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Cricket - Sports

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

DINA for the issue of January 31, 2012

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D A W N I n t e r n e t N e w s A l e r t
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January 31, 2012 Tuesday Rabi-ul-Awwal 7, 1433
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The DAWN Internet News Alert (DINA) is a free daily news-service
from Pakistan's largest English language newspaper, the Daily
DAWN.

We encourage comments & suggestions. We can be reached at:

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(c) Pakistan Herald Publications (Pvt.) Ltd., Pakistan - 2012

The link at the end of each extract can be used to access the
complete story on DAWN - the Internet Edition.


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Court lifts Haqqani travel restrictions
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By Nasir Iqbal
ISLAMABAD, Jan 30: The Supreme Court hearing the controversial memo case lifted on Monday travel restrictions imposed on former ambassador Husain Haqqani on Dec 1 last year and allowed him to go to Washington to meet his family.

A nine-judge larger bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry also gave two more months to the SC-constituted judicial commission to complete its probe into the scandal. The three-judge commission had earlier been asked to come up with its report by Dec 30...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/31/memo-commission-gets-2-month-extension-court-lifts-haqqani-travel-restrictions.html


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High Court judge to probe Lahore deaths
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Dawn Report
LAHORE, Jan 30: The Lahore High Court instituted a judicial inquiry on Monday at the request of the Punjab government into the death of over 100 cardiac patients as a result of reaction to medicines provided to them.

The chief justice nominated Justice Ijazul Hasan for the inquiry. He has been authorised to ascertain the causes of deaths and fix responsibility. He will also recommend measures for averting such tragic incidents in future...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/31/high-court-judge-to-probe-lahore-deaths.html


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Leader of banned group dies in suicide attack
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By Ali Hazrat Bacha
PESHAWAR, Jan 30: A leader of a banned group in Khyber Agency and three other people were killed in a suicide attack on his house here on Monday.

Haji Akhunzada, 70, of the Ansarul Islam; his son-in-law Abidullah, 27; Muneeb, 25; and Abdur Rehman died and six other people suffered injuries when the suicide bomber blew himself up outside Akhunzada's house in Pakha Ghulam area...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/31/leader-of-banned-group-dies-in-suicide-attack.html


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Ogra's move robbed consumers of Rs70 billion
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By Khaleeq Kiani
ISLAMABAD, Jan 30: If the gas shortage were not bad enough, the ineptness of those running the sector simply compounds an already critical situation.

Gas consumers are reported to have suffered a whopping Rs70 billion loss over three years thanks to a single decision of the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) to hike the prices in a violation of then rules. And worse still, this 'wrong' decision to increase prices was leaked in advance allowing powerful brokers to pick up extra stocks of gas companies from the market and make a killing...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/31/ogra-s-move-robbed-consumers-of-rs70-billion.html


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SC orders production of suspects picked up by agencies
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By Our Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD, Jan 30: The Supreme Court came down hard on the counsel of the chiefs of ISI and MI on Monday and ordered immediate production of suspects picked up by intelligence agencies for their alleged involvement in the October 2009 attacks on the GHQ and ISI's Hamza Camp in Rawalpindi.

The counsel representing directors general of the Inter Services Intelligence and Military Intelligence had earlier assured the court that the 11 prisoners, who mysteriously went missing from outside the Rawalpindi's Adyala Jail the day they were acquitted of terrorism charges, would be tried under the Army Act of 1952...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/31/sc-orders-production-of-suspects-picked-up-by-agencies.html


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MPA Domki's wife, daughter among three shot dead
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By S. Raza Hassan
KARACHI, Jan 30: A man and two women were killed when gunmen opened fire on a car here in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Police said the vehicle came under fire near a flyover in the Gizri area of Clifton police station...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/31/mpa-domkis-wife-daughter-among-three-shot-dead.html


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Pakistani beheaded
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RIYADH, Jan 30: Saudi Arabia beheaded a Pakistani man who was arrested as he tried to smuggle drugs into the kingdom, the interior ministry said on Monday.

"Salman Khan Taj Mohammed, a Pakistani... was arrested as he was caught smuggling a large amount of heroin" into the country, the ministry said in a statement...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/31/pakistani-beheaded.html


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Free ride for killers in Shahzad commission report: HRW
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Dawn Report
NEW YORK / ISLAMABAD, Jan 30: The government of Pakistan should redouble efforts to find the killers of journalist Saleem Shahzad, following the failure of the judicial inquiry commission to identify those responsible, the New York-based Human Rights Watch said on Monday. The commission concluded in its January 10, 2012 report to the government that the police had failed to question Pakistan's military intelligence officials in its criminal investigation.

Shahzad, a reporter for the Hong Kong-based Asia Times Online and for Adnkronos International, the Italian news agency, disappeared from central Islamabad on the evening of May 29, 2011. His body, bearing visible signs of torture, was found on May 31, near Mandi Bahauddin, 130 kilometres southeast of the capital. The circumstances of the abduction raised concerns that the feared Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency was responsible. In June 2011, the Supreme Court, at the request of the government, instituted a commission of inquiry into the killing...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/31/free-ride-for-killers-in-shahzad-commission-report-hrw.html


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Cleric sentenced to death in blasphemy case
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By Nabeel Anwar Dhakku
CHAKWAL, Jan 30: A 'blasphemy' accused was sentenced to death and also to 10 years' imprisonment on Monday, sources told Dawn. Soofi Mohammad Ishaq of Talagang town had been facing the charge since 2009.

