Monday 19 December 2016

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

12 killed as lorry ploughs into Berlin Xmas market

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BERLIN (AFP) - A lorry ploughed into a busy Christmas market in Berlin on Monday, killing at least 12 people and injuring dozens more in what police said was a suspected terror attack.Ambulances and heavily armed police rushed to the area after the vehicle mounted the pavement of the market in a square popular with tourists, in horrific scenes reminiscent of Julys deadly truck attack in the French Riviera city of Nice.I dont want to use the word attack yet, although there are many things pointing to one, Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere told public television.As witnesses described scenes of panic and carnage, police said at least 12 people were killed and 48 others were injured in the incident, which came less than a week before Christmas.Australian Trisha ONeill told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation she was only metres from where the truck smashed into the crowded market.I just saw this huge black truck speeding through the markets crushing so many people and then all the lights went out and everything was destroyed.I could hear screaming and then we all froze. Then suddenly people started to move and lift all the wreckage off people, trying to help whoever was there.ONeill said there was blood and bodies everywhere.A German police spokeswoman told AFP that a man who was apparently driving the truck had been detained while the passenger was dead.Police later identified the passenger as a Polish national. Security sources cited by DPA news agency said that the man behind the wheel was an asylum seeker from Afghanistan or Pakistan who arrived in Germany in February. The daily Tagesspiegel said the man was known to police but for minor crimes, not links to terrorism.The Polish owner of the lorry confirmed his driver was missing.We havent heard from him since this afternoon. We dont know what happened to him. Hes my cousin, Ive known him since I was a kid. I can vouch for him, transport company owner Ariel Zurawski told AFP.Lukasz Wasik of the same company said contact was lost with the 37-year old at around 3 pm (1400 GMT).German authorities said there was no indication of further dangerous situations in the city near Breitscheidplatz, where the suspected attack took place.We are investigating whether it was a terror attack but do not yet know what was behind it, a police spokesman said.Chancellor Angela Merkel reacted quickly to the incident, with spokesman Steffen Seibert tweeting: We mourn the dead and hope that the many people injured can be helped.Traditional Christmas markets are popular in cities and towns throughout Germany and have frequently been mentioned by security services as potentially vulnerable to attacks.Its awful. We were in Berlin for Christmas, said American tourist Kathy Forbes. We also thought it would be safer than Paris.The crash happened in the shadow of the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church whose damage in a World War II bombing raid has been preserved as a reminder of the horrors of war for future generations.The square is at the end of the Kurfuerstendamm boulevard, which was packed with holiday shoppers.Police said the truck made it as far as 80 metres (yards) into the Christmas market before it came to a halt. Europe has been on high alert for most of 2016, with terror attacks striking Paris and Brussels, while Germany has been hit by several assaults claimed by the Islamic State group and carried out by asylum-seekers.An axe rampage on a train in the southern state of Bavaria in July wounded five people, and a suicide bombing left 15 people injured in the same state six days later. In another case, a 16-year-old German-Moroccan girl in February stabbed a police officer in the neck with a kitchen knife, wounding him badly, allegedly on IS orders.The arrival of 890,000 refugees last year has polarised Germany, with critics calling the influx a serious security threat.The attack in Berlin comes five months after Tunisian extremist Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel ploughed a truck into a crowd on the Nice seafront, killing 86 people.In response to the suspected attack in Berlin, France beefed up security at its own Christmas markets.The French share in the mourning of the Germans in the face of this tragedy that has hit all of Europe, President Francois Hollande said.The Nice bloodshed -- as people were watching a fireworks display on the Bastille Day holiday on July 14 -- further traumatised a France already reeling from a series of jihadist attacks.The United States labelled Mondays incident an apparent terrorist attack and pledged its support.President-elect Donald Trump blamed Islamist terrorists for a slaughter of Christians in the German capital.

