Tuesday 27 December 2016

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Kerry to offer US vision of Israel-Palestinian peace Wednesday

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - US Secretary of State John Kerry will offer a comprehensive vision of how to revive the Israel-Palestinian peace process in a major speech on Wednesday.President Barack Obamas administration, including Kerry, is to leave office in four weeks and last week gravely offended Israel by failing to veto a critical UN resolution.But US officials said they plan to keep pushing both Israel and the Palestinian leadership to take concrete steps to revive talks on a two-state solution to the conflict.Toner said Kerry believes it is his duty in his remaining weeks and days as secretary of state to lay out what he believes is a way towards a two-state solution.Its always important to keep the process moving forward, Toner said. We havent given up on this and we dont think the Israelis and Palestinians should do either. Officials said Kerry would make the speech to an invited audience, including the Washington diplomatic corps, at the State Department.On Friday, in a historic move, the United States failed to veto a UN Security Council resolution condemning its ally Israels building of settlements on occupied Palestinian land.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government and many of Israels supporters in Washington reacted with fury and accused Obama of working behind the scenes to betray them.US President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office on January 20, has signalled he will take a softer line on Israeli settlement building by promising to move the US embassy to Jerusalem.He has also nominated as US ambassador to Israel an American Jewish lawyer known as a strong supporter of the settlement movement.

Romania's first female, Muslim PM rejected

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BUCHAREST (AFP) - Romanias president sparked fresh political turmoil Tuesday after blocking a proposal by the leftist party that won elections this month to appoint the EU countrys first female and first Muslim prime minister.Klaus Iohannis gave no reasons for his rejection of Sevil Shhaideh, put forward by the Social Democrats (PSD), but there was speculation that it was due to her Syrian husbands background.I have properly analysed the arguments for and against and I have decided not to accept this proposal, the president told reporters, calling on the PSD to make another proposal.Shhaideh, 52, who has only five months ministerial experience, is from Romanias small and long-established Turkish minority, but her Muslim faith is not thought to have been the problem. Instead the focus was likely on her husband, 54, who worked in the Syrian agriculture ministry for 20 years before emigrating to Romania in 2011 and marrying Shhaideh the same year, according to the PSD.Non-profit investigative journalism group the Rise Project said that he has several times expressed his support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and for Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah.Website HotNews cited unnamed sources as saying that the security services had strongly cautioned against Shhaidehs nomination because of the closeness of her husband and his two brothers to the Assad regime.This might have made giving Shhaideh the necessary security clearances to be the NATO members prime minister problematic.I suppose that his rejection is linked to questions of national security and because the United States would not have been very keen, political analyst Andrei Taranu told AFP.The PSD had proposed the previously little-known Shhaideh after its thumping poll victory on December 11 when it won 45 percent of the vote, enough to form a majority coalition with its partners ALDE.The leader of the PSD, Liviu Dragnea, had withdrawn his own bid to become prime minister because of a conviction that bars him from office.Shhaidehs personal closeness to Dragnea -- he was a witness at her wedding -- has led to accusations that he will remain in charge behind the scenes.On Tuesday after her rejection, Dragnea said the PSD was considering its options including moving to suspend Iohannis or going to the constitutional court.In our opinion the president is determined to set off a political crisis, Dragnea said. If our conclusion is that it is in the countrys interest to suspend Mr Iohannis, I wont hesitate.However, Taranu said that any attempt by the PSD to remove the head of state was problematic because Iohannis is entitled to request a second proposal for premier.The PSDs election triumph came barely a year since anger over a deadly nightclub fire that killed 64 people forced it from office.The inferno was blamed on corruption -- something Brussels has long complained about since Romania joined the EU in 2007.But during the campaign Dragnea focused instead on the economy, vowing to boost salaries and pensions in the EUs second-poorest country.

40 killed in Yemen anti-rebel offensive: army

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ADEN (AFP) - At least 28 Huthi insurgents and 12 Yemeni soldiers were killed Tuesday in the southern province of Shabwa as government forces pushed to capture a rebel enclave, military officials said.The fighting flared when forces loyal to President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi attacked rebels in Bayhan district, on the border between Shabwa and Marib provinces.Bayhan is the only part of Shabwa province still controlled by the Iran-backed rebels after government forces supported by the Saudi-led Arab coalition last year expelled them from five southern provinces.The death toll of the Huthis has reached 28 while 12 soldiers of the legitimate forces were killed, a military official said.Military officials said government forces backed by coalition warplanes drove the rebels out of several positions in the area, adding that 14 insurgents were also captured.The Yemen conflict has killed some 7,000 people since the Saudi-led intervention in March 2015, according to the United Nations.The coalition began the military campaign against the rebels after they closed in on Hadi in his refuge in the southern city of Aden, forcing him to flee to Riyadh.The rebels and allied renegade troops loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh continue to control the capital Sanaa, which they overran in September 2014, along with several mainly northern regions.