On Monday, an Additional Sessions Judge of Jhelum sentenced him to death and 10 years' imprisonment and fined him Rs200,000...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/31/cleric-sentenced-to-death-in-blasphemy-case.html


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Karachi Stocks Down 90.80 Points:
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KARACHI, Jan 30: At close of trading, the KSE-100 index was at 11869.42, down 90.80 points.
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Forex Update:
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KARACHI, Jan 30: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at 90.5 to the US Dollar in the open market.
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Lahore: 4 students involved in street crimes arrested

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>According to Township police, the accused were traced through data a mobile phone they have snatched. Those who were arrested included 16-year-old Farooq 15-year-old Ali Raza, 16-year-old Abu Bakar and 17-year-old Sajawal.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>During investigation, the accused revealed that they were matric students and snatched a mobile phone from Wapda Town when they were returning from tuition centre. After that they committed crimes regularly.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Police have recovered three pistols, two motorcycles and six mobile phones from their possession.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Haqqani off to Abu Dhabi

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>A main character in memo-gate case, Husain Haqqani left Islamabad for Abu Dhabi through Ittehad Airlines flight IY 232 in early hours of Tuesday.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>From Abu Dhabi, Husain Haqqani will fly to United States.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Husain Haqqani reached Islamabad Airport under tight security and entered passengers launge without talking to media.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>On Monday, counsel for Husain Haqqani, Asma Jahangir, pleaded before the Supreme Court to allow her client to travel abroad.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Obama confirms US drone strikes in Pakistan

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<p>&nbsp;</p><p>President Barack Obama on Monday confirmed that US drone aircraft have struck Taliban and Al-Qaeda targets within Pakistan -- operations that until now had not been officially acknowledged.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>When asked about the use of drones by his administration in a chat with web users on Google and YouTube, Obama said &quot;a lot of these strikes have been in the FATA&quot; -- Pakistan&nbsp;s Federally Administered Tribal Areas.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;For the most part, they&nbsp;ve been very precise precision strikes against Al-Qaeda and their affiliates, and we&nbsp;re very careful in terms of how it&nbsp;s been applied,&quot; Obama said.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;This is a targeted focused effort at people who are on a list of active terrorists, who are trying to go in and harm Americans, hit American facilities, American bases, and so on.&quot;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Explaining that many strikes were carried out &quot;on Al-Qaeda operatives in places where the capacities of that military in that country may not be able to get them,&quot; Obama confirmed that Pakistan&nbsp;s lawless tribal zone was a target.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;So, obviously, a lot of these strikes have been in the FATA, and going after Al-Qaeda suspects who are up in very tough terrain along the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan,&quot; he said.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;For us to be able to get them in another way would involve probably a lot more intrusive military action than the ones we&nbsp;re already engaging in.&quot;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>US officials say Pakistan&nbsp;s tribal belt provides sanctuary to Taliban fighting for 10 years in Afghanistan, Al-Qaeda groups plotting attacks on the West, Pakistani Taliban who routinely bomb Pakistan and other foreign fighters.<br />&nbsp;</p>


US hails Pakistan for lifting Haqqani travel ban

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<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Briefin the newmen, the State Department&nbsp;s spokeswoman, Victoria Nuland, said that United States is gratified that the Government of Pakistan has lifted the travel ban on former ambassador Husain Haqqani, specifically the Supreme Court of Pakistan, and that he&rsquo;s free to travel as he chooses.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&ldquo;And we continue to expect that Pakistan will resolve this situation and other internal issues in a transparent manner and upholding Pakistani laws and constitution&rdquo; Nuland said.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Replying to a question she said: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m not sure that there is a visa application at the moment, but if there were, it would be a matter of visa confidentiality.&rdquo;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>To a question Victoria Nuland said that US wants Afghanistan to take up reponsobilities of reconciliation process with Taliban. She was of the view that there is a role for Pakistan in reconciliation process with Taliban. She further said that Pakistan is well aware of its responsibility in this regard.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Wife of Balochistan MPA among 6 killed in Karachi

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<p>&nbsp;</p><p>According to details, some unidentified attackers opened fire at a car bearing number ANR 353 ne Guzri Bridge, killing three people including two women.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The dead included Zomar, wife of Balochistan MPA Sardar Bakhtiya Ahmad Domki, his daughter Jannan and driver Barkat.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The family members of Sardar Bakhtiya Ahmad Domki were in Karachi to participate in the marriage ceremony of Speaker Sindh Assembly&rsquo;s daughter.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Sardar Bakhtiya Ahmad Domki is grandson of Sardar Akbar Khan Bugti. Commenting soon after the killing incident Bakhtiya Domki said that now the females of their family are also being targeted.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>In another incident near Power House Chorangi in North Nazimabad, unidentified motorcyclists opened fire on a jeep, critically injuring three people. The injured were rushed to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital in police mobile and private ambulances where all of them succumbed to their wounds. The dead were identified as Irfan, Adeel and Adnan.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>According to eye-witnesses the attackers were riding on two motocycles and opened fire at the jeep from two sides.<br />&nbsp;</p>


