to warm applause for the start of the second half, claiming only his second cap after making his debut against France in September.Italy threatened when Belotti drilled a high shot wide of post and bar after finding space from 20 yards out. Belotti and Ciro Immobile, who combined have scored seven of Italys last nine goals, were finally beginning to gel.But the hosts saw claims for a penalty waved away after Belotti squeezed between Shkodran Mustafi and Jonathan Tah before tumbling in the area.Germany brought on Serge Gnabry, who hit a hat-trick on his debut in a 8-0 rout of San Marino last Friday, for Goretzka while Mueller made way for Kevin Volland.And Volland had the ball in the net when he flicked Joshua Kimmichs drive across goal past Donnarumma, only to be ruled offside.Italy enjoyed a positive finish, but failed to breach the Germany goal.Substitute Federico Bernardeschi should have done better than shoot tamely at Leno and Lazio striker Immobile curled a shot wide after being set up by Belotti.The Torino forward could have nicked the win late on, but he saw his low angled strike come off the base of the far upright with Leno beaten.

France held to a goalless draw by Ivory Coast

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LENS, France (AFP) - A much-changed France team was held to a goalless draw by African champions the Ivory Coast in a friendly in the northern city of Lens on Tuesday.The Ivorians came closest to breaking the deadlock at a packed Stade Bollaert-Delelis in the 11th minute when a fierce strike by the Basel left-back Adama Traore smashed against the post and Salomon Kalou converted the rebound, only for the offside flag to deny the Hertha Berlin striker.France struggled to create chances and were denied what would have been a record 14th victory in a calendar year having equalled their previous best performance, set in 2003, with a 2-1 win over Sweden in World Cup qualifying last Friday.It was a flat finish to a good year for Didier Deschamps side which featured just the one defeat -- the 1-0 extra-time loss to Portugal in the final of Euro 2016 -- and jeers greeted the final whistle.Deschamps admitted his sides performance was laborious but added: We have done very good things this year, with the Euro.Our only defeat hurts, it prevented us from winning a trophy. The team has made a lot of progress and we need to build on that.The Elephants were the more dangerous side and their French coach Michel Dussuyer will be pleased with the way his men performed as they prepare to defend their Africa Cup of Nations crown in Gabon in January.Deschamps made seven changes to his side from the win against Sweden with Paul Pogba and Dimitri Payet, who scored in the game at the Stade de France, among the few who kept their places.The coach handed first caps to Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Adrien Rabiot and Rennes goalkeeper Benoit Costil, who was given his chance with Hugo Lloris rested and Steve Mandanda a late withdrawal due to injury.The elegant Rabiot, 21, hobbled off late on with an injury that will be a cause of concern to his club. He was replaced by Monacos Thomas Lemar, who also made his full international debut, as did the Lille right-back Sebastien Corchia.Costil had to be alert to save from Elephants substitute Nicolas Pepe at the death and ensure a clean sheet on his senior bow at the age of 29.