Pakistan declare at 443-9 in Australia Test

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MELBOURNE (AFP) - Pakistan declared at 443 for nine in their first innings with Azhar Ali unbeaten on 205 shortly after lunch on the third day of the second Test against Australia in Melbourne on Wednesday.Skipper Misbah-ul-Haq called a halt when Wahab Riaz was caught and bowled by Josh Hazlewood for one.Azhar Ali hit the highest score by a Pakistan batsman in Australia as the tourists pounded the home bowlers on the third day of the second Test in Melbourne on Wednesday.Azhar passed Majid Khans previous highest score of 158 posted in Melbourne 44 years ago with a four through the slips cordon off Josh Hazlewood.At lunch, the tourists were 433 for seven with Azhar unconquered on 196 off 354 balls with recalled pace bowler Sohail Khan hitting out for an unbeaten 65.The pair plastered the Australian attack in an beaten run-a-ball stand of 116 that the home side seemed incapable of stopping as the tourists looked to set up a declaration. It was Azhars 12th Test century in his 56th Test and third against Australia and took his aggregate for the calendar year to 1,146 runs at 63.66.In October, Azhar joined a select club of batsmen with an unbeaten 302 against the West Indies in Dubai and became the first batsman in day-night Test cricket to achieve a triple century.It was also the fourth triple hundred by a Pakistani batsman.Mohammad Amir was the only batsman out in the first session, caught down leg-side by wicketkeeper Matthew Wade off Mitchell Starc for 29 off 27 balls.Amir, who cracked six boundaries in his breezy knock, put on 49 runs for the seventh wicket with Azhar.Sohail Khan, brought in for Rahat Ali in the only change from the Gabba Test loss, belted four sixes off spinner Nathan Lyon, in a his belligerent cameo -- his highest Test score off as many balls.

Azhar closes on 200 as Pakistan blast Aussie bowlers

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MELBOURNE (AFP) - Azhar Ali hit the highest score by a Pakistan batsman in Australia as the tourists pounded the home bowlers on the third day of the second Test in Melbourne on Wednesday.Azhar passed Majid Khans previous highest score of 158 posted in Melbourne 44 years ago with a four through the slips cordon off Josh Hazlewood.At lunch, the tourists were 433 for seven with Azhar unconquered on 196 off 354 balls with recalled pace bowler Sohail Khan hitting out for an unbeaten 65.The pair plastered the Australian attack in an beaten run-a-ball stand of 116 that the home side seemed incapable of stopping as the tourists looked to set up a declaration. It was Azhars 12th Test century in his 56th Test and third against Australia and took his aggregate for the calendar year to 1,146 runs at 63.66.In October, Azhar joined a select club of batsmen with an unbeaten 302 against the West Indies in Dubai and became the first batsman in day-night Test cricket to achieve a triple century.It was also the fourth triple hundred by a Pakistani batsman.Mohammad Amir was the only batsman out in the first session, caught down leg-side by wicketkeeper Matthew Wade off Mitchell Starc for 29 off 27 balls.Amir, who cracked six boundaries in his breezy knock, put on 49 runs for the seventh wicket with Azhar.Sohail Khan, brought in for Rahat Ali in the only change from the Gabba Test loss, belted four sixes off spinner Nathan Lyon, in a his belligerent cameo -- his highest Test score off as many balls.

Sukkur: 5 killed as coach turned turtle

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SUKKUR (Dunya News) – A speeding coach turned turtle at the National Highway near Sangi area in Sukkur on Tuesday night, killing five passengers and wounding 15 other, Dunya News reported.The ill-fated bus was going to Karachi from Punjab. The women and a minor girl are among the dead.Police and rescue teams reached the spot after the accident and shifted the injured to hospitals in Sukkur and Panu Aqil. Rescue sources said that condition of several injured is very critical.

Multan: 8 suspects arrested in police, intelligence agencies operation

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MULTAN (Dunya News) – According to details, police and intelligence agencies conducted a joint search operation in Seetal Mari and Mumtazabad areas of Multan on Tuesday and apprehended eight suspects.Police spokesman informed media that those who were taken into custody were unable to produce any identity document during search operation. The spokesman further said that narcotics were also recovered from them. The arrested suspects were shifted to some undisclosed location for further investigation.