NATO sticking to 2014 pullout date for now

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>NATO&nbsp;s top official said Monday that the alliance will adhere to its plans to hand over security to local forces in Afghanistan by the end of 2014, comments that came after France said it would push NATO to speed up its timeline for the handover of combat operations by a year.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen acknowledged that the final transition phase, which involves handing over lead responsibility for provinces and districts to Afghan authorities, would start from &quot;mid-2013.&quot; A number of areas and towns already have been handed over to the Afghan army and police since the transition started a year ago.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Nonetheless, the overall NATO plan is still pegged on a 2014 pullout date, Fogh Rasmussen said after a meeting with Romanian President Traian Basescu.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;We will stick to the roadmap that was outlined at the NATO summit in Lisbon in 2010, according to which we will gradually hand over lead responsibility to the Afghans, a process that has been started and hopefully will be completed by the end of 2014,&quot; Fogh Rasmussen said.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Last week, French President Nicolas Sarkozy jolted NATO by announcing France would speed up its exit and ask NATO to end its combat mission in 2013. The announcement came after an Afghan soldier killed 4 French soldiers on Jan. 20.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The move was seen as the latest crack in a coalition already strained by economic troubles in Europe and the United States, the Afghan government&nbsp;s sluggish battle against corruption, and a Taliban insurgency that remains unbeaten after more than a decade of war.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>It&nbsp;s unclear if Sarkozy&nbsp;s call for all foreign forces to hand security over to the Afghan forces in 2013 will have traction when is presented on Thursday and Friday at a NATO defense ministers&nbsp; meeting in Brussels. Britain and Germany have already indicated they would stick to the 2014 timeline.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Basescu said Romania, with a contingent of 1,900 troops, will focus on training Afghanistan&nbsp;s paramilitary police forces.<br />Fogh Rasmussen said &quot;there is nothing new&quot; in the fact that from mid-2013 the role of coalition forces in Afghanistan will start changing from combat to a support role.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>NATO is speeding up the training of the Afghan security forces, which are due to gradually expand to over 350,000 members. But incidents in which Afghan soldiers have turned on NATO troops have raised fears of increased Taliban infiltration of the Afghan police and army.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>France, which now has about 3,600 soldiers in the coalition force, joins Britain, Germany and Italy in the top five largest troop-contributing nations. All those national contingents are dwarfed by the 90,000-strong U.S. force.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Sarkozy&nbsp;s government has been under political pressure to withdraw French troops before the United States&nbsp; pegged pullout in 2014. Polls show most French want an early pullout and such a move could affect Sarkozy&nbsp;s re-election prospects.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Russia will not back UN resolution on Syria

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<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Russia will not back a new draft resolution on Syria, its deputy foreign minister said Monday ahead of the UN Security Council&nbsp;s debate over the latest Western-backed proposal.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;The current Western draft has not gone too far from the October version, and, certainly, cannot be supported by us,&quot; Gennady Gatilov told Interfax news agency in an interview.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;The draft has statements in it calling on the member states to stop arms deliveries to Syria,&quot; he said.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;But there is no clear line between arms contraband that some countries engage in to support extremist forces in Syria, and the legal military-technical ties with this country,&quot; he said.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Russia, which has resisted Western calls to back UN sanctions against Damascus, had suggested to both President Bashar al-Assad&nbsp;s regime and the opposition that they should meet in Moscow for &quot;informal contacts&quot; without any preconditions.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Under-construction building collapses in India, two died

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>A six-storey under construction building collapsed in western India&nbsp;s Nagpur city on Monday&nbsp; that claimed at least two lives and injured eight people. Rescuers are still engaged to extricate persons feared trapped under the debris.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The building which was a cold storage center caved in at about 6.30 pm (IST).</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The building had been inaugurated a few days ago but some of its portions were yet to be completed.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The local police and municipal authorities rushed immediately to the spot.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;We have deployed a lot of our people soon after we received the information. They are making the arrangements here.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Our Municipal Commissioner Sanjeev Desai has also sent in his officials. He is also here. In this rescue operation, we are first trying to remove the debris. For that all the machinery and manpower of the corporation are engaged. We are still not sure about the number of people trapped inside,&quot; said city&nbsp;s police commissioner Ankur Dhananjay.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The injured people have been admitted to the nearby hospital.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The disruption in power supply in the area post collapse has troubled rescuers to disentangle persons feared to be trapped under the debris.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Winter cold snap kills 36 in eastern Europe