Spain come from behind to draw 2-2 with England

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LONDON (AFP) - Substitute Isco struck deep in stoppage time to earn Spain a 2-2 draw and deprive Gareth Southgate of victory in his final game as England interim manager on Tuesday.Goals from Adam Lallana and Jamie Vardy had set England up for an impressive win, but Spain debutant Iago Aspas reduced the arrears in the 89th minute before Isco levelled with practically the last kick.Southgate, who lost Lallana to injury in the first half, cursed his luck on the touchline, but having gone four games unbeaten since replacing Sam Allardyce, the job is still expected to be his full-time.While victory eluded England at the last, the vibrant nature of their performance at Wembley will help to erase lingering memories of their Euro 2016 humiliation by Iceland.Iscos 96th-minute strike extended Julen Lopeteguis unbeaten record to six games since he succeeded Vicente del Bosque as Spain coach in the aftermath of their Euro 2016 exit at Italys hands.Vardy won the early penalty that yielded Englands opening goal, but he was perhaps fortunate to still be on the pitch.With less than five minutes on the clock, the Leicester City star followed through after clearing the ball downfield and caught Cesar Azpilicueta high on the Chelsea defenders right shin.But Romanian referee Ovidiu Alin Hategan kept his cards in his pocket and within four minutes he was pointing to Spains penalty spot.After Jesse Lingard robbed Thiago Alcantara, Lallana curved a gorgeous pass into the box from the right and despite a heavy first touch, Vardy succeeded in drawing a foul from goalkeeper Pepe Reina.Reina went the right way from the penalty, to his left, but Lallana put enough height on the ball to register his third goal in three England outings.The fates were to conspire against the Liverpool midfielder midway through the first half, however, as injury forced him off, with Theo Walcott coming on in his place.Shy of a mishit Vitolo shot, Spain had failed to trouble England and Lopetegui changed tack on the half-hour, ditching his initial 3-5-1-1 system for a more conventional 4-1-4-1.But the traffic remained one-way in the second half and after Walcott had seen a shot deflected into the side-netting, England made it 2-0 in the 48th minute.Stand-in captain Jordan Hendersons cross from the right was met with a brilliant diving header from Vardy, who had previously gone 14 games without scoring for club and country.He celebrated by freezing stockstill in the manner of the Mannequin Challenge social media fad, with Walcott and Sterling joining in.Lopetegui awarded senior debuts to Ander Herrera and Aspas in the second half, yet still the hosts advanced, Reina saving one-handed from Walcott and Nacho clearing off the line from Lingard.When Spain did threaten, England substitute goalkeeper Tom Heaton denied David Silva and substitute Alvaro Morara, with Aspas putting the rebound over the bar in the first instance.West Ham United left-back Aaron Cresswell won his first England cap as a late substitute, but was upstaged by Celta Vigo forward Aspas and Real Madrid midfielder Isco, his fellow entrants.Aspas halved the deficit, drifting in from the right and curling home, before Isco atoned for an earlier miss by chesting down Dani Carvajals pass and squeezing a shot between Heatons legs.

Erdogan accuses Western media of sympathising with coup

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ANKARA (AFP) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday accused Western media of sympathising with the failed coup aimed at ousting him from power, as he officially opened a new Ankara-backed English language news channel.Erdogan said in a speech at his presidential palace to mark the formal opening of the TRT World channel that there were writers in Western media sympathetic to the US-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen who Ankara blames for the July 15 coup.If the coup had been successful... then foreign media would have mobilised their cameras and pens to legitimise the coup, Erdogan said.He said those foreign media who are now criticising Turkey over freedom of expression would have given their screens over to the junta.But with the defeat of the coup, The headlines they prepared were good for nothing.The Turkish strongman said his country had had bitter experience over the last three years and was well aware how foreign media had behaved during the 2013 protests against his rule.He added there were writers in Western media who saw Julys coup plotters as the last hope for Turkey and a prominent place had been given to sympathisers of Gulen and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).His comments came as Turkey has been vehemently criticised over the crackdown in the wake of the coup, including the arrests of journalists.TRT World started broadcasting in March last year but the ceremony at the presidential palace was touted by state media as marking its formal launch.Citing what he said was an African proverb, Erdogan said that if lions did not write their own stories then people would have to listen to the stories of the hunters.Describing the channel as Turkeys window on the world, he said he did not want TRT World to be an official bulletin but would tell the truths of our nation through the best television.TRT World, broadcasting in English round the clock, is part of the network of Turkeys state run television TRT.In recent years, several regional powers have opened their own English-language TV channels -- such as RT in Russia and Press TV in Iran -- to challenge the perceived monopoly of the likes of CNN and the BBC.Turkey has repeatedly complained that its side of the story is overlooked in Western reporting in the conflicts in Syria or its southeast.