Kharian: Woman killed, husband and his friend arrest

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KHARIAN (Dunya News) - A woman, who had returned from Germany one week back, was found dead in his husbands friends house on Tuesday, reported Dunya News.Dr. Uzma had returned from Germany and was staying at her husbands friends house, which she was found dead in a suspicious way. The husband and his friend were arrested.According to post martem report, she was killed with a bullet. Her sister revealed that her husband is a drug addict and used to beat their sister.The sister told that Dr Uzma had called them on the previous day and told about the torture. The dead body was handed over to the family after post martem.

Sukheke: Murder accused commits suicide in police station

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SUKHEKE (Dunya News) – According to details, Amir Ali of village Par Massu had killed his sister-in-law and two nieces over a marriage proposal dispute a few days ago. He was arrested by police and locked in Sukheke Police Station.On Tuesday, Amir Ali committed suicide by hanging himself in the police station cell. Police sources said that three officials of the Sukheke Police Station have been suspended on negligence.

Terrorists reveal they were going to attack Rangers office and Rao Anwar

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KARACHI (Dunya News) - Terrorists revealed on Tuesday that they were going to attack SSP Rao Anwar and Rangers offices in Karachi, reported Dunya News.The terrorists, who were arrested from site area disclosed that they were sent by Zainullah, who operates terrorists of banned outfit and he had sent a group of 10 terrorists with weapons and explosives.It was also disclosed that all terrorists had got training from Afghanistan. They had also checked routine of the police bus. Police arrested three terrorists Asmatullah, Zahid and Abdul Rehman few days back.

China wants to work with PM Nawaz on CPEC: Xi Jinping

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Chinese President Xi Jinping has in his letter has extended greetings and good wishes to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on his birthday.Xi Jinping further said that China attaches great importance to economic cooperation with Pakistan and added that he is willing to work with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on the construction of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).The Chinese president said that China will make every possible contribution to the progress of the CPEC project. Xi Jinping also said that he wants to transform the political friendship between China and Pakistan into a tangible development dividend to bring benefits to the peoples of the two countries.

Israel pushing for more settler homes despite UN vote

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JERUSALEM (AFP) - Israel could advance plans this week for thousands more settlement homes in annexed east Jerusalem in defiance of a landmark UN resolution demanding an end to such activity.It would mark the first such approvals since Fridays UN Security Council vote demanding a halt to Israeli settlement building in Palestinian territory.The resolution, which passed after the United States took the rare move of abstaining, infuriated Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who lashed out at President Barack Obama and vowed not to abide by it.On Wednesday, a Jerusalem planning committee is to discuss issuing building permits for 618 housing units in the mainly Palestinian eastern sector of the city, according to the Ir Amim NGO, which monitors settlement building.Jerusalem deputy mayor Meir Turjeman, who also heads the committee, has reportedly also spoken of seeking to advance plans for some 5,600 other units at earlier stages in the process.On Tuesday he told AFP there were no plans to call off discussions in response to the UN vote. The hundreds of building permits were on the agenda before the resolution was passed.Well discuss everything thats on the table in a serious manner, he said.And on his Facebook page Turjeman: Im not concerned by the UN or anything else trying to dictate our actions in Jerusalem.I hope the government and new US administration will give us the momentum to continue and make up for the shortage created over the eight years of the Obama administration, he said of settlement construction.Israel has already taken diplomatic steps in response to what it calls the shameful resolution, which passed with support from all the remaining members of the 15-strong Security Council.On Tuesday, the foreign ministry said it was temporarily reducing visits and work with embassies of nations that voted for it.On Christmas Day it summoned ambassadors of countries that voted for the resolution while Netanyahu met US ambassador Daniel Shapiro on Sunday.Security Council members such as Russia, China and Britain are key to Israeli diplomacy or trade and some analysts suggested the measures being taken were more symbolic than substantive.Washington is Israels most important ally and provides it with more than $3 billion per year in defence aid.By declining to use its veto, the US enabled the adoption of the first UN resolution since 1979 to condemn Israel over its settlement policy.Even as Israel reacted with fury, US Secretary of State John Kerry was preparing to offer a comprehensive vision of how to revive the stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process in a speech on Wednesday.We havent given up on this and we dont think the Israelis and Palestinians should do either, State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters.Obamas administration has been frustrated with settlement building in east Jerusalem and the West Bank, which Israel occupied in 1967.Israel later annexed east Jerusalem in a move never recognised by the international community.Settlements are built on land the Palestinians view as part of their future state and seen as illegal under international law.Some 430,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank and 200,000 Israelis live in east Jerusalem, which Palestinians see as the capital of their future state.US President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office on January 20, has signalled he will take a softer line on Israeli settlement building by promising to move the US embassy to Jerusalem.The UN resolution demands Israel immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem.It says settlements have no legal validity and are dangerously imperilling the viability of the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the basis of years of negotiations.The resolution contains no sanctions but Israeli officials are concerned it could widen the possibility of prosecution at the International Criminal Court.They are also worried it could encourage some countries to impose sanctions against Israeli settlers and goods produced in the settlements.Plans by France to hold an international Middle East peace conference on January 15 -- opposed by Israel which has called for direct talks with the Palestinians -- is another point of concern.Officials fear the conference could be lead to further action against Israel that would then be taken to the Security Council for approval before Donald Trump takes over as US president on January 20.Palestinian leaders support the conference, saying years of negotiations with the Israelis have not ended the occupation.Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on Monday said the UN resolution paves the way for the success of the conference.He said he hopes it comes out with an international mechanism and a timeline to end Israeli occupation of our country.Israeli hardline Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman dubbed the conference a new Dreyfus trial and urged French Jews to move to Israel.

