Dunya TV News Letter

Dunya TV

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• Iran cancels Pakistan gas pipeline loan
• Karachi violence claims 8 lives
• Two target killers among seven held in Karachi
• D I Khan: By-election in PK-67 today
• City thrash Arsenal 6-3 to throw open title race
• Barca beat Villarreal, Madrid draw at Osasuna
• One dead in Brazil stadium accident: officials
• Golf: Van der Walt wins Mandela Championship
• Badminton: Lee close to record Superseries Finals title
• Bombing and shootings kill 15 in Iraq
• Two UN troops dead in suicide attack in north Mali
• Gaza flooding drives 40,000 from their homes
• Kerry in Vietnam on first visit as top US diplomat
• McCain meets opposition leaders in Ukraine
• McCain meets opposition leaders in Ukraine

Iran cancels Pakistan gas pipeline loan Posted: TEHRAN (AP) - Iran has canceled a planned $500 million loan to Pakistan to build part of a pipeline to bring natural gas from the Islamic Republic.Deputy Oil Minister Ali Majedi said Iran has no obligation to finance the Pakistani side of the project and also doesn't have the money.Iran has already invested over $2 billion to construct the Iranian side of the pipeline. But there are serious doubts about how Pakistan could finance the $2 billion needed to construct the pipeline on its territory. Iran's former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had pledged the loan.Pakistan has welcomed an Iranian offer to approach third parties, including European companies, to finance the project.Pakistani officials were told in recent talks that, given the sanctions, Iran is not able to finance construction of the pipeline (in Pakistan) and has no obligation to do so, he said. His comments were posted on the oil ministry's website, shana.ir, Saturday.Majedi complained that Pakistan has done little to construct its own section of the project. Under a valid contract, Pakistan is required to finish construction of the pipeline on its territory by the end of 2014.If a contractor is chosen today and pipeline construction begins today, it will take four years to complete it. Should Pakistan fail to take gas by the end of next year, Iran will demand compensation under the terms of the contract, he said.The Iran-Pakistan pipeline is designed to help Pakistan overcome its mushrooming energy needs. Pakistanis experience frequent blackouts.The U.S. has opposed the project but leaders of both Iran and Pakistan have vowed to implement what they refer to as the peace pipeline.

Karachi violence claims 8 lives Posted: KARACHI (Dunya News) – According to details, some unidentified persons riding on motorcycle opened fire and shot dead two people in Gulistan Jauhar.A man identified as Abdul Maalik was shot dead in Chakiwara area of Lyari while firing incident claimed life of another man in Gulshan Maymar. The deceased was identified as Ghulam Abbas.Police have also recovered a dead body from Malir Stream in Shah Faisal Colony while a mutilated body of a woman was recovered from Rahri Goth in Landhi area.In yet another incident of firing, a young girl was killed and her father received wound in Gulistan Jauhar Block-12 area while a dead body of a man was recovered from a private school near UP More in North Karachi.

Two target killers among seven held in Karachi Posted: KARACHI (Dunya News) – According to details, police arrested an alleged target killed, Ashiq Hussain, after an encounter from Defence Phash-II area.Police sources informed that Ashiq Hussain was involved in more than 40 cases of target killing.Police also arrested another target killer, Asghar Lashari from area near the Malir Court.On the other hand, police have arrested four dacoits after an alleged encounter in Mahmoodabad area. Police have also recovered 12 mobile phones, arms and a stolen motorcycle from their possession. Residents of Mahmoodabad also nabbed a dacoit from the area and handed him over to police after subjecting him to severe torture.Meanwhile, some unidentified persons hurled a cracker at the office of a private company at the Tippu Sultan Road while partially damaged the office building. No loss of life was reported in the incident.

D I Khan: By-election in PK-67 today Posted: DERA ISMAIL KHAN (Dunya News) - The by-election in PK-67-Kulachi will be held today. The voting will start at 8:00 am and will continue till 5:00 pm.Ikramullah Khan Gandapur of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Fateh Ullah Mian Khel (Independent) are in the run to win the seat.The seat fell vacant when PTI's provincial minister Israrullah Khan Gandapur was killed in a suicide attack in November.At least 91 polling stations have been setup for 1,0800 registered voters in the constituency. Heavy contingent of police and FC will be deployed during the polling to maintain law and order situation.

City thrash Arsenal 6-3 to throw open title race Posted: MANCHESTER (AP) - Manchester City delivered another devastating attacking display to beat Premier League leader Arsenal 6-3 in a wild shootout on Saturday, leaving the chastened leaders in range of the chasing pack in the title race.After putting four goals past Manchester United and six past Tottenham at Etihad Stadium this season, City dismantled another of its main rivals for an eighth straight home win that showed just why Manuel Pellegrini's freescoring team is most pundits' favorites for the title.Arsenal, weary after a grueling Champions League defeat at Napoli on Wednesday, was breached by prolific strikers Sergio Aguero and Alvaro Negredo in the first half and disintegrated after the break as Fernandinho (two), David Silva and Yaya Toure plundered more goals.Pellegrini's players are living up to their tag as the Premier League's entertainers they have scored 35 goals in eight matches at the Etihad and are now just three points off Arsenal.At times the tempo was frightening, City captain Vincent Kompany said. It is a real fortress here.Arsenal arrived in Manchester with the league's stingiest defense and left with its title credentials back under the microscope.Theo Walcott scored twice, to make it 1-1 and 3-2, with Per Mertesacker grabbing the Gunners' other goal in second-half stoppage time. But they were ripped apart by City's sparkling forward department, reviving memories of their 8-2 loss at Manchester United in August 2011.This was Arsenal's third high-intensity match in the space of seven days, having drawn 1-1 with Everton last weekend, and they have clearly taken their toll. Thankfully for the creaking leaders, they have a much-needed nine-day break before playing Chelsea next.Our strength until now was our defensive discipline and that went as the game went on, said Wenger, who refused to use the short turnaround from the Napoli game as an excuse.It was 6-3 but what hurts me more is that we had an opportunity to put Man City at nine points (behind). It's three tonight and that's difficult to swallow.City's confidence couldn't be higher at the moment even its second-choice team beat reigning champion Bayern Munich 3-2 in the Champions League in midweek. And goals are coming from all areas, with Brazilian defensive midfielder Fernandinho finding time to maraud forward and join the party here.For me, it's very important to be an entertaining team, City manager Manuel Pellegrini said. There are managers who prefer to score one goal, hold their team back and try to counter attack. Our philosophy is to continue trying to score more goals. That's the best way to win.With its away form slowly improving, City appears to be the team to beat in what is proving to be an open, exciting title race. The only negative was the sight of Aguero hobbling off with a right calf injury at the start of the second half. He will have a scan on Sunday.The omens weren't good for Arsenal from the very first minutes, with the visitors pinned back in their own half and City's overpowering midfield sharper both in possession and off the ball.Fernandinho delivered arguably his best performance since joining from Shakhtar Donetsk in the offseason and the return from injury of playmaker Silva added even more guile.The last thing Arsenal's tired backline needed was to deal with a sprightly Aguero and the Argentina striker continued his brilliant scoring run by volleying in expertly in the 14th minute after Samir Nasri's corner was flicked in at the near post by Martin Demichelis. It was Aguero's 19th goal in 20 matches in all competitions.Walcott equalized against the run of play in the 31st, meeting Mesut Ozil's cut-back with a sidefooted shot that took a slight deflection off Demichelis.Back came City, though, Negredo guided home a cross by the galloping Pablo Zabaleta in the 39th. Worse for Arsenal, key defender Laurent Koscielny sustained a deep laceration to his left knee as he attempted to cut out the cross and was carried off on a stretcher.Aguero hobbling off in the 48th didn't hamper City, with Fernandinho making it 3-1 within two minutes after Mathieu Flamini failed to collect Ozil's pass across the face of the area. The Brazilian seized on the mistake and curled in a fine finish from 25 yards for his first City goal.Walcott, making his first start since September, curled a brilliant shot past Costel Pantilimon from an angle in the 63rd minute but City wasn't to be denied as Jesus Navas set up fellow Spaniard Silva for the fourth in the 66th and Fernandinho made it 5-2 in the 88th.Mertesacker replied at the start of injury time with a header but Toure had the final say, sweeping home a penalty after James Milner was tripped by Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.