Syria, backed by ally Russia, renews assault on rebels

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ALEPPO (AFP) - Syrias regime and its ally Russia Tuesday launched a wide-ranging assault on rebels with renewed strikes on the besieged eastern neighbourhoods of Aleppo, sparking fury in Washington.The United States strongly condemned Russias renewed bombing campaign, warning that strikes on civilian targets break international law.Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu spoke of a major operation which saw the first missions carried out by warplanes taking off from the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier that arrived off Syria last week.In Aleppo, Syrian government aircraft pounded the eastern neighbourhoods with air strikes and barrel bomb attacks, a monitor and AFP correspondent said.The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least five civilians were killed in the bombardment, the first of its kind since October 18.An AFP correspondent in east Aleppo said strikes hit the Sakhur, Fardos and Masakan Hanano neighbourhoods while ambulances sped through the streets to evacuate the wounded.Warplanes dropped flares to counter heat-seeking missiles, he said.State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said Washington had received reports that the latest Russian and Syrian regime strikes had hit hospitals and clinics.We strongly condemn the resumption of air strikes in Syria by the Russians as well as the Syrian regime, she told reporters.The most recent reported attacks are on five hospitals and one mobile clinic in Syria. We believe its a violation of international law.UN member-states also overwhelmingly condemned escalating attacks against civilians in Aleppo and called for a ceasefire to pave the way to a settlement for Syrias five-year war.The assault ended a period of relative respite for more than 250,000 people living in besieged eastern Aleppo.On October 18, Moscow said it was halting its air strikes ahead of a short-lived truce and Syrian raids also subsided, with bombardment mostly confined to areas where clashes were taking place on the edges of the battered city.The respite came after international criticism of a ferocious assault launched by Syrian and Russian forces on September 22 in a bid to recapture eastern Aleppo.Civilians were among hundreds of people killed in the bombing campaign, which also destroyed infrastructure.Moscow has organised several brief truces to encourage residents and surrendering rebels to leave east Aleppo, but few have gone.No aid has entered eastern Aleppo since it was first surrounded by government troops in mid-July, and the UN said Thursday it was distributing its last remaining food rations in the rebel districts.The UNs food agency, FAO, said a farming crisis across Syria had reduced food production to a record low and raised fears that people would be forced to flee famine.On Sunday, east Aleppo residents received text messages from the army warning rebels to leave within 24 hours.After the end of this period, the planned strategic offensive will begin, the message said.Once Syrias economic powerhouse, Aleppo has been ravaged by the war that has killed more than 300,000 people across the country since it started in March 2011 with anti-government protests.Yasser Yusef, of the Nureddine al-Zinki rebel group, said the bombardment would lead to massacres and crimes against humanity in northern Syria and particularly in Aleppo city and Idlib.Russia and the regime are trying to foil the efforts of the United Nations and the international community to reduce violence and protect civilians and deliver aid to civilians in all the besieged areas.As the strikes hit Aleppo, Moscow announced its Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier was now being used in its campaign to bolster President Bashar al-Assad.For the first time in our naval history, the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov started taking part in combat, Shoigu said.Today from this carrier, our Sukhoi-33 (bombers) began their operations.Russia has been carrying out a bombing campaign in Syria for the past year and deployed a naval contingent to back up its operation.The Admiral Kuznetsov, Russias sole aircraft carrier, arrived in the eastern Mediterranean off the Syrian coast as part of a flotilla of ships sent to reinforce Russias military in the area.Shoigu said the operation aimed to inflict heavy damage on the Islamic State group and the Al-Nusra Fronts positions in Idlib and Homs provinces.Al-Nusra Front is the old name of Al-Qaedas former Syrian affiliate, now known as Fateh al-Sham Front.An AFP correspondent in Idlib said strikes hit several parts of the rebel stronghold province, including Maaret al-Numan, Saraqib and Ariha.Idlib is largely controlled by a powerful rebel alliance that includes Fateh al-Sham.The assault is the first major military development since the presidential election of Donald Trump, who has suggested working more closely with Russia in Syria.

US: Renewed Russian strikes in Syria break international law

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States on Tuesday strongly condemned Russias renewed bombing campaign in Syria and warned that its strikes on civilian targets break international law.State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said Washington had received reports that the latest Russian and Syrian regime strikes had hit hospitals and clinics.We strongly condemn the resumption of air strikes in Syria by the Russians as well as the Syrian regime, she told reporters.The most recent reported attacks are on five hospitals and one mobile clinic in Syria. We believe its a violation of international law.Earlier, Moscow said it had launched a major operation in support of Bashar al-Assads Syrian regime, flying jets off its aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean.Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Russian warplanes are hitting rebel targets in the Syrian provinces of Idlib and Homs. An AFP correspondent in Idlib said strikes hit several parts of the rebel stronghold province, including Maaret al-Numan, Saraqib and Ariha.Idlib is largely controlled by a rebel coalition that includes Fateh al-Sham, the former Al-Nusra Front, which both Washington and Moscow regard as an Al-Qaeda front.But Trudeau said initial reports suggested civilian targets were among those hit and that the Russian-backed siege of eastern Aleppo was choking off aid shipments.She accused Moscow of letting eastern Aleppo residents starve while seeking praise from the international community for halting indiscriminate strikes.We have consistently tried to deescalate the violence in Syria, were at the table on that again in Geneva today, the spokeswoman said, referring to multilateral ceasefire talks.US President Barack Obamas administration has been talking to Russia about ways to reign in Assads forces and find a ceasefire in Syrias brutal civil war.We believe that Russia and the Syrian regimes actions are inexcusable. However we still believe that the only way forward is a political resolution, Trudeau said.But Russias President Vladimir Putin insists Moscows intervention is aimed at protecting a legitimate government against Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group.US President-elect Donald Trump, who is waiting to assume office on January 20, has already been in touch with Putin about normalizing US-Russian ties.During the US presidential campaign Trump said his priority would be to defeat the Islamic State group and suggested working with Russia to that end.