Ronaldo, Santos honoured at Globe Soccer Awards

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DUBAI (AFP) - Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugals Euro 2016-winning coach Fernando Santos scooped the top prizes at the seventh edition of the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai on Tuesday.Ronaldo claimed the best player award after helping his country land their first major title at this years European Championship and firing Real to a record 11th European Cup triumph.Probably (this) was my best year so far, Ronaldo, who earlier this month won the Ballon dOr for the fourth time in his career, said in a short video message.The people still doubt about me, about Real Madrid, about national team, and you have the proof. We win everything, so amazing year, Im so happy.The 62-year-old Santos was named best manager after masterminding Portugals success in France, while Champions League winners Real Madrid took home the prize for club of the year.Paris Saint-Germain coach Unai Emery, under pressure at the Parc des Princes following a mediocre first half of the season, also received an award having led Sevilla to a third straight Europa League crown before leaving for France.Former Cameroon striker Samuel Etoo was lauded for his career achievements.

PM will inaugurate Chashma Nuclear Power Plant Unit-3 today

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ISLAMABAD: (Dunya News) – Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will inaugurate the Chashma Nuclear Power Plant Unit-3 today (Wednesday), Dunya News reported.The power project has been completed by the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission with Chinese assistance. Chashma Power Plant Unit-3 has capacity to produce 340 Mega Watt of electricity which will help to overcome power shortage in the country.Earlier, a meeting of the National Assembly’s standing committee for planning and development was held on Tuesday. Talking to the members of the committee, Atomic Energy Secretary complained that the government was not providing the funds to produce nuclear energy and thus it was impossible to complete the nuclear projects.Talking to the attendants, he also revealed that there was potential for producing 100,000 mega watts hydro electricity in the country.The secretary said that the promise to provide funds for Karachi’s atomic power projects was a mere promise. He said that the projects were seeing delays because of the lack of funds.According to Wapda chairman, projects with the potential of producing 60,000 mega watts have been identified but only 7000 mega watts of electricity was currently being produced.Wapda chairman also said that the foreign donors kept them confused for ten years on Bhasha dam’s financing. He said that there was no land allotted for Dasu dam at all yet five awards were signed for it.

Azhar unfazed by 'boring' tag: Wahab

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MELBOURNE (Agencies) - Azhar Ali made his 12th Test century at the MCG on Tuesday, and Pakistan team-mate Wahab Riaz defended him in the face of prior criticism.Wahab Riaz says Azhar Ali is unconcerned by criticism regarding his scoring rate after the Pakistan batsman made an excellent century against Australia at the MCG on Tuesday.Azhar, resuming on 66 not out, had reached 139 before another rain-affected day was called to a close with the tourists 310-6 batting first.The openers 12th Test century came up off 218 balls, including seven boundaries, and he hit five more fours before the close.Azhars strike rate - 41.50 across 55 Tests before the Boxing Day clash - has attracted negative comments in the past, but Wahab says his team-mate is not affected.Everyone has his own opinion, which could be right or wrong, Wahab said.Azhar has never taken offence over such comments. He knows what he is capable of and what are his skills.He has his own areas where he scores runs. If you look at his strike-rate it is not that slow.So I think we should not bother about what people say. They have their own opinion. Azhar knows where he is good at, how he needs to score runs.Azhar is showing himself as one of the best batsmen Pakistan had.The way he has maintained an average of 46 in the last five years it shows he has scored consistently for Pakistan throughout his career.I wish that he scores more runs and Pakistan continue to benefit from him. He is very determined and focused and always wants to deliver for Pakistan. Thats why his hard work is paying off.
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