Barca beat Villarreal, Madrid draw at Osasuna Posted: BARCELONA (AP) - Neymar scored twice to help Barcelona beat Villarreal 2-1 and take advantage of Real Madrid's slip as it opened up a five-point lead over its fierce rival at the top of the Spanish league.Third-place Madrid fell behind and settled for a 2-2 draw earlier at Osasuna in a match both sides finished with 10 men, and Barcelona didn't let the chance escape.Barcelona, still without the injured Lionel Messi, again turned to Neymar after his hat trick against Celtic in the Champions League on Wednesday to convert a penalty on the half-hour mark and restore the lead in the 68th after Villarreal leveled.Barcelona's eighth win in as many league games at Camp Nou provisionally lifted it three points clear of Atletico Madrid before it hosts Valencia on Sunday.

One dead in Brazil stadium accident: officials Posted: RIO DE JANEIRO (AFP) - A man was killed Saturday in an accident at the Manaus Arena World Cup stadium in Brazil, officials said, the latest death to hit preparations for next years football extravaganza.The accident came barely two weeks after two people died at the World Cup stadium in Sao Paulo which is scheduled to host the events opening match in June.It was also the second fatal accident to hit the Manaus venue. Manaus is the capital of the Amazonia region, far north of Sao Paulo and Brasilia.Brazilian media said the dead man was a 22-year-old construction worker who died in the early hours of Saturday after falling 35 meters (115 feet) from the stadiums roof. The venue will host Englands opening match on June 15 against Italy.Saturdays tragedy is the fourth to hit preparations for Brazils first World Cup since 1950. The country is racing to be ready for the event. One fatality was recorded at a new stadium in Brasilia while in Sao Paulo two people died on November 27 after a crane dropped a piece of roofing on them.The Sao Paulo arena will not now be ready until mid-April -- less than two months before the June 12 kick-off between Brazil and Croatia.Construction firm Andrade Gutierrez said an investigation of Saturdays incident would immediately be opened.Only last Tuesday, Manaus coordinator Miguel Capobiango Neto had assured reporters the venue would be ready for December 20 in time for an inauguration on January 15.

Golf: Van der Walt wins Mandela Championship Posted: DURBAN (AFP) - South Africa's Dawie Van der Walt fired a four-under 66 during the third and final round to win the Nelson Mandela Championship by two shots at the rain affected EPGA event on Saturday. The 30-year-old finished the shortened tournament on 15 under par to finish ahead of Englishman Matthew Baldwin and Spaniard Jorge Campillo as he picked up his second European title at the saturated Mount Edgecombe golf club. The win comes on the eve of Mandela's funeral after the former president passed away at the age of 95 last week. It's obviously really special, making you part of history, Van der Walt said following his victory which follows his maiden European win last March at the Tshwane Open, also in South Africa. Winning the Nelson Mandela at this time, when it's sad for everyone, everyone is mourning and tomorrow's (Sunday) the big day, it means a lot and it's something I can keep close to my heart for ever. I haven't been in that good form, I've been struggling with an injury, so this is almost overwhelming. To win the last event of the year is going to make Christmas a lot more fun, he added. Frenchman Romain Wattel was alone in fourth three shots back, while South African Oliver Bekker was a further stroke back to complete the top five. Overnight leader Daniel Brooks of England blew a three-shot lead as he ballooned to a six-over score of 76 to slide down the leaderboard and a joint 11th-place finish. The tournament was reduced to 54 holes after heavy rain washed out the first day's play as the European Tour remains in South Africa and heads to the Durban Open which begins next Thursday.

Badminton: Lee close to record Superseries Finals title Posted: KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - World number one Lee Chong Wei on Saturday advanced to the last round of the BWF World Superseries Finals, closing in on winning the title for a record fourth time.The Malaysian, who won the mens singles crowns from 2008-2010, crushed Denmarks Jan O Jorgensen 21-14, 21-16 in 40 minutes to reach Sundays final on home turf.Lee jointly holds the record of three titles with womens pair Wang Xiaoli and Yu Yang of China and Danish mens pair Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen.The two doubles pairs, however, were eliminated in Saturdays semi-finals, paving the way for Lee to rewrite the record books on his own.Wang and Yu, who won from 2010-2012, pulled out due to injury, while Boe and Mogensen lost 21-18, 21-18 to world champions Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan of Indonesia.It was a straightforward victory for Lee, whose court coverage and ability to retrieve every shuttlecock Jorgensen hit at him frustrated the Dane.Lee beat the French Open champion 23-21, 24-22 at the group stage on Friday.Today, I was ready for him. I was determined to beat him quickly and started the match on fire, the Olympic silver medallist said.The only downside to my victory was that I allowed him back into the match in the second game after taking a big lead.I have to cut this out as it is not good to give opponents a hint of a comeback.In the final, Lee will meet Indonesias Tommy Sugiarto, who beat Japans Kenichi Tago 21-14, 19-21, 21-5.In womens singles, Chinas Li Xuerui easily beat South Koreas Bae Yeon-Ju in two games, while Taiwans Tai Tzu Ying defeated Wang Shixian of China in three games.In the womens doubles, world champions Wang and Yu raised eyebrows when they conceded a walkover to compatriots Ma Jin and Tang Jinhua, after citing a hip injury to Yu.This is not the first time Chinese players have opted out of facing others from their country in international matches, and comes on the heels of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) introducing a random draw for the semi-finals in a bid to avoid game-throwing.The change was prompted by the scandal at last years Olympics, when Wang and Yu together with three other womens pairs were charged for not using their best efforts to win matches.In the finals, Ma and Tang will now take on Denmarks Christinna Pedersen and Kamilla Rytter Juhl, who defeated South Koreans Jang Ye-Na and Kim So-Young 21-12, 21-18 on Saturday.The Danish duo, who have a good track record in Malaysia, are hoping to become the first European winners of this category.In the mens doubles, Kim Ki-Jung and Kim Sa-Rang defeated fellow South Koreans Ko Sung-Hyun and Lee Yong-Dae 21-14, 19-21, 21-16.