Kerry peace bid for Yemen dismissed by government

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ABU DHABI (AFP) - US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Tuesday that rebels are ready to observe a ceasefire in Yemen starting this week but the government swiftly dismissed the plan.The Iran-backed Huthi rebels had agreed to a cessation of hostilities beginning on November 17, provided the other party implements the same commitment, said Kerry.He was speaking in Abu Dhabi a day after meeting Huthi negotiators in Oman for talks aimed at finding a durable political settlement for the war in Yemen which has killed thousands.Kerry said the United Arab Emirates and regional powerhouse Saudi Arabia have both agreed to try to move forwards with this. They believe it makes sense.Saudi Arabia leads an Arab coalition that has been battling the rebels in Yemen in a bid to restore the legitimacy of the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi.But Hadis government said it was not aware of any new peace initiative.The government of Yemen is not aware of the statements made by Mr. Kerry and does not consider itself committed to them, said Yemeni Foreign Minister Abdel Malek al-Mekhlafi.Remarks attributed to Kerry are a bid to derail peace efforts and a bid to reach an agreements with the Huthis without the government, he said.The Saudi-led coalition began intervening in Yemen in March 2015, after the Shiite rebels seized Sanaa and swathes of the country forcing the government to seek exile in Riyadh.More than 7,000 people have been killed and nearly 37,000 wounded in Yemen since then, and the UN says millions are in need of food aid.Another 21 million people urgently need health services, according to the United Nations.Six attempts to clinch a ceasefire in Yemen have foundered, including a three-day October truce that fell apart as soon as it went into force to allow aid deliveries to millions homeless and hungry.Kerry said he met in Oman with a Huthi delegation that travelled there specially to see him and that talks went into the wee hours of the morning (Tuesday).The Huthi have agreed. The UN envoy is very supportive of wanting to do this. We are on board, the coalition, so to speak. The Saudis and Emiratis, he said.Kerry also spoke about efforts to set up a new government of national unity in a safe and secure Sanaa... towards the end of the year.The key is now to get everybody on board, he said, adding that it was now essential to implement a UN peace roadmap drawn up by special envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed.The Hadi government has already rejected it, saying it would reward the Huthis.We have to have the final pieces, but Im very hopeful that this can really come together, and has the potential to be a real turning point in this conflict, providing that everybody does their part, Kerry added.Meanwhile, heavy clashes between rebels and government forces on Tuesday in Yemens southwestern city of Taez killed 39 people, five of them civilians, and wounded dozens, military sources said.