Olympics: Bolt, Phelps cap era of excellence

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LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps towered over the 2016 Rio Games, capping an era of sustained excellence that promises to reverberate through the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and beyond.From Beijing in 2008 through London 2012 and, finally, in Rio, Bolt and Phelps captivated both die-hard fans of their sports and casual spectators attracted like moths to the Olympic flame.More importantly, they inspired a legion of young competitors determined to flourish on sports biggest stage even as Olympic officials grapple with soaring costs, corruption and the ever-present spectre of doping.Its not even once in a generation -- it may be once in 10 generations that someone like Michael comes along, said Bob Bowman, the coach who nurtured Phelps from an age-group phenomenon to an Olympic superstar whose five gold medals in Rio took his already stunning tally to 23 gold among a total of 28.The same could be said of Bolt, who has dominated in the tests of speed that are the quintessential sporting contests, maintaining his supremacy over an unprecedented span of years.Ive proven to the world Im the greatest, declared the ebullient Jamaican, who preens and poses with the same unabashed ardor with which he raced to three Olympic sprint trebles.Both Bolt and Phelps presaged their mature exploits with precocious Olympics appearances, Phelps as a 15-year-old contesting the 200m butterfly in 2000, and Bolt, at 17, finishing fifth in his heat in the 200m in 2004.By those Games in Athens in 2004, Phelps was already challenging Mark Spitzs record of seven titles at one Games, coming away with six golds and two bronze.In Beijing Phelps cemented his place among Games greats with a perfect eight golds in eight events at the Water Cube while Bolt electrified the Birds Nest stadium with his 100m, 200m and 4x100m sprint triumphs.From Beijing on they were linked in Games lore, each adding to his legacy in 2012 -- Bolt with another sprint sweep and Phelps with four more gold to add to his staggering tally of Olympic medals.Although a burned-out Phelps flirted with retirement after London, it was fitting that his decision to return for one last, fifth, campaign, saw him bow out at the same time as Bolt.The Jamaicans unprecedented third sweep of the 100m, 200m and 4x100m means debate will rage loud and long as to which can claim the status of greatest Olympian.Already in Rio, dozens of rising swimming stars cited Phelps as their inspiration.That included Singapores Joseph Schooling, who bested his idol in the 100m butterfly to claim his countrys first-ever Olympic gold in any sport, and Adam Peaty, who twice broke his own 100m breaststroke world record to become the first British man in 28 years to win Olympic swimming gold.No matter what country you swim for, youre indebted to Michael Phelps, US backstroker Ryan Murphy said. Hes opened a lot of doors for all of us.Bolts influence is just as broad.I will say that it is an absolute pleasure to be able to compete in the same era as Usain Bolt, said Americas two-time Olympic decathlon gold medalist Ashton Eaton.Eaton isnt among the doom-sayers worried that Bolts departure from the track -- after an extended victory lap in 2017 -- will leave a void that cant be filled.I really disagree hell leave a vacuum, Eaton said. If anything, hes provided a platform for all the other young, aspiring athletes to launch from.Just now were not seeing the fruits of his accomplishments and labor, but I think in the years to come youll see a lot of young athletes wholl say I got inspired by Usain Bolt.When I got inspired by Michael Johnson I was eight years old and I didnt start coming into fruition in track until I was 18, Eaton said, so give it a decade.

Pakistan buoyed after unnerving Aussies

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BRISBANE (AFP) - Pakistan are looking with renewed confidence to the remaining two Tests in the series after taking Australia to the brink at the Gabba, skipper Misbah-ul-Haq said on Monday.Misbahs men went down with all guns blazing by just 39 runs after chasing a world record 490 runs in the day-night first Test to raise their hopes of coming from behind to win their first-ever series in Australia.Propelled by a magnificent 137 from Asad Shafiq over five-and-a-half hours, the Australians were fearing the worst until claiming the last two wickets late in the first session on the final day.Misbah, the 42-year-old team elder, said the brave performance had fortified his team ahead of the second Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, starting on Boxing Day, December 26.As the skipper I am happy to see the team play like that, he said.Chasing 490 in the last innings after 142 in the first, the character of all the batsmen showed. That was wonderful. I think it has set the tone for the series.There were a lot of positives for us, especially in Australia where batting is the main problem for us. Now we are looking forward and are confident ahead of the next two Test matches.Misbah, who struggled batting under lights in the night sessions with scores of four and five, reserved special praise for Shafiqs heroic innings.That is one of the classiest innings I have seen. In the context of the game, the way he handled the pressure playing with the tail, he made a match out of nothing, he said.Pakistan yet again illustrated their mercurial ability to surprise after posting a miserable 142 to trail by 287 on the first innings.It is a totally different scenario when you start your innings with a new ball under lights, Misbah said.They got through us, but in the second innings we showed courage to survive the initial burst with the new ball, then they played their shots.The mindset was positive. We wanted to score runs, everyone was determined, they showed character and it changed the whole scenario.Misbah said Pakistan, who play all of their games away from their homeland amid security fears, were mentally tough after playing six years together.Playing away all the time from friends, family, everybody, that is difficult for any player and that can sometimes burn a player, mentally they are tired, he said.But overall this team is experienced enough now after playing together for six years, you could say it is a settled team.They are capable of playing in any conditions because they are mentally tough, they understand Test cricket.