Bombing and shootings kill 15 in Iraq Posted: BAGHDAD (AFP) - Attacks in Iraq, including two bombings in a market and a blast targeting people who give food and water to Shiite pilgrims, killed 15 people on Saturday, officials said.Violence has reached a level this year not seen since 2008, when Iraq was just emerging from a period of brutal sectarian killings, raising fears that the country is falling back into all-out conflict.In the deadliest attack, two bombs exploded in a market in Nahrawan, near Baghdad, killing at least five people and wounding at least 13, while a bomb in a restaurant in Husseiniyah, also close to the capital, killed two people and wounded six.In southern Baghdad, a car bomb targeted people who give food and water to Shiite pilgrims walking to the holy city of Karbala, killing at least four people and wounding at least 13.Other bombings and shootings in Iraq killed four people, among them a local anti-Al-Qaeda militia leader and a policeman, and wounded three police.More people died in violence in the first eight days of this month than in the whole of last December, and over 6,400 people have been killed since the beginning of the year, according to AFP figures based on security and medical sources.

Two UN troops dead in suicide attack in north Mali Posted: BAMAKO (AFP) - At least two UN troops were killed on Saturday in a suicide attack in Mali's northeastern rebel bastion of Kidal, which came a day before the country holds a second round of legislative polls, a UN source said.The soldiers -- whose nationalities were not given -- died when a suicide bomber ploughed his explosive-laden car into a bank that they were guarding.For the moment, we have at least two dead and several wounded among the MINUSMA African troops, the source said on condition of anonymity, referring to the UN mission in the country.The suicide bomber also died, a regional government source told AFP.There are also a number of wounded among Malian soldiers, the source added.A local Kidal official said Senegalese soldiers were among those who guarded the BMS bank.Early this morning, a booby-trapped car was run into the BMS, killing the bomber, said the official. He added that he saw an individual on fire but could not say if it was the bomber or a soldier.A MINUSMA military official said: The bomber came from the east of the city and went straight to the bank before blowing himself up.There was a huge bang that blew out the windows of some houses up to 500 metres (yards) from the bank.He called the attack well-prepared.Mali is battling to restore stability after Al-Qaeda-linked radicals seized control of its northern half, submitting it to a brutal form of Islamic law for nine months before a French-led military operation launched in January ousted the extremists.Saturday's attack came a day before Mali was to hold a second round of legislative elections, the fourth time that the former French colony in west Africa has gone to the polls in less than six months.The vote is the final stage in Mali's return to democracy after a March 2012 coup that threw it into turmoil and opened a power vacuum that enabled the Islamists to seize the north.

Gaza flooding drives 40,000 from their homes Posted: GAZA CITY (AP) - Flooding from heavy rains forced some 40,000 Gaza Strip residents from their homes, including thousands who were taken to safety in boats and military trucks, officials said Saturday.The downpour that began late Wednesday was part of a storm that covered parts of Israel and the West Bank with snow, paralyzed Jerusalem and left thousands in Israel without power. Israeli TV stations showed footage of armored personnel carriers rescuing motorists and said it was the most severe snow storm in decades.Even Gaza with its milder coastal climate saw some snow, though lower-lying areas were mainly hit by flooding.Rescue efforts were hampered by fuel shortages and rolling power cuts that have become more severe in recent months, since Egypt tightened a border blockade of the territory, ruled by the Islamic militant Hamas since 2007.Israel has also restricted access to Gaza since the Hamas takeover, though it sent diesel fuel for heating and four water pumps during the weekend storm.Once the storm is over, the world community needs to bring effective pressure to end the blockade of Gaza, said Chris Gunness, a spokesman for the main U.N aid agency in the territory. Gaza residents must be freed from these man-made constraints to deal with the impact of a natural calamity such as this, he added.In the low-lying areas of Gaza, water has been rising since heavy rains began late Wednesday, flooding streets and homes.One of the hardest hit areas was Nafak Street in Gaza City's Sheik Radwan neighborhood, close to a rainwater reservoir.Said Halawa, an area resident, said the reservoir overflowed Wednesday evening. By Thursday, water had poured into the ground floor of his two-story home where he and he and 41 other members of his extended family live, Halawa said.The family called for help and was evacuated by boat from the upper floor. Halawa said he and his family were taken to a makeshift shelter in a neighborhood school. We got some assistance, some blankets and some food, but I didn't save any of my belongings, said the 52-year-old taxi driver.At another neighbor school, 30 families found shelter. Children slept on desks and on mattresses on the floor. Some of those at the shelter huddled around wood fires in open-air walkways outside the classrooms to stay warm.In all, the flooding forced about 40,000 people from their homes, including more than 5,200 who were taken to safety in boats, military trucks or heavy construction vehicles, government officials said.Another hard-hit area was the refugee camp of Jebaliya in northern Gaza. The local Al Aqsa TV station, run by Hamas, showed Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh and Interior Minister Fathi Hamad, both of Hamas, touring Jebaliya in a boat.Housing Minister Yousef Jhariz, who headed the government's crisis team, said the storm caused at least $64 million in damages. One man died from smoke inhalation after burning coal for warmth in his house, health officials said.By Saturday afternoon, teams were fixing downed power lines and piled up sandbags in some areas to protect homes from flooding.The storm hit Gaza at a time when it is buckling under the tightened border closure by Egypt. Over the summer, Egypt's military intensified its blockade after ousting Egypt's Islamist president, Mohammed Morsi, a Hamas ally.Jerusalem and several West Bank towns, meanwhile, were crippled by snow for a third day Saturday. About 28,000 homes in Israel were still without electricity on Saturday, officials said.Soldiers moved from house to house in some areas of Jerusalem to check on residents. Highways in and out of Jerusalem remained closed to private cars and residents were advised to stay off the roads.The only way out of Jerusalem on Saturday was by train.Sietvanit Tzirnishki had boarded the train headed from Jerusalem to snow-free Tel Aviv, Israel's coastal metropolis.I've been stuck here in Jerusalem for two days at my sister's apartment that did not have electricity, she said. We have been going from one apartment to the other to get some heat and some food and I'm glad to get back to Tel Aviv now.Schools in Jerusalem and the West Bank were to remain closed Sunday, the start of the work week in the region.