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>A severe and snowy cold snap across central and eastern Europe has left at least 36 people dead, cut off power to towns, and snarled traffic. Officials are responding with measures ranging from opening shelters to dispensing hot tea, with particular concern for the homeless and elderly.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>This part of Europe is not unused to cold, but the current freeze, which spread to most of the region last week, came after a period of relatively mild weather. Many were shocked when temperatures in some parts plunged Monday to minus 20 Celsius (minus 4 Fahrenheit).</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Officials have appealed to people to stay indoors and be careful. Police searched for the homeless to make sure they didn&nbsp;t freeze to death. In some places, heaters will be set up at bus stations.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Still, 18 people, most of them homeless, died in Ukraine from hypothermia and nearly 500 people sought medical help for frostbite and hypothermia in just three days last week, the Emergency Situations Ministry said.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>In Poland, at least 10 people froze to death as the cold reached minus 26 C (minus 15 F) on Monday.<br />In central Serbia, three people died and two more were missing, while 14 municipalities were operating under emergency decrees. Efforts to clear roads blocked by snow were hampered by strong winds and dozens of towns faced power outages.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Police said one woman froze to death in a snowstorm in a central Serbian village, while two elderly men were found dead, one in the snow outside his home. Further south, emergency crews are searching for two men in their 70s who are feared dead.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>In Bulgaria, a 57-year-old man froze to death in a northwestern village and emergency decrees were declared in 25 of the country&nbsp;s 28 districts. In the capital of Sofia, authorities handed out hot tea and placed homeless people in emergency shelters.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The situation was similar in Romania, where reports said four people have died because of freezing weather. There, authorities sent prison inmates to shovel snow and unblock paths leading to a shelter with some 300 stray dogs and puppies.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Weather forecasts say the cold snap will continue through the week.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Davis Cup: No Nadal for Spain against Kazakhstan

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<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Defending champions Spain will be without Rafael Nadal and his three team-mates who won last year&nbsp;s Davis Cup when they take on Kazakhstan in this season&nbsp;s first round, the Spanish tennis federation said Monday.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>World number 11 Nicolas Almagro, Marcel Granollers (26), Juan Carlos Ferrero (47) and 29-year-old debutant Marc Lopez (41 in doubles) were selected by Davis Cup captain Alex Corretja for the February 10-12 match-up in Oviedo, north Spain.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Spain won the 2011 Davis Cup when Nadal, David Ferrer, Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco teamed up to beat Argentina 3-1.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Nadal and Ferrer said after that victory that they were going to concentrate on their individual careers in 2012.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Top-seeded Ljubicic advances in Zagreb Indoors

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Top-seeded Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia beat Slovakia&nbsp;s Karol Beck 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-3 on Monday to advance to the second round of the Zagreb Indoors tournament.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Ljubicic, the 2006 champion and a finalist in 2007 and 2008, made the decisive break in the eighth game of the third set. He didn&nbsp;t drop another point after that.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>He said &quot;it was a tough one, but it is important that I won and not how I did it.&quot; He added it was his first match for three months.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Germany&nbsp;s Matthias Bachinger defeated Izak Van Der Merwe of South Africa, 6-3, 6-3, while another Slovak, Lukas Lacko, beat Italy&nbsp;s Potito Starace 7-6 (2), 6-7 (4), 6-3.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Sudan in African Cup quarter-finals

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Sudan reached the quarterfinals of the African Cup of Nations for the first time in 42 years on Monday, beating Burkina Faso 2-1 to squeeze through on goal difference and edge out Angola.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Mudather Tayeb scored both of Sudan&nbsp;s goals to deliver the nation&nbsp;s biggest sporting moment since it won the African Cup on home soil in 1970. It was also Sudan&nbsp;s first win at the tournament since that triumph.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Mudather broke clear to beat Burkina Faso goalkeeper Daouda Diakite in the 33rd minute and then punished a mistake by the keeper in the second half to carry Sudan through, despite a 97th minute goal from the Burkinabes.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Angola lost 2-0 to already-qualified Ivory Coast in Group B&nbsp;s other game in Malabo to be eliminated.<br />&nbsp;</p>


28 athletes implicated in German doping scandal

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Germany&nbsp;s national anti-doping agency will investigate 28 athletes to see whether they received blood transfusions from a doctor at the centre of a doping scandal.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>NADA said Monday it will review the court documents from an ongoing case against Dr. Andreas Franke, who worked at a training centre run by the German Olympic Sports Confederation for top-level athletes in Erfurt, central Germany.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>NADA President Andrea Gotzmann said she hopes the documents will help the body &quot;decide which athletes we proceed with&quot; in the investigation.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Franke is suspected of treating athletes&nbsp; blood with UV light before re-injecting it back into the same athlete, a procedure banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Public broadcaster ARD said Sunday it had a list of the 28 names implicated in the scandal, including former Olympic speedskating champion Claudia Pechstein, former 800-meter Olympic champion Nils Schumann, rising German cycling star Marcel Kittel, and Jamaican long jumper James Beckford.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>It did not reveal all the names, but said some athletes were minors when they received transfusions at the state-funded center.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;Of course we will use due diligence to look into each case ... regardless of whether we&nbsp;re dealing with Olympic champions or young athletes,&quot; Gotzmann said Monday.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Authorities searched Franke&nbsp;s clinic and the training center for evidence last April, and NADA said it was pushing the investigation into possible doping offenses &quot;as quickly and intensively as legally possible.&quot;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>It had already brought two cases before the German Institution of Arbitration, including that of the 22-year-old cyclist Jakob Steigmiller, whose blood was allegedly treated by Franke following an infection.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;Jakob informed NADA openly and honestly what happened, when and how,&quot; Thueringer Energie Team manager Joerg Werner told the dapd news agency.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;He asked the doctor if the treatment was permitted,&quot; Werner said. &quot;Names are being burned without it being certain what actually happened.&quot;<br />&nbsp;</p>