Thousands leave Aleppo as UN plans new peace talks

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ALEPPO (AFP) - Thousands of traumatised Syrians left the rebel enclave of Aleppo Monday as the UN voted to deploy observers there and said it planned new peace talks in Geneva in February.It is the intention of the United Nations to convene those negotiations in Geneva on 8 February 2017, UN envoy Staffan de Mistura said after the Security Council unanimously adopted a French-drafted resolution to monitor evacuations from Aleppo, with Russias backing.But in Moscow, President Vladimir Putin said after Russian ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov was shot dead by a policeman in Ankara that the killing could disrupt the peace process in Syria and harm Turkish-Russian ties.Damascus denounced the despicable murder of Karlov, who a witness said was shot dead by a gunman who shouted Aleppo and revenge.James Nixey, head of the Russia and Eurasia programme at think tank Chatham House, said the diplomats murder could affect Aleppo evacuations.Families in Aleppo had spent hours waiting in below-freezing temperatures, sheltering from the rain in bombed-out apartment blocks and waiting desperately for news of a new wave of departures.After an agonising delay, the operation resumed under a complex agreement that will see regime forces exert full control over Syrias second city.Buses transported more than 7,000 people out of the city, said Ingy Sedky, spokeswoman for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).She said the evacuations were expected to continue overnight.There are still thousands -- its a huge crowd, women, children, she said.The evacuees included seven-year-old Bana al-Abed, whose Twitter account had offered a tragic account of Syrias nearly six-year war, as well as 47 children who had been trapped in an orphanage.Ahmad al-Dbis, who heads a team of doctors and volunteers coordinating evacuations, saw dozens of buses and ambulances arrive at the staging ground west of Aleppo.He said the evacuees were in a very bad state after waiting for more than 16 hours at a regime checkpoint without being allowed off the vehicles.The government had suspended evacuations on Friday, insisting that people also be allowed to leave two northwestern villages under rebel siege.The ICRC and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said around 500 people left in a dawn convoy out of Fuaa and Kafraya.The Britain-based Observatory said at least 14,000 people, including 4,000 rebels, have left the opposition sector since the evacuations began on Thursday while at least 7,000 remain.A rebel representative said hundreds of people would also be evacuated from Zabadani and Madaya, two army-besieged rebel towns near the border with Lebanon, as part of the deal.Dbis said the Aleppo evacuees departure was delayed for hours in sub-zero temperatures, compounding their plight from months of siege and army bombardment.They hadnt eaten, they had nothing to drink, the children had caught colds, they were not even able to go to the toilet, he said.He described families wrapped in several layers of coats getting off the buses, which then headed back to Aleppo to bring out more.The UNs children agency UNICEF said some of the children rescued from the orphanage were in critical condition because of injuries and dehydration.Many vulnerable children -- including other orphans and children separated from their families -- still remain in east Aleppo and need immediate protection, it said.The Humanitarian Relief Foundation, a Turkish NGO working in Syria, said blogger Bana, 7, had arrived at a camp for displaced persons in the northwest province of Idlib.The Turkish news agency Anadolu posted a short interview with the girl, dressed in a warm coat and hat against the winter chill.In Aleppo the shelling was all over the place. We got out from the ruins because our house was bombed, she said shyly in Arabic.Residents of east Aleppo -- a rebel bastion since 2012 -- had already lived under four months of suffocating siege when Syrias army began its blistering assault in mid-November to retake the whole city.The people we are welcoming have been through hell -- the level of trauma they have experienced is impossible to describe or comprehend, said Casey Harrity of the international NGO Mercy Corps.In an 11th-hour deal, regime ally Moscow and rebel supporter Ankara agreed on the evacuation of thousands of civilians and fighters from the last remaining opposition-held pocket in Aleppo.Moscow, which has carried out an air war in support of the Syrian regime since September 2015, had threatened to veto the Security Council draft resolution calling for monitors to oversee the protection of civilians.But on Monday, the council unanimously adopted the French-drafted text in the first show of unity in months among world powers grappling with the crisis.The measure tasks the UN with carrying out adequate, neutral monitoring and direct observation on evacuations from eastern Aleppo and other districts of the city.The foreign and defence ministers of Russia, Turkey and Iran are set to meet in Moscow on Tuesday to discuss Syria.