Kerry in Vietnam on first visit as top US diplomat Posted: HO CHI MINH CITY (AFP) - US Secretary of State John Kerry Saturday attended mass at a cathedral in Vietnam, where he served during the war, in a trip aimed at shoring up Southeast Asian ties amid myriad regional tensions.Kerry, a practicing Catholic whose experiences during the Vietnam War inspired his political activism, visited the French-colonial era Notre Dame Cathedral in southern Ho Chi Minh City as he began his first official visit to the nation as the top US diplomat.Washington is eager to underscore its commitment to Asia after its pivot policy was shaken earlier this year when the US government shutdown forced President Barak Obama to cancel a trip to the region, allowing China to occupy centre stage at key regional summits.The region is beset by political and territorial tensions, including bitter maritime disputes between an increasingly assertive Beijing and a number of its neighbours -- among them Vietnam -- that have raised concerns a minor incident in contested waters could escalate rapidly.Kerry is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh in Hanoi as part of his three-day visit, and is expected to highlight growing security and trade ties between Washington and Hanoi, which normalised relations two decades ago.He is also due to visit to the Mekong Delta where he was a wartime Swift Boat skipper on the dangerous gunboat missions patrolling the rivers in the area.Kerry served with the US Navy from 1966 to 1970 as a naval lieutenant. He was decorated with three Purple Hearts, awarded for any injury received during combat which requires medical treatment, a Bronze star and a Silver star.It was on his return after two tours of duty that Kerry became a fierce campaigner against the war, which ended in 1975.Kerry, who celebrated his 70th birthday on Wednesday, has voiced excitement over his trip, saying he has not gone to Vietnam since he joined president Bill Clinton on his landmark visit in 2000.Washington has sought to bolster its footprint in Asia as part of efforts to balance the growing might of China in the region. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei all have their own disputes with China over territory in the South China Sea, while Beijing has also locked horns with Tokyo over areas in the East Sea.Kerry's trip will also include a visit to the Philippines, a longstanding US ally, where he will tour the devastated city of Tacloban which was hit by a typhoon last month, as well as meeting Filipino leaders in Manila.It is a chance to tighten the slack left by Obama's absence at the APEC forum in Bali this year, said Jonathan London of the Department of Asian and International Studies at City University of Hong Kong.Kerry's visit is an opportunity for (Vietnam and the US) to more clearly define ways forward in the context of an East Asian diplomatic scene that has been destabilised by China's increasing aggressive regional posture, he told AFP.US lawmakers and New York-based Human Rights Watch have urged Kerry to press authoritarian Vietnam on human rights, saying he should link progress its participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership -- a vast trade agreement currently under negotiation.Kerry's cathedral visit comes as Vietnam has faced criticised for harassing and jailing Catholic activists, but US officials have recently hailed improvements in freedom of religion in the one-party state.

McCain meets opposition leaders in Ukraine Posted: KIEV (AFP) - Outspoken United States Senator John McCain met Ukraine opposition leaders including former heavyweight boxing champion Vitali Klitschko in the capital Kiev on Saturday ahead of a mass rally.McCain met Klitschko, the head of the UDAR party, as well as nationalist leader Oleg Tyagnybok and the leader of the party of jailed Yulia Tymoshenko, Arseniy Yatsenyuk.McCain, the 2008 Republican nominee who lost the White House race to Barack Obama, wrote on Twitter that they had a good conversation and dinner.Tymoshenko's party hinted that McCain would speak at a major opposition rally in Kiev on Sunday, writing in a statement that it would feature foreign guests, particularly American senators.Democratic Senator Chris Murphy, who chairs the Senate's Europe subcommittee, accompanied McCain to Ukraine.McCain later viewed the central Independence Square where opposition supporters have set up camps and built barricades.Posting a photograph of tens of thousands filling the square Saturday evening for a concert dedicated to the protest movement by Ukrainian rock band Okean Elzy, McCain called it an incredible show of patriotism.The US ambassador to Ukraine, Geoffrey Pyatt, later posted on Twitter a picture of McCain meeting the band's lead singer, Svyatoslav Vakarchuk, who was one of the symbols of the 2004 Orange Revolution.McCain has strongly condemned the Ukrainian government over its handling of protests against President Viktor Yanukovych's rejection of a broad trade deal with the European Union in pursuit of closer ties with Russia.He criticised the Ukrainian authorities for using force after heavy-handed riot police attempted to disperse protesters on Independence Square on Wednesday.It is appalling that Ukrainian authorities have chosen to use violence and oppression against peaceful demonstrators, he said in a statement.The United States has made its solidarity with Ukraine's opposition clear, even threatening sanctions after Wednesday's failed police raid on protesters.Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday accused Western countries of losing their sense of reality over Ukraine's crisis and using blackmail to cut the country off from Russia.

McCain meets opposition leaders in Ukraine Posted: KIEV (AFP) - Outspoken United States Senator John McCain met Ukraine opposition leaders including former heavyweight boxing champion Vitali Klitschko in the capital Kiev on Saturday ahead of a mass rally.McCain met Klitschko, the head of the UDAR party, as well as nationalist leader Oleg Tyagnybok and the leader of the party of jailed Yulia Tymoshenko, Arseniy Yatsenyuk.McCain, the 2008 Republican nominee who lost the White House race to Barack Obama, wrote on Twitter that they had a good conversation and dinner.Tymoshenko's party hinted that McCain would speak at a major opposition rally in Kiev on Sunday, writing in a statement that it would feature foreign guests, particularly American senators.Democratic Senator Chris Murphy, who chairs the Senate's Europe subcommittee, accompanied McCain to Ukraine.McCain later viewed the central Independence Square where opposition supporters have set up camps and built barricades.Posting a photograph of tens of thousands filling the square Saturday evening for a concert dedicated to the protest movement by Ukrainian rock band Okean Elzy, McCain called it an incredible show of patriotism.The US ambassador to Ukraine, Geoffrey Pyatt, later posted on Twitter a picture of McCain meeting the band's lead singer, Svyatoslav Vakarchuk, who was one of the symbols of the 2004 Orange Revolution.McCain has strongly condemned the Ukrainian government over its handling of protests against President Viktor Yanukovych's rejection of a broad trade deal with the European Union in pursuit of closer ties with Russia.He criticised the Ukrainian authorities for using force after heavy-handed riot police attempted to disperse protesters on Independence Square on Wednesday.It is appalling that Ukrainian authorities have chosen to use violence and oppression against peaceful demonstrators, he said in a statement.The United States has made its solidarity with Ukraine's opposition clear, even threatening sanctions after Wednesday's failed police raid on protesters.Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday accused Western countries of losing their sense of reality over Ukraine's crisis and using blackmail to cut the country off from Russia.