Oil prices dip near $99 a barrel

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Oil prices are down on concerns that the U.S. economy could slow and investors&nbsp; worries eased about supply disruptions in the Persian Gulf.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Benchmark crude fell by 34 cents to $99.22 per barrel in New York on Monday. Brent crude, which is used to price foreign oils that are imported by U.S. refineries, lost 28 cents at $111.18 per barrel in London.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The Commerce Department said Americans kept a tighter grip on their wallets in December. Consumer spending was flat, even though incomes rose by the most in nine months. The economy relies heavily on consumer spending, and analysts say the economic recovery could stall and energy demand may stay weak if spending doesn&nbsp;t pick up.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Meanwhile, Iran welcomed international weapons experts into the country in hopes of refuting claims that it is building a nuclear weapon. That eased concerns about possible military action in the region. Still, Europe plans to embargo Iranian oil this summer to pressure Iran about its nuclear program. If that happens, Iran says it could retaliate by blocking passage through the Persian Gulf, where tankers carry one-sixth of the world&nbsp;s oil exports.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The U.S. is ready to implement sanctions on Iran&nbsp;s central bank that will make it harder for Iran to sell oil.<br />In other energy trading, heating oil was flat at $3.07 per gallon and gasoline futures fell 5 cents to $2.88 per gallon. Natural gas futures fell by 1 cent to $2.75 per 1,000 cubic feet.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Australia rising with Ashes in their sight

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Only months ago, one-time powerhouse Australia were wallowing fifth in the Test rankings but now they are nudging India for third spot after the 4-0 series annihilation of M.S. Dhoni&nbsp;s men.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The pain of being humiliated at home in the Ashes 12 months ago is still deeply ingrained in the Australians and they are determined to get their act together for another tilt at number one ranked England some 500 days away.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Andrew Strauss&nbsp;s England team comprehensively outplayed Australia in the 2010-11 series, inflicting an unprecedented three innings defeats on the home side to claim their second consecutive Ashes win.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>That prompted a major overhaul of Australian cricket and ushered in a new captain, new coach and a revamped selection panel with a view to restoring Australia to the top of world cricket.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Michael Clarke, who took over as captain from Ricky Ponting last March, is at the helm of a reinvigorated team, identifying new potential Test stars, revitalising the old stagers and working hard towards becoming number one again.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>One-time top ranked India now shade Australia by only a decimal point in third place in the ICC Test rankings after crashing to four huge defeats in their ill-fated series Down Under.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>After his team&nbsp;s thumping 298-win in the fourth Test in Adelaide last weekend, Clarke was asked how he would rate Australia&nbsp;s chances if they had to play England next week.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;Fortunately, I don&nbsp;t have to worry about it. I wouldn&nbsp;t have a clue. I look forward to playing them when we get there but right now I&nbsp;m just enjoying this success against India, to be honest,&quot; he said.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;There&nbsp;s a long way to go before we have to play England and there&nbsp;s a lot of hard work we have to put in as a team before we even have to worry about that.&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Australia struggled to dismiss England regularly in the Ashes, but against India the bowlers were a revelation.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Clarke, who with new coach Mickey Arthur is now part of the selection panel, said the 2010-11 debacle has fired the Australians to retrieve the Ashes in England in 2013.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;I think it (last summer&nbsp;s Ashes defeat) has played a part, it certainly has for me personally,&quot; he said.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;We said and knew we had to do a lot of work to improve our games, both personally and as a team. It&nbsp;s obviously a very special feeling beating India 4-0, knowing that last summer I couldn&nbsp;t buy a run. It&nbsp;s a great feeling.&quot;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Before the Ashes in 2013, Australia face the West Indies away in March-April and South Africa and Sri Lanka at home next southern summer.<br />&nbsp;</p>


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Monday, January 30, 2012

DINA for the issue of January 30, 2012

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D A W N I n t e r n e t N e w s A l e r t
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January 30, 2012 Monday Rabi-ul-Awwal 6, 1433
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The DAWN Internet News Alert (DINA) is a free daily news-service
from Pakistan's largest English language newspaper, the Daily
DAWN.

We encourage comments & suggestions. We can be reached at:

e-mail webmaster@dawn.com
WWW http://dawn.com
fax +92(21) 35693995
snail-mail DAWN Media Group,
Haroon House, Karachi 74200, Pakistan

(c) Pakistan Herald Publications (Pvt.) Ltd., Pakistan - 2012

The link at the end of each extract can be used to access the
complete story on DAWN - the Internet Edition.


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PML-N plans opposition meeting
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By Amir Wasim
ISLAMABAD, Jan 29: The Pakistan Muslim League-N is planning to convene a meeting of opposition parties both inside and outside parliament to devise a joint strategy "to force the government to announce early general election under a neutral set-up and an independent election commission," party sources told Dawn on Sunday.