Trump vows to wipe out 'terrorists'

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - President-elect Donald Trump vowed Monday, a month before he takes office, to wipe terrorists off the face of the Earth, after a series of high-profile attacks in Germany, Turkey and Switzerland.German police have so far spoken of a possible terror attack after a truck plowed through a crowd, killing at least 12 and injuring dozens more in scenes reminiscent of Julys deadly truck attack in the French city of Nice.But still, Trump condemned the horrifying terror attack.ISIS and other Islamist terrorists continually slaughter Christians in their communities and places of worship as part of their global jihad, he added, referring to the Islamic State group.Trump then promised: These terrorists and their regional and worldwide networks must be eradicated from the face of the Earth, a mission we will carry out with all freedom-loving partners.In Ankara, a policeman shot dead Russias ambassador to Turkey. Trump called the gunman a radical Islamic terrorist.The shooting, during which the gunman shouted Aleppo and Allahu akbar (God is great), occurred on the eve of a key meeting in Moscow between the Russian, Turkish and Iranian foreign ministers on the Syrian conflict.Protesters in Turkey have held Moscow responsible for human rights violations in Aleppo, with thousands protesting outside the Russian consulate in Istanbul.Turkey and Russia stand on opposite sides of the Syria conflict with Ankara backing rebels trying to topple Moscows ally President Bashar al-Assad.But the rhetoric has warmed considerably since a reconciliation deal was signed earlier this year and a Russian and Turkish-brokered accord has helped the evacuation of citizens from Aleppo in the last days.As a billionaire real estate investor, Trump has curried favor with Moscow through his business dealings over the decades.His pro-Russia views came under increasing scrutiny in 2015 as he opened his ultimately successful White House campaign, as he has brushed off reports of brutality and repression by Vladimir Putins Kremlin.Those ties are coming under fire after US intelligence agencies found that Russia had tried to sway the US election via a cyber hack. At the same time, relations between the former Cold War foes are at a very low point.In Switzerland, a man burst into a Muslim prayer hall, shooting and wounded three men.Witnesses had described the shooter as a man aged around 30 wearing dark clothes and a dark woollen cap.A number of Swiss mosques, including one near Zurich and the main one in Geneva, have in recent months been accused in media of allowing or encouraging the radicalization of their worshippers, especially the younger members of their congregations.Today there were terror attacks in Turkey, Switzerland and Germany - and it is only getting worse. The civilized world must change thinking Trump concluded on Twitter.