Dunya TV News Letter of Today

Dunya TV

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• Karachi: Two injured in cracker attack
• Sindh LG Ord (3rd Amend) promulgated
• Two injured, suspected gunman dead at Colorado school
• Iraq violence kills 37 as 'terrorism' suspects escape
• Iran halts expert-level talks over US sanctions
• Kerry 'hopeful' can strike final Mideast peace deal
• Gunmen kill 15 Iranian pipeline workers in Iraq
• Brazil to issue World Cup commemorative coins
• Messi loses to Del Potro in Argentina
• 'Unfair' if Ronaldo denied Ballon d'Or: Real
• Badminton: Lee fears no one in Superseries Finals
• Golf: Brooks leads, Campillo, Nel card 59s at Mandela event
• Oil prices mixed ahead of Libya's return to market
• Dollar-euro rate stable ahead of Fed meeting
• NASA mulls spacewalks to fix space station

Karachi: Two injured in cracker attack Posted: KARACHI (Dunya News) – According to details, some unidentified persons hurled a cracker in Kamaila Stop due to which two people were wounded.On the other hand, firing between two rival groups in Kallary area of Lyari spread panic in the locality.Meanwhile, police launched a targeted operation in Islamia Colony in the jurisdiction of Pirabad Police Station and arrested nine accused. However, no arms and drugs were recovered from the arrested persons.

Sindh LG Ord (3rd Amend) promulgated Posted: KARACHI (Dunya News) - Acting governor of Sindh Aga Siraj Durrani on Friday has promulgated the Sindh Local Government Ordinance (3rd Amendment).According to information, the ordinance shall come into force from September 16.The ordinance also empowers the concerned authority to declare a rural area as an urban one if needed.According to newly promulgated ordinance, the penalty for the violation of rules and regulations is disqualification for three years.

Two injured, suspected gunman dead at Colorado school Posted: LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Two students were injured in a shooting incident at a school in the US state of Colorado on Friday, before the suspected gunman apparently killed himself, the local sheriff said.The suspect was a student at Arapahoe High School in Centennial, outside Denver, just a few miles from the sites of last year's Aurora movie theater shooting and the 1999 Columbine massacre.The suspect has been found inside the school and he has deceased as a result of what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Arapahoe County Sheriff Grayson Robinson told reporters.He said the student had apparently targeted a teacher at the school.The student identified a specific teacher at the high school that he was interested in confronting, and that teacher was informed of the situation and exited the school quickly, he said.Live television pictures showed orderly groups of students filing out with hands above their heads, to gather on an athletics track on the the edge of a snow-covered field next to the school.The school has over 2,200 students and 70 classrooms. It is part of the Littleton school district, to which Columbine High School -- scene of the 1999 shooting by two students which killed 13 -- also belongs.The incident comes a day ahead of the first anniversary of the Newtown, Connecticut shooting in which a deranged gunman killed 26 people at an elementary school, including 20 young children.That shooting briefly re-ignited America's perennial debate over gun control, which is triggered every time there is a major shooting, but attempts to pass tougher laws made little headway in Congress.

Iraq violence kills 37 as 'terrorism' suspects escape Posted: BAQUBA (AFP) - Violence in Iraq including an attack by gunmen on workers on a gas pipeline from Iran killed 37 people Friday, while terrorism suspects escaped a Baghdad detention facility, officials said.Unrest has reached a level this year not seen since 2008, when Iraq was just emerging from a period of brutal sectarian killings, and the surge has raised fears the country is falling back into all-out conflict.Gunmen in three vehicles attacked the gas pipeline workers near Baladruz, northeast of Baghdad, killing 15 Iranians and three Iraqis, police officers said.The attack also wounded five Iranians and three Iraqis, the added.South of Baghdad, a car bomb exploded in Madain, killing at least six people and wounding at least 13, while another car bomb near a fish market in Nahrawan killed four people and wounded at least 12.In Baghdad itself, at least 22 terrorism suspects escaped a detention facility in Kadhimiyah, the latest in a long line of prisons breaks in Iraq.A police colonel said detainees had seized weapons from guards early on Friday, killing two, after which 26 people arrested for issues related to terrorism escaped.Security forces killed one escaped detainee and captured 14, the colonel said, and a medical official confirmed two guards and a detainee had been killed.The interior ministry said 22 suspects had escaped, but one was killed and all but three others captured.In July, militants launched coordinated assaults on two prisons near Baghdad, sparking clashes with security forces that lasted for hours.More than 500 prisoners, including senior Al-Qaeda leaders, escaped. The clashes also killed 20 members of the security forces and 21 prisoners, officials said.In the Ghazaliyah area of west Baghdad, gunmen shot dead two people on Friday, one of them a trade ministry employee, while gunmen killed a woman in her home near the capital.And a suicide bomber detonated an explosives-rigged vehicle near a group of security forces members in Ramadi, west of Baghdad, killing a civilian and two soldiers and wounding four policemen and three soldiers.More people died in the first eight days of this month than in the whole of last December, according to AFP figures based on security and medical sources.Officials have blamed the violence on Al-Qaeda-linked militants emboldened by the civil war in neighbouring Syria, but analysts and diplomats also say the government has not done enough to address underlying domestic grievances fuelling the violence.Members of the country's Sunni minority, who complain of discrimination at the hands of the Shiite-led government, have held demonstrations for almost a year.Unrest spiked after security forces stormed a Sunni Arab protest camp north of Baghdad in April, sparking clashes that killed dozens of people.The government has made some concessions aimed at placating Sunni Arabs, including freeing prisoners and raising the salaries of anti-Al-Qaeda fighters. It has also trumpeted security operations against militants.But the daily attacks have shown no sign of abating, and violence has killed more than 6,400 people since the beginning of the year, according to AFP figures.