PML-N President Nawaz Sharif, who returned from London on Sunday, has decided to summon a consultative meeting of senior party leaders and office-bearers at his Raiwind residence in a couple of days —- probably on Tuesday —- to discuss a host of important issues, including the plan for the "grand opposition conference"...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/30/pml-n-plans-opposition-meeting.html


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Discussion after budget on early polls: PM
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By Khawar Ghumman
ISLAMABAD, Jan 29: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said here on Sunday that the government might discuss the issue of early general elections with the opposition after the presentation of the budget in May.

Talking to reporters after returning from Switzerland where he attended the Davos World Economic Forum, he said the timing of the elections could be worked out in consultation with opposition parties...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/30/discussion-after-budget-on-early-polls-pm.html

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Young doctors announce OPD strike in Lahore
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By Intikhab Hanif
LAHORE, Jan 29: The Young Doctors Association (YDA) announced on Sunday that it would observe a strike initially in outpatient departments of Lahore hospitals from Monday in protest against the arrest of suspended medical superintendent of the Punjab Institute of Cardiology.

The Lahore chapter of the Pakistan Medical Association also protested against the arrest and removal of other PIC officials...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/30/young-doctors-announce-opd-strike-in-lahore.html


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Sunni Tehrik becomes a political party
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By Habib Khan Ghori
KARACHI, Jan 29: The Sunni Tehrik, hitherto known as a religious organisation, announced on Sunday that it was converting itself into a political party to be called Pakistan Sunni Tehrik (PST).

The announcement was made by the head of the Tehrik, Maulana Sarwat Ejaz Quaderi, who was addressing the "Pakistan Bachao Janisaran-i-Mustafa Conference" held in Nishtar Park among slogans of "Pakistan ki safety, PST, PST"...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/30/sunni-tehrik-becomes-a-political-party.html


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Pak-Afghan plan for talks with Taliban in S. Arabia
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KABUL, Jan 29: Afghanistan and Pakistan plan to open a second front in negotiations with the Taliban in Saudi Arabia as US-brokered talks get under way in Qatar, officials said on Sunday.

The Taliban, ousted from power by a US-led invasion in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, announced earlier this month that they planned to set up a political office in Qatar ahead of talks with Washington...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/30/pak-afghan-plan-for-talks-with-taliban-in-s-arabia.html


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Injured industrialist found near village, kidnapper arrested
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By Muhammad Faisal Ali
LAHORE, Jan 29: An industrialist kidnapped along with his driver from near Raiwind Road on Saturday was recovered by police on Sunday from Lillah interchange in the salt range.

The Lahore, Jhelum, Chakwal and Motorway police undertook the search and found an injured Syed Feroze Hassan abandoned near Sardi village. He had been tortured by the kidnappers...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/30/injured-industrialist-found-near-village-kidnapper-arrested.html


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Dunya TV


Badin: Police official killed in road accident

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>According to police, the van was carrying policemen from Karachi to Badin. It collided with a truck when it reached near Mir Wah Mori due to over speeding, killing one policeman and injuring 11 others.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The dead policeman man was identified as Pervaiz Bangash. The injured were shifted to a nearby hospital. Five of the injured were referred to Hyderabad after their condition deteriorated.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Suspension of senior doctors: YDA to observe strike today

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<p>&nbsp;</p><p>The Young Doctors Association (YDA) has come out to protect senior doctors who have been suspended by Punjab Government after deaths from reaction of PIC drugs.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The YDA has announced that Out Patient Departments of all hospitals of Lahore will remain close against transfer and suspension of senior doctors.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The association said that purchase and supply of medicine is responsibility of Punjab government and suspended doctors are not guilty.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The YDA demanded chief minister Punjab to resign by taking responsibility of the tragedy.<br />&nbsp;</p>


SC to hear petitions against Memogate scandal today

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<p>&nbsp;</p><p>The Supreme Court (SC) will hear petitions against memogate scandal and application for extension of period in respect of memogate commission today.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>A nine-member Supreme Court&nbsp; larger bench presided over by the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry will take up the petitions for hearing.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>SC had constituted a commission comprising 3 senior most chief justices of high courts to ascertain facts in memogate case and directed it to present its report within 4 weeks.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Important witness Mansoor Ejaz in memogate scandal was summoned on previous hearing to record his statement but he failed to appear before the commission.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Commission said in its order that there was no such reason that it should move to foreign country to record Mansoor Ejaz statement. Commission approached SC for extension of period.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The SC will decide if the period given to commission be extended or otherwise.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Cold, dry weather predicted for next 24 hours

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<p>&nbsp;</p><p>According to Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), mostly cold and dry weather will prevail in most parts of the country during next few days.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>However, light rain and snowfall is expected in the hilly areas of the country.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Minimum temperature recorded in different cities of the country was: Kalam -15C, Astore -9C, Hunza -8C, Kalat -6C, Quetta -6C, Murree -3C, Islamabad 0C, Gilgit 1C, Muzaffarabad 2C, Lahore, Faisalabad and Peshawar 3C, Multan 5C and Karachi 10 degree centigrade.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Lahore: CNG stations to remain shut for three days