49 dead in Siberia after drinking toxic bath essence

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MOSCOW (AFP) - A Russian city declared a state of emergency Monday after 49 people seeking cheap alcohol died after drinking bath essence containing methanol, a toxic substance used in anti-freeze.The countrys Investigative Committee, a powerful panel of inquiry, has launched a probe into the deaths in the Siberian city of Irkutsk caused by drinking the liquid, labelled as hawthorn-scented bath essence, and has detained several people. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the deaths a tragedy that required very close attention. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev ordered his cabinet to sort out the problem of selling such alcoholic products not intended for drinking -- often labelled as cosmetics -- to impoverished alcoholics. Medvedev called their widespread sale through vending machines, which takes place in cities including Moscow, an absolute disgrace.Dozens of people were taken to hospital in the Siberian city of Irkutsk about 4,200 kilometres (2,600 miles) from Moscow after consuming the toxic substance, investigators said.An employee of the local prosecutors office Alexander Semyonov told Russian agencies that 57 people were known to have consumed the liquid, 49 of whom have died, while the others were in a serious condition. The official death toll grew by 20 people over the course of a few hours on Monday.Authorities were still searching places where the essence could have been ingested. The product was sold for 40 rubles (65 US cents) for a 25 ml (0.8 fluid ounces) bottle.The victims were between 35 and 50 years old, authorities said.Irkutsk mayor Dmitry Berdnikov imposed a state of emergency in the city, pledging to uncover and punish the perpetrators and inform the public to prevent any further poisoning, the City Hall said on its website.The city also halted sales of non-potable and uncertified alcohol products in the city, and municipal workers were going door to door and checking places where homeless people were known to gather, it said.Police uncovered a workshop producing the hawthorn-scented liquid as well as various brands of counterfeit vodka on the outskirts of Irkutsk, detaining its two owners. Five people suspected of selling the substance were also detained.Authorities said the product contained methanol and carried a label warning that it was unsuitable for consumption, but the mixture was nonetheless consumed like alcohol.Cheap perfumes and facial toners containing alcohol are sold without the same trading restrictions imposed on alcoholic drinks.Those who buy them to drink are usually the most socially disadvantaged.Searches were being conducted at markets where the deadly product was being sold, investigators said, and a total of 500 litres (110 UK gallons, 132 US gallons) of the toxic liquid confiscated.Homemade spirits and household products containing alcohol are popular throughout the former Soviet Union as a cheap alternative to standard brands, but are also blamed for a large number of alcohol-related deaths.

Karachi: Three accused arrested in police operation

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – Crackdown against criminal elements under National Action Plan (NAP) continues in Karachi as three more accused were taken into custody during police operation in the city on Monday, Dunya News reported.According to details, police conducted an operation in Super Market in Liaquatabad area of Karachi and apprehended three accused. Police also recovered drugs from the arrested accused who were identified as Sami, Muzammil and Danish.Police sources said that the arrested accused were involved in several cases of street crimes and drug peddling. Further investigation is going on.Separately, some unidentified persons opened fire at a car in Bhanse Colony area and wounded two people. The injured were identified as Sajid and Naseem.

Chinese delegation calls on PM Nawaz

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - A Chinese delegation headed by Zheng Xiaosong, Vice Minister of International Department of the Central Committee of Communist Party of China, called on Prime Minister Nawaz at the PM House on Monday and discussed bilateral issues.Talking to the delegation PM Nawaz said that China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and its related projects symbolized the people-centric approach of the two countries.The Prime Minister further said that the CPEC has transformed the friendly relations between Pakistan and China into a strong economic partnership. PM Nawaz further said that Pakistan remained committed to fighting terrorism in all its forms. He said that the war against terrorism would be taken to its logical end and the terrorists’ backbone had already been broken.Speaking on the occasion, Zheng Xiaosong said that China-Pakistan friendship has entered into a new phase during the present government in Pakistan.PM Nawaz daughter, Maryam Nawaz, also attended the meeting on the request of visiting delegation. The Chinese delegation also invited Maryam Nawaz to visit China upon which the PM said that she will visit China in 2017.