Iran halts expert-level talks over US sanctions Posted: TEHRAN (AP) - Iran pulled out of expert-level talks with six world powers Friday to protest the expansion of U.S. sanctions, saying the blacklisting of more entities violates the spirit of a groundbreaking agreement over Tehran's atomic program.In the first major hurdle to the interim deal reached last month in Geneva, the United States targeted more than a dozen companies and people on Thursday for evading sanctions against Iran.It was an effort by the Obama administration to show it will enforce existing law even as it presses Congress to hold off on additional measures while world powers pursue a comprehensive nuclear deal with Tehran.But the Iranians called the move them unconstructive and against good intentions, and accused the U.S. of sending mixed signals.This is a game of double standards it is not in accord with the talks we have had and it is against the spirit of the Geneva agreement, senior Iranian nuclear negotiator Abbas Araghchi told the official news agency IRNA. On the one hand they tried to halt sanctions in Congress, and on the other hand they made a new move and the Treasury added new companies to the list.The White House said the expansion did not violate the agreement and represented actions based on existing sanctions. Spokesman Jay Carney said President Barack Obama is committed to refraining from any new nuclear-related sanctions.Araghchi, who is also deputy foreign minister, said the Iranians were assessing the situation to determine the proper response.IRNA also quoted an unnamed official as saying an Iranian team of experts had halted technical talks with the six world powers in Vienna because of the U.S. sanctions on new Iranian entities.Iran has ended the talks because of the addition of more individuals and companies to the sanctions list. It was against the path of agreements, the official was quoted as saying.The talks in Vienna are on the expert level, bringing representatives from the six powers and Iran together to discuss implementing parts of the Geneva deal. They started on Monday and were originally set for two days.A diplomat in Vienna who is familiar with the talks confirmed that the Iranian delegation left for Tehran for consultations but said the Iranians had not directly linked Friday's departure to the U.S. moves. He demanded anonymity because he was not authorized to comment on the closed consultations.Secretary of State John Kerry told reporters that the Vienna talks were making progress but I think we're at a point in those talks where folks feel a need to consult and take a moment.He said there was every expectation that the talks would resume in a few days.The West suspects Iran's nuclear program has military dimension. Iran denies the charge saying its nuclear activities have peaceful purposes like power generation and medical treatment.As part of the deal, the U.S. agreed to no new nuclear-related financial penalties against Tehran for six months in return for a freeze on part of the Islamic Republic's uranium enrichment activities. Still, many Republicans and Democrats in Congress have called for even tougher measures to raise the pressure further on the Islamic republic, despite the administration's pleas for patience.Thursday's action freezes the U.S. assets of firms in Panama, Singapore, Ukraine and elsewhere for maintaining covert business with Iran's national tanker company. Other companies involved directly in the proliferation of material useful for weapons of mass destruction also were blacklisted from the U.S. market. American citizens are banned from any transactions with the listed individuals and firms.Alaeddin Boroujerdi, the head of Iran's parliamentary committee on national security and foreign policy, said the U.S. move was an obvious violation of the interim deal and shows the Americans are not trustworthy.He also was quoted by the semiofficial Fars news agency as calling the decision to halt the Vienna talks right and revolutionary.

Kerry 'hopeful' can strike final Mideast peace deal Posted: JERUSALEM (AFP) - US Secretary of State John Kerry said Friday he hoped to help achieve a peace agreement encompassing Israeli security needs and Palestinian sovereignty, as he wrapped up his regional visit.But Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas dampened hopes by rejecting US proposals for Israel to keep a military presence in a future Palestinian state.We are working on an approach that both guarantees Israel's security and fully respects Palestinian sovereignty, Kerry told reporters in Tel Aviv before boarding a plane to Vietnam.Kerry insisted the goal remained for the sides to reach a final status agreement - not an interim agreement, and said Israel will release as planned a new group of Palestinian prisoners on December 29.Both parties remain committed to fulfilling their obligations to stay at the table and negotiate hard during the nine-month period that we set for that when talks were launched at the end of July, said Kerry.On Friday morning, Kerry met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for what the Israeli premier described as a discussion on how to advance our goals of peace and security.Kerry, who completed his second visit to the region within a week, said that US military expert General John Allen outlined in talks with Abbas a security plan for the West Bank and Israel, which could be implemented following a peace accord.But Abbas rejected US proposals for Israel to keep a military presence in a future Palestinian state along its strategic border with Jordan, a source close to the Palestinian president told AFP.President Abbas has rejected the ideas presented by the secretary of state, the Palestinian source said earlier Friday, a day after Kerry met Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Gunmen kill 15 Iranian pipeline workers in Iraq Posted: BAGHDAD (AP) - Gunmen in Iraq killed 15 Iranian pipeline workers and two Iraqi guards northeast of Baghdad on Friday, officials said. Separate attacks across the country killed 23 other people.A senior security official said the nighttime attack on the pipeline workers took place in the al-Nida area, where gunmen opened fire on the men working on the gas pipeline planned to connect Iraqs gas network to supplies from neighboring Iran.Al-Nida is about 145 kilometers (90 miles) northeast of Baghdad. Four people, including two Iranians were wounded also in the attack.Earlier Friday, twenty-two Iraqi suspects facing terrorism charges escaped from a prison in northern Baghdad after killing a security guard, but most were rearrested later in the day, officials said.The stunning jailbreak from al-Adela prison triggered a police manhunt backed by helicopters that ended with one of the escaped prisoners dead and 13 rearrested. Eight remain at large.The prisoners had lured a guard into their cell while his comrades were sleeping, claiming an inmate there was critically ill. They then stabbed him to death, two senior security officials said.Jailbreaks are frequent in Iraq and, as with other security breaches, they have cast doubts on the ability of the authorities to secure the country, mired in sectarian tensions.Also Friday, a car bomb went off near a security checkpoint in the western city of Ramadi, killing five policemen and wounding seven others, said police officials.In a drive-by shooting in western Baghdad, gunmen shot and killed two government employees in their car. And police said a bomb exploded near an out-door market in Madain area, just south of Baghdad, killing one person and wounding four.A car bomb exploded inside a fish market in Baghdads southeastern Shiite-majority suburb of Nahrwan, killing four and wounding 14, police said.In the western city if Ramadi, a car bomb went off near a security checkpoint, killing five policemen and wounding seven others, said police officials.At night, six people were killed and 18 others were wounded in a car bomb explosion in a commercial street in a town, just south of Baghdad.Medics in nearby hospitals confirmed the casualty figures for all the attacks. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to media.Deadly insurgent attacks have been on the rise since a security crackdown on a Sunni protest camp in a northern town last April.

Brazil to issue World Cup commemorative coins Posted: BRASILIA (AFP) - Brazil's Central Bank on Friday announced plans to issue a set of nine commemorative coins for the 2014 World Cup.The set, to be released on January 24, will comprise one gold coin, two in silver and six in an alloy of copper and nickel.The gold coin weighing 4.4. grams (0.155 ounce) will have a nominal value of 10 reais ($4.3) but will be sold for 1180 reais ($504). It will represent the Cup trophy and a player scoring a goal. Some 5,000 will be minted, the bank said.Those in silver will have a value of five reais ($2.2) and a weight of 27 grams. One will represent Fuleco, the 2014 World Cup mascot, and the other the 12 host cities. They will be sold for 190 reais ($81) apiece and 20,000 of each will be sold.The six cupronickel versions, each with a value of 2 reais ($0.86) and a weight of 10.17 grams, will cost 30 reais ($12.8). They will represent a dribble, a header or a penalty kick and 20,000 copies of each will be minted.