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<p>&nbsp;</p><p>According to Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) load management plan, the CNG stations in Lahore, Sheikhupura, Gujranwala, Sahiwal and Multan regions will remain shut for three days.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The CNG stations will remain closed from 6:00am today to 6:00am on Thursday. On the other hand, gas supply to textile industry in Lahore region will resume for two day from 6:00am today.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Karachi: 50 couples tie knot at mass wedding ceremony

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<p>&nbsp;</p><p>At least couples got married at a mass wedding organized by a non-governmental organization in Karachi.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The DCO Karachi, Roshan Ali Sheikh was the chief guest at the ceremony. Speaking on the occasion the chief guest said that the expenses of the weddings have been borne by President Asif Ali Zardari. <br />&nbsp;</p>


US, Taliban talks on prisoner swap falter

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<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Talks between the Afghan Taliban and the United States in Qatar almost failed as the Taliban leadership reportedly refused to accept the US demand of a ceasefire before swapping prisoners.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Sources in the Afghan Taliban said the Taliban had set up an office in Qatar hoping that it would help in a prisoners&nbsp; swap, especially for their five top commanders held at the Guantanamo Bay base since 2002.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The Taliban sources said their talks with the US had been going for the past few years in exchange for an American soldier, Bowe Bergdahl, captured by Taliban militants in Afghanistan&nbsp;s Paktika province in June 2009, bordering Pakistan&nbsp;s South Waziristan.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Maulvi Sangeen, a senior commander of the powerful Haqqani terror network, had initially claimed responsibility for kidnapping the US soldier.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The Taliban sources said US officials had earlier promised them they would exchange prisoners and later start peace talks.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>However, according to the sources, the US demanded that the Taliban announce a ceasefire in Afghanistan before any prisoner swap, which they said their central leadership had turned down.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;Our stance is the same. We will announce a ceasefire when the foreign forces start their withdrawal from Afghanistan,&quot; Taliban source said.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The Afghan Taliban leadership is also worried about the reaction from their field commanders and fighters if a ceasefire were announced without getting anything to show in exchange.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Some members of the 140-strong Taliban delegation that went to Qatar had started leaving after no breakthrough was seen in talks with the US.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Second front for Afghan peace talks in Saudi: officials

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<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Afghanistan and Pakistan plan to open a second front in negotiations with the Taliban in Saudi Arabia as US-brokered talks get under way in Qatar, officials said Sunday.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The Taliban, ousted from power by a US-led invasion in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, announced earlier this month that they planned to set up a political office in Qatar ahead of talks with Washington.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>And Taliban negotiators have begun holding preliminary talks with US officials in the Gulf state on plans for negotiations aimed at ending the decade-long Afghan war, a former Taliban official said Sunday.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>But Afghan and Taliban officials indicated in response to a BBC report about plans for talks in Saudi Arabia that both Kabul and Islamabad -- usually at loggerheads on the issue -- were looking for their own talks with the Taliban.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Asked for his response to the BBC report, Afghan foreign ministry spokesman Janan Mosazai said: &quot;Of course we support any steps towards the Afghan peace process.&quot; He refused to comment further.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>But a senior Afghan government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP the BBC report was accurate, saying: &quot;We will always pursue all roads towards peace in Afghanistan, including contacts with the Taliban that are not limited to the Qatar office.&quot;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>A member of the Taliban&nbsp;s leadership council, the Pakistan-based Quetta Shura, also backed the report of talks in Saudi Arabia.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;The idea that the Taliban should have a point of contact in Saudi is pushed by the Pakistan and Afghan governments,&quot; he said on condition of anonymity.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;This is because they think they have been sidelined. They want some control over peace talks.&quot;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Supporting this theory, Kabul announced Sunday that Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar would visit Kabul on Wednesday, marking what Mosazai called a &quot;new phase&quot; in cooperation between the two countries.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Khar would meet President Hamid Karzai to &quot;discuss the fight against terrorism and Pakistan&nbsp;s essential support to the peace process in Afghanistan&quot;, he said.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Khar&nbsp;s visit comes after the always touchy relations between the two countries broke down following the assassination of Kabul&nbsp;s chief peace envoy, Burhanuddin Rabbani, in September.<br />&nbsp;</p>