Photographer gets praise for showing courage during shooting

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ANKARA (Web Desk) - Associated Press (AP) photographerBurhan Ozbilici was praised on Twitter for showing courage as he was not afraid to do his job when RussianAmbassador Andrey Karlov was shot on Monday.Andrey Karlov was talking to media when a Turkish police officer gunned him down and started shouting. The assailant was screaming about Syria and revenge while Russian ambassador lied on the floor.People were running all over the place as assailant pointed his weapon straight towards the people in front of him. But it did not stop the courageous photographer Burhan Ozbilici from doing his job.Ozbilici clicked kept clicking photos, which were spread on the social media. People were amazed to see the courage shown by the photographer.Ozbilici said while talking to AP, The event was routine enough — the opening of an exhibit of photographs of Russia — and when a man on stage pulled out a gun I thought it was a theatrical flourish. It was anything but. Moments later the Russian ambassador was sprawled on the floor and the attacker was waving his gun at the rest of us, shouting slogans.He added, Guests ran for cover, hiding behind columns and under tables. I composed myself enough to shoot pictures.Following are some tweets, done by people to praise the courageous photographer.AP photographer Burhan Ozbilici continued his work in the face of this. pic.twitter.com/mGdH37ZMei— Micah Grimes (@MicahGrimes) December 19, 2016 What bravery APs @BurhanOzbilici showed to capture those photos. Wire staff very often unsung and very often the heroes of this trade. pic.twitter.com/JYpXbrxIUm— Barry Malone (@malonebarry) December 19, 2016 AP photographer Burhan Ozbilici with a late entry for photo of the year. The courage to take this simply remarkable. https://t.co/N8PvCzh9DR— Dan Stewart (@thatdanstewart) December 19, 2016 AP photographer continued filing, didnt flee while a gunman assassinated the Russian Ambassador to Turkey. https://t.co/0j78Lg5wOJ— Brooke Wylie (@brookewylie) December 19, 2016 Awed by the courage of the photographer who captured this terrifying shot https://t.co/7ux2Z5rU8c (Credit: Burhan Ozbilici/AP) pic.twitter.com/1vS475mtJQ— Hiroko Tabuchi (@HirokoTabuchi) December 19, 2016 My goodness. Photo by AP photographer @BurhanOzbilici in Ankara. pic.twitter.com/uBa65KMNmS— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) December 19, 2016

BZU students end sit-in after negotiations with administration

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LAHORE (Dunya News) - The students of Bahauddin Zakria University (BZU) Lahore Campus ended their sit-in on Monday after successful negotiations with university administration, reported Dunya News.Medical and engineering students were protesting for not getting their degrees and blocked the canal road, which caused a traffic jam.The students said that their degrees were not accepted, which was affecting their future. After successful negotiation, contingent of five students will meet university administration.