Messi loses to Del Potro in Argentina Posted: BUENOS AIRES (AFP) - Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi may have been crowned world footballer of the year four times, but in his native Argentina it's tennis giant Juan Martin del Potro who is top dog.World number five Del Potro, the 2009 US Open champion, edged out Messi to claim Argentina's Sportsman of the Year award at the Sporto Argentino Festival.I am very happy to have received the Gold Prize of Clarin, del Potro wrote on his Facebook page. It was a great year, much better than I expected. I was there, fighting in the first place. The main thing is I feel very close to the top of the world again. I'm already looking at next season.Del Potro won four titles in 2013 and was runner-up at the Indian Wells and Shanghai Masters. He also made the semi-finals at Wimbledon, losing a five-set epic to Novak Djokovic in the longest men's last-four clash in the history of the tournament.

'Unfair' if Ronaldo denied Ballon d'Or: Real Posted: MADRID (AFP) - Real Madrid president Florentino Perez said Friday it would be unfair if star striker Cristiano Ronaldo failed to win the Ballon d'Or for World Footballer of the Year in 2013.I am convinced he will win because it would be an injustice if he didn't when everyone knows he's the best player in the world, the Real president told reporters during annual Christmas drinks with the media.Ronaldo has been shortlisted alongside Barcelona forward Lionel Messi and Bayern Munich's French winger Franck Ribery for the Ballon d'Or, which is to be presented in Zurich on January 13. The Portuguese won the award in 2008 but he has had to watch it being handed over to Argentine archrival Messi in every year since.This year, the injury-hit Messi seems to be less of a favourite while Ronaldo has been dazzling on the pitch. On Tuesday, he became the first player to score nine goals in the group stages of the Champions League as Real won 2-0 away at FC Copenhagen.Nevertheless, the 28-year-old striker was clearly upset by recent comments by FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who described Ronaldo as a commander and mocked his demeanour on the field. Blatter also said he personally preferred Messi as a player.Questioned by reporters, Ronaldo later refused even to confirm he would attend the Ballon d'Or ceremony this year.But Real's chief was confident the player would turn up. Until now he has always gone to the awards, Perez said.The club president said he hoped Real would win their longed-for 10th Champions League trophy. It would be a gift for all our fans, especially for our members, he said.Perez added he and coach Carlo Ancelotti are hoping Xabi Alonso will extend his contract, which expires next summer. He knows we would be delighted if he carries on with us next season, said Perez.The Real chief said he had not heard anything from club officials of a possible departure by Argentine international Angel Di Maria, who has lost his starting place in the team.I asked and they told me no-one had approached the club, Perez said.

Badminton: Lee fears no one in Superseries Finals Posted: KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - World number one Lee Chong Wei put on a less than stellar performance to beat Denmark's Jan O Jorgensen to top Group A at the BWF World Superseries Final on Friday.The Malaysian, who is chasing a record fourth Superseries title, but his first since 2010, edged the fighting Dane 23-21, 24-22 in 50 minutes before declaring: I'm ready to meet anyone in the semi-finals.I didn't go all out today as I wanted to conserve some energy for tomorrow's semi-finals, said Lee who has not dropped a set all tournament.Both of us already qualified for the semis and it didn't matter who won. Obviously, I hate to lose on my home ground, so I did try little harder when it mattered, he added.Lee, who has taken six Superseries titles this year, controlled the first game against Jorgensen and led 11-6 at the interval. He moved his opponent round the court and won numerous points with delicate drop shots, some of which clipped the net before falling in.Jorgensen trailed all the way before finally taking the lead at 21-20. But he failed to capitalise on the advantage as Chong Wei won the next three points.The second game was a different story as Jorgensen, now playing with a slight draft to his back, fought back to lead 11-8 at the interval.He moved further ahead to 15-11, before Lee shifted into fifth gear to level at 16.They then traded points and once again Jorgensen threw away game point at 22-21 to lose 24-22.In Group B, Kenichi Tago of Japan and Indonesia's Tommy Sugiarto were gifted their tickets to the semi-finals when another Indonesian, Sony Dwi Kuncoro, pulled out after aggravating an old leg injury while coming down from the team bus.Meanwhile, three-time champions Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen scraped into the semi-finals of the men's doubles when Hiroyuki Endo and Kenichi Hayakawa lost 21-13, 21-17 to South Korea's Ko Sung-Hyun and Lee Yong-Dae.All three pairs finished with a win and a defeat. They were also level on games won and lost (2-2) but Ko-Lee took top spot by as they won 77 points and conceded 72 while the Danes finished on 75-77 and the Japanese on 72-75.The $500,000 season-ender brings together the top eight performers in each of the five categories based on points earned from the 12 Superseries tournaments.

Golf: Brooks leads, Campillo, Nel card 59s at Mandela event Posted: DURBAN (AFP) - England's Daniel Brooks remained in charge at the rain-ravaged Nelson Mandela Championship on Friday while Jorge Campillo and Colin Nel carded 59s.Spain's Campillo and South African Nel both broke the 60 barrier although they will not enter the record books as preferred lies were allowed on Mount Edgecombe's saturated fairways.Following lengthy delays on both Wednesday and Thursday, organisers were forced to reduce the tournament to 54 holes after another three-hour delay on Friday.Campillo had two eagles and seven birdies to reach 11 under par for the tournament, while first round leader Brooks was 12 under with seven holes of his second round remaining when darkness brought play to a halt.England's Matthew Baldwin shot a 62 to share the clubhouse lead with Campillo, with home favourites Branden Grace, Oliver Bekker and Dawie van der Walt on ten under.We play other par 70s on Tour, but you still have to shoot 59 and I'm pretty happy with the way I finished, said 27-year-old Campillo.I was never close to 59 before, but in the Dutch Open I was eight under with three holes to go on a par 70. Finishing with three birdies would have put me on 59 but I finished par-par-bogey. That helped me a lot today, because finishing well was important and I did it.Despite his 59, Nel was back on four under for the tournament after an opening 77.

Oil prices mixed ahead of Libya's return to market Posted: NEW YORK (AFP) - Oil prices traded mixed Friday as Libya was expected to begin exporting more crude into a market already flush with supply.On the New York Mercantile Exchange, West Texas Intermediate crude for January delivery fell 90 cents to $96.60 a barrel.In London, Brent North Sea crude for January finished 16 cents higher at $108.83.Traders were waiting to see if a Libyan tribe leader's pledge to open up its crude terminals on December 15 would hold up, after his followers kept a blockade on the installations for months.The protests and blockades of fuel deliveries by the Berber minority slashed Libya's output to about 250,000 barrels per day, from normal levels of nearly 1.5 million barrels per day.Libya's light crude is valued in European refineries.Andy Lipow of Lipow Oil Associates said the US hitting its highest level of production in 25 years, with more gains predicted for next year, was also keeping downward pressure on prices.The US Energy Information Administration said that American crude output had reached 8.075 million barrels per day, and would rise to an average of 8.5 million barrels per day next year.