Hundreds of New York students protest outside Trump Tower

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NEW YORK (AFP) - Hundreds of high school students demonstrated in New York Tuesday morning outside Trump Tower in the pouring rain as the president-elect was inside fleshing out his new administration.No Ku Klux Klan, no fascists, no racists the students from Manhattan and Queens shouted in turn, alternating their cries with: Say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here.In Washington, several hundred high school students marched on the Mall, the grassy esplanade that runs from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial, heading toward the White House.The protests came one day after hundreds of students walked out of classrooms to rally against Donald Trumps election in Portland, Oregon; Silver Spring, Maryland; and Los Angeles.We are showing people that what Donald Trump says and his rhetoric -- its not okay even though he was elected president, said Grace, a 17-year-old who declined to give her last name.Trump Tower has been the focus of protests every day since the New York billionaires election a week ago.Grace said they were a reminder to local officials that just because Trump is elected does not mean the policies he talked about during the election have to go through.Some in the crowd shouted My body my choice, giving voice to concerns about reverses on womens rights to abortion under Trump, who has vowed to put pro-life justices on the high court.Soon after he takes office, Trump will get to fill a Supreme Court vacancy created by the death of arch conservative justice Antonin Scalia last February.A womans right to end a pregnancy was established under the Supreme Courts landmark 1973 Roe v Wade decision. If a more conservative court overturns it, it would fall to individual states to decide whether to allow abortions.Being in NYC it wont really affect us but it will affect a lot of people in other states that dont have the same privilege, Greta, age 17, told AFP.Another protester told AFP she hoped the US system of using an electoral college to elect presidents could be changed. Trump won the White House by picking up the most electoral -- even though rival Hillary Clintons lead in the popular vote.As she spoke, a man passing by on the wet pavement gave her group of friends the finger.Protests have been held daily across the United States since Trump won last Tuesdays election.Dozens of police stood guard around Trump Tower, where Trump has spent most of his time since the election meeting with advisors on his new administration.

100 feared dead in Med after migrant boat capsize

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ROME (AFP) - Around 100 people were missing, feared drowned, in the Mediterranean on Tuesday after a migrant dinghy capsized off Libya, according to rescue teams frantically searching for survivors in darkness and rough seas.German NGO Jugend Rettet, whose boat was at the scene, said 23 survivors had been rescued by an oil tanker which was first to reach the stricken boat.The crews are searching for survivors in the water and recovering dead bodies, it added in a tweet.The survivors and four recovered corpses were transferred from the tanker to the Acquarius, a boat operated by another charity group, SOS Mediterranee.A survivor told one of that organisations staff that the dinghy had begun to sink at 6.00 am, four hours before the tanker arrived.We were 122 on the boat, no children under 15, but there were 10 women travelling with us and only one survived, the survivor was quoted as saying.We waited in the water, taking any floating thing to remain afloat, but most of the people drowned, including my little brother. He was 15.At 10 the tanker came and rescued us. I want to call home to tell them that my brother died.Attempts to find any survivors were continuing but were being hampered by very rough conditions and the chances of finding anyone alive appeared slim.The latest tragedy in the Mediterranean came the day after another incident in which it is feared dozens may have drowned after the sinking of another dinghy, from which there were only 15 survivors.UN refugee agency (UNHCR) officials said Tuesday that dozens of people likely perished before a merchant ship reached that dinghy, which was of a type that normally have had 100-150 passengers packed on board.The survivors were Tuesday onboard Italilan coastguard ship the Diciotti en route for the Sicilian port of Catania.Exactly how many people died will not be known until it arrives but it would be unusual for traffickers to set sail from Libya with as few as 15 people onboard.The coastguard said a total of 298 people were rescued in three operations on Tuesday, taking the total rescued since Saturday to 2,600.The coastguard confirmed the recovery of five corpses on Monday and SOS Mediterranee staff said they had seen another one floating in the water but had been unable to recover it.The migrants rescued by the Aquarius included a large number of minors -- 24 on Monday, including three under five, and 47 on Tuesday.One young boy who was plucked unconscious from the water on Monday was said to be in a stable condition on the Italian island of Lampedusa after being helicoptered off the rescue boat.He had inhaled fuel fumes and sea water but happily we got him in time, said Sarah Giles, one of the on-board doctors working for the Medecins Sans Frontieres charity.He was unconscious for two hours but we were able to stabilise him before he was evacuated.Other survivors, the doctor said, were suffering from symptoms of extreme trauma, hypothermia and intoxication and burns caused by fuel fumes. Many were in a critical condition.Nobody should have to endure such conditions, said Mathias Menge, coordinator of the SOS Mediterranee rescue team.This latest tragedy underlines once more the dangers of the Mediterranean and the pressing need to maintain search and rescue operations throughout the winter.The latest deaths add to a tally of 4,271 mostly African people who have died trying to cross the Mediterranean this year, according to the UN refugee agency.This year is already the deadliest on record for migrants trying to reach Europe with uncertainty about the situation in conflict-torn Libya fuelling a higher volume of departures in difficult weather conditions at the onset of winter.
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