IMF chief Lagarde found guilty over French tycoon payment

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PARIS (AFP) - A French court on Monday found IMF head Christine Lagarde guilty of negligence over a massive state payout to a tycoon when she was French finance minister, but she will continue to lead the fund.Lagarde was spared her a fine or prison sentence, and the International Monetary Fund board meeting in Washington said it retains full confidence in her ability to continue to lead the organization.Speaking to reporters in Washington, Lagarde said she was not happy with the court ruling, even though she faces no penalty, but would not appeal.I am not satisfied, but there comes a point in time when one just has to stop, turn the page, and move on and continue to work with those who have put their trust in me, Lagarde said, calling the process a painful one.A special court in Paris found against Lagarde over her handling of a dispute between the state and flamboyant businessman Bernard Tapie, which ended in a 404-million-euro ($422 million) award for Tapie.The court rapped Lagarde for failing to contest the massive payment, which was linked to Tapies sale of the Adidas sportswear brand to Credit Lyonnais bank.However, the court exempted her from any penalty, citing her international reputation and the fact that at the time of the events in 2008 she was busy fighting a global financial inferno.The high-flying 60-year-old former corporate lawyer became the first female IMF chief in 2011, succeeding her disgraced compatriot Dominique Strauss-Kahn. And despite her legal troubles she was reappointed in February to a second five-year term.The IMF executive board, which represents the 189 member countries, met on Monday in the wake of the court decision, and said it reaffirms its full confidence in the managing directors ability to continue to effectively carry out her duties, and will continue to work with her to address the difficult challenges facing the global economy.The French government expressed continued support for Lagarde, saying it retained its utmost confidence in her capacity to carry out her responsibilities.US Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew issued a statement of support immediately after the IMF board decision, calling her a strong leader of the IMF and praising her ability to guide the Fund at a critical time for the global economy.Lagarde was tried over her decision to allow the long-running dispute over Tapies sale of Adidas to be resolved by a private arbitration panel instead of by the courts, and her failure to contest the staggering amount of the resulting award. An investigation later showed the arbitration to be fraudulent. Tapie, who was later ordered to pay back the money, is among six people charged with fraud in a separate criminal case, along with the boss of Orange telecoms company, Stephane Richard, a former aide to Lagarde.Lagardes case was heard by the Court of Justice of the Republic -- a tribunal of judges and members of parliament that hears cases against ministers accused of wrongdoing in office. The punishment for negligence theoretically carried a one-year prison sentence and a 15,000-euro ($15,676) fine.Lagarde told the court during her five-day trial last week she had acted in good faith.My sole aim was to defend the general interest, she said, a sentiment she repeated in her statement in Washington.The court noted however that her inaction allowed Tapie and his wife to pocket 45 million euros in moral damages for alleged emotional harm.Lagardes voice cracked with emotion as she said on Friday that the case had put her family -- she is the mother of two sons -- through a testing time.Prosecutor Jean-Claude Marin had described the evidence as very weak and said he was opposed to a guilty finding.Coming in the middle of the global financial crisis, the payout to Tapie, a supporter of Lagardes then boss, ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy, caused shock in France.Tapie had sold Adidas to Credit Lyonnais for the equivalent of 315.5 million euros in 1993. The bank sold it on the following year for 701 million euros, prompting claims from Tapie that he had been cheated.Lagarde, who was a relative newcomer to government at the time, told the court she had been busy with the financial crisis and that the arbitration process was not a priority at the time.The risk of fraud completely escaped me, she said.Lagarde has won plaudits for her performance as IMF managing director and has been a key player in bailout negotiations for Greece.She has also worked to reform the US- and Europe-dominated institution to reflect the growing global economic power of big emerging market economies, especially China.Her trial landed the IMF back in the headlines for alleged wrongdoing by its bosses, five years after Lagarde was chosen to succeed Strauss-Kahn when he resigned to fight sexual assault charges. His case was later dropped and a civil case was settled out of court.

Lahore: PFA seizes 6000kg unhygienic meat

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LAHORE (Dunya News) – The crackdown of Punjab Food Authority (PFA) against traders selling meat of sick and dead animals in Lahore continues as PFA teams seized 6000kg unhygienic meat during an operation in Tollinton Market on Monday, Dunya News reported.The Punjab Food Authority officials also sealed nine shops in the market for selling meat of sick and dead animals. The PFA officials also sealed a boiler used for boiling chicken wings and intestines.According to Food Safety Officer, Tahira Kalsoom, more than 7000kg unhealthy meat was destroyed during an operation in the Tollinton Market last week. She further said that the sale of unhygienic meat was ongoing in the market despite assurance from the officials of the Tollinton Market Union.

CJ disappointed over judiciary system and lawyers' performance

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HYDERABAD (Dunya News) - Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Anwar Zaheer Jamali said on Monday that he was disappointed by the judiciary system and performance of lawyers, reported Dunya News.CJP was in Hyderabad where he was given farewell by Hyderabad High Court Bar Association. He said that he had started his career from same city 40 years back and lawyers were more capable back then.He said that lawyers should work hard and with full devotion to fulfill the expectations of their clients. He said that judiciary system is facing problems nowadays but judges are being selected on merit.

Karachi: 3 injured in MQM Pakistan, London workers clash

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – According to details, workers of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Pakistan and London came face to face at Arif Flate area near Nagan Chaurangi in Karachi on Monday, Dunya News reported.Workers of both factions of MQM raised slogans against each other and also resorted to aerial firing. Sticks and iron rods were also used during the clash during which three people were wounded, including UC chairman Mushtaq.Police reached the spot and dispersed the warring workers of both factions of MQM and shifted the injured to hospital.

PTI, PPP agree to join hands in Parliament

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) have agreed to join hands against government in the Parliament, Dunya News reported.Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that there is consensus between PTI and PPP on issues of Panama Leaks, Ch Nisar and PPP’s four points. He further said that forming an alliance in the Parliament against the government depends on the conduct of PPP. Shah Mehmood Qureshi further said that both PTI and PPP will give tough time to government in the Parliament.
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