Dollar-euro rate stable ahead of Fed meeting Posted: NEW YORK (AFP) - Key forex market rates were almost unchanged Friday as traders looked ahead to next weeks critical policy meeting of the US Federal Reserve, and whether it will cut back its stimulus.The dollar edged a little higher against the euro, after a day trading in a narrow range.Around 2300 GMT, the euro was at $1.3738, down from $1.3752 late Thursday.The dollar bought 103.23 yen, down from 103.36, while the euro was at 141.81 yen, down from 142.15.Analysts were split on whether the Fed would begin cutting its $85 billion a month bond-buying program at its meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday.Some say the decision, supported by improving economic data, could be put off until late January.It will likely be small at first, whatever the case, many said.Taper or not, the Fed will likely introduce a modification or addition to the forward guidance, said Shushanik Papanyan at BBVA Research.The choices laid out by the FOMC are introduction of an inflation floor of 1.5 percent or reduction of the threshold of the unemployment rate.The British pound slipped to $1.6298 from $1.6350. The dollar was little changed at 0.8895 Swiss franc.

NASA mulls spacewalks to fix space station Posted: WASHINGTON (AFP) - A series of spacewalks might be necessary to fix a breakdown in the equipment cooling system aboard the International Space Station, NASA said Friday.A US space agency spokesman told AFP that NASA will decide by Monday on the appropriate measures to fix the breakdown, which has posed no danger to the six-man crew.Station program managers will have further discussions on potential contingency spacewalk planning that could result in multiple spacewalks to replace the pump module beginning as early as late next week, said a NASA statement.NASA is also expected to decide by Monday on whether Orbital Sciences maiden launch of its Cygnus unmanned cargo craft can go ahead as scheduled on December 18.The cooling problem occurred Wednesday in a flow valve that controls the temperature of the equipment aboard the station.Engineers on the ground have been trying to fix the issue, but a spacewalk might be necessary to get a closer look at the external thermal control loops -- of which two exist on the station -- and the defective valve.The astronauts have the necessary equipment on board the ISS if a replacement of the pump is needed, NASA has said.A temporary fix is in place in the meantime, in which some equipment has been shut down to save power.A similar equipment failure in 2010 required three spacewalks to fix.If spacewalks are called for this time, they would mark the first time astronauts have ventured outside the orbiting lab since a helmet leak brought an early end to a European astronauts outing in July.Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano was wearing a US-made spacesuit when a water leak flooded his helmet and risked drowning him.NASA has not yet announced the results of an investigation into what went wrong with his spacesuit.There is a planned spacewalk by two Russians on board the station for December 27.Commander Oleg Kotov and Flight Engineer Sergey Ryazanskiy are slated for an outing to install cameras and other equipment on a platform outside the Russian segment of the station.

 

 

Brazilian Portuguese Classes at Embassy

Islamabad—The Embassy of Brazil in Islamabad has reopened the admissions for its free Portuguese language course. The admissions are open from November 13rd to 19th.

The classes will take place at the Embassy and are free of cost, starting on December 2nd. People above 16 are eligible to attend the course, which will have consecutive three months modules. This initiative is in the scope of the increase on educational cooperation between Brazil and Pakistan, which includes the offer of placements in Brazilian universities for Pakistani students, announced by the Embassy last May.

The admissions are open for beginner's level of Portuguese. Classes will take place at the Embassy i.e. St. 72, House # 01, F-8/3, Islamabad, Mondays and Wednesdays from 5pm to 6pm and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:10pm to 7:10pm. To become a part of this free language course, interested students should fill out a form available on the official website of the Embassy of Brazil. Pakistan Observer Reported.

If you are interesting so Click Here for the Application Form.

Potential attacks during Muharram

Security on high alert in capital

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: A red alert has been issued for the federal capital following reports of potential terrorist attacks on Imambargahs during Muharram.

Personnel of the Pakistan Rangers, Islamabad Traffic Police, Police Commandoes, Rescue 15, police and patrolling police have been put on high alert with an objective to maintain peace and tranquillity in the city during Muharramul Haram.

Heads of all police stations have also been directed to maintain high vigilance in their respective areas. Workshops, market, under-construction buildings and residential areas are also being searched.

Following directives from Inspector General IG) Sikandar Hayat, the Islamabad senior superintendent of police (SSP) reviewed the security plan and issued directions to further improve it. He directed all police officials to ensure effective security at the entry as well as exit points of the city and conduct search operations in Afghan colonies, slums and areas around bus stands.

SSP Dr Rizwan asked the police to prevent entry of irrelevant persons, cars or motorbikes within the 200-yard radius of Muharram gatherings. An official of the capital police said there were also instructions from the high command to curb wall-chalking and pasting of posters that area offensive to different sects.

He also directed the police to keep a vigilant eye on the movement of 23 religious clerics of the federal capital who are listed in Schedule 4 of the Anti-Terrorism Act. Among the 23 clerics, 19 belonged to banned groups likes Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan and Tehrik-e-Jafaria. They have been required to report their presence in the city to the police every week.

Besides that, police officials deployed on different checkposts in the federal capital have been instructed to halt the entrance of preachers who are not well-known, and that in case of failure to follow these directives, strict action would be taken against the officials responsible.

"We have been warned by high ups in the police department to stop the entry of unwanted preachers at the city's entry checkpoints," a senior police officer told Daily Times.

Similarly, the capital police have also set up a control room at the SSP's office to monitor the processions.

Police have also been directed to provide staff and necessary equipment to the control room, which would work round the clock to ensure effective coordination among all police wings.

The SSP also ordered the juniors to maintain close liaison with the traffic police to avoid any inconvenience to road users. He said that walkthrough gates must be installed at all the entry and exit points of majalis and processions.

It has been learned that 909 majalis and 177 Muharram processions – 159 on the traditional and 18 on newly 'licensed' routes – are planned during the month.

Moreover, all station house officers (SHOs) have been asked to get the complete bio data of volunteers performing security duties at the processions and other religious gatherings. Orignal Source

RIU to build ‘Education City’ in Islamabad

 

ISLAMABAD: An agreement has been signed between the Riphah International University (RIU) and a Singaporean company for designing a new campus of the university in Islamabad.



RIU Pro Chancellor Muhammad Hasan Khan and Singaporean company CPG Chief Medical Planning Architect Martan L de Castro signed the agreement.

The new campus will be built on 1.2 million square feet to accommodate about 10,000 students. It will include a 600-bed hospital, a medical college, a dental college and about 70 departments of seven faculties. According to a press release, it will be a full-fledged state-of-the-art 'Education City' with allied facilities of a gymnasium, sports grounds, swimming pool, community development centre and an NGO resource centre. Its master plan has been designed by a consortium of four Pakistani and foreign companies of international repute.

The construction will start in April next year and is likely to be completed within two years.