UN nuclear inspection gets under way in Iran

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<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Iran&nbsp;s foreign minister expressed optimism Sunday that a visit by U.N. inspectors to Iran&nbsp;s nuclear facilities would produce an understanding, despite world concerns that Iran is trying to build nuclear weapons.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The three-day inspection tour by the International Atomic Energy Agency team comes during spiking tension. The West is imposing new sanctions to try to force Iran to slow or halt its nuclear program, and Iran is threatening to close the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil passage, in retaliation.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Visiting Ethiopia, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi appeared to be trying to defuse the crisis.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;We are very optimistic about the mission and the outcome&quot; of the IAEA mission, Salehi was quoted as saying by Iran&nbsp;s semiofficial Mehr news agency.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;We&nbsp;ve always tried to put transparency as a principle in our cooperation with IAEA,&quot; Salehi said. &quot;During this visit, the delegation has questions and the necessary answers will be given,&quot;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The findings from the visit could greatly influence the direction and urgency of U.S.-led efforts to rein in Iran&nbsp;s ability to enrich uranium which Washington and allies fear could eventually produce weapons-grade material. Iran has declined to abandon its enrichment labs, but claims it seeks to fuel reactors only for energy and medical research.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The team is likely to visit an underground enrichment site near the holy city of Qom, 80 miles (130 kilometers) south of Tehran, which is carved into a mountain as protection from possible airstrikes. Earlier this month, Iran said it had begun enrichment work at the site, which is far smaller than the country&nbsp;s main uranium labs but is reported to have more advanced equipment.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The U.N. nuclear agency delegation includes two senior weapons experts Jacques Baute of France and Neville Whiting of South Africa suggesting that Iran may be prepared to address some issues related to the allegations that it seeks nuclear warheads.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>In unusually blunt comments ahead of his arrival, the IAEA&nbsp;s Deputy Director General Herman Nackaerts who is in charge of the agency&nbsp;s Iran file said he wants Tehran to &quot;engage us on all concerns.&quot;<br />&nbsp;</p>


Arab League seeks Beijing, Moscow support on Syria

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<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi is fighting an uphill battle to court Russia and China to win their support at the United Nations for the latest Arab plan aimed at ending the bloodshed in Syria.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Russia has made it clear that regime change in Damascus constitutes a &quot;red line,&quot; but Arabi said on Sunday as he left for New York that his organisation was in talks with Moscow and Beijing.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>He hoped the two veto-wielding countries would change their stand on a draft resolution under discussion at the UN Security Council, based on an Arab proposal for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to hand over power to his deputy.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The Arab League chief, accompanied by Qatar Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem Al-Thani, is to present details of the plan to the council on Tuesday.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Qatar says the plan foresees the &quot;peaceful departure&quot; of the Syrian regime.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>It also calls for an end to the violence and a power transfer, with Assad handing over responsibilities to his deputy, before the launch of negotiations between the government and the opposition.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The Syrian authorities have flatly rejected this formula.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>And Moscow, which along with Beijing represents one of Damascus&nbsp;s staunchest allies, remains hostile to the Arab proposition, saying it crosses its clearly drawn lines.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Sunday also slammed the Arab League&nbsp;s decision to suspend its hard-won monitoring mission in Syria.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The Arab League suspended its observer mission the previous day saying it took the decision in response to an &quot;upsurge of violence whose victims are innocent civilians.&quot;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Russia and China vetoed a previous European-backed draft resolution at the Security Council last October that would have condemned Damascus, accusing the West of seeking regime change.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The League&nbsp;s decision to turn to the Security Council, experts say, aims to step up the pressure on Assad&nbsp;s regime but it is not likely to put a stop to the violence.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Wrecked Italian liner to be moved by year's end: official

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<p>&nbsp;</p><p>The ship&nbsp;s owner Costa Crociere is readying a call for tenders, and the few companies capable of the job will quickly respond with recovery plans, said the head of Italy&nbsp;s civil protection agency, Franco Gabrielli.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;These two stages should take about two months,&quot; Gabrielli told the media, after which, &quot;taking into account the constraints that weather and sea conditions may impose, it will take seven to 10 months to remove the wreck,&quot; he said.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The 114,500-tonne ship ran aground on rocks with some 4,200 people aboard on January 13 and is lying on its side off the Tuscan island.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>A total of 17 bodies have been recovered, and 16 people remain missing.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Heavy weather on Saturday forced salvage crews to suspend pumping thousands of tonnes of fuel from the wrecked ship, though recovery operations continued and divers found the latest body, an unidentified woman.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Many in the region are concerned about fuel leaks from the ship into the area&nbsp;s popular recreation waters, saying a spill would be environmentally disastrous in one of Europe&nbsp;s biggest marine parks.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Gabrielli said the ship&nbsp;s most recent movements, which led to a suspension of the search on Sunday morning, were due to tidal and wave conditions.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Overnight the wreck, which usually moves two to three milimetres per hour, shifted 3.5 centimetres (1.4 inches) amid high winds and large waves.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Gabrielli stressed, however, that Italian authorities remained determined to resume the search for more bodies as quickly as possible, citing &quot;the moral imperative to return the bodies to their families.&quot;<br />&nbsp;</p>


Pakistan beat us fair and square: Flower

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<p>&nbsp;</p><p>England coach Andy Flower said Sunday Pakistan&nbsp;s series-clinching Test win would be a huge boost to the country, but called on his team to show their mettle on subsequent matches in the subcontinent.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Pakistan thumped England by 72 runs in the second Test here on Saturday, taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. They won the first Test by ten wickets in Dubai.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The third and final Test begins in Dubai from February 3.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Under Flower England had been unbeaten in their last nine Test series, which saw them rise to number one in rankings last year.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>But after being set a tricky 145-run target to win on Saturday, England were dismissed for a paltry 72 runs as Pakistan&nbsp;s spin bowlers came to the fore.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;We realise that we haven&nbsp;t been very skillful in dealing with that type of cricket. In saying that, it&nbsp;s also right to praise the Pakistan team for what they have done. They beat us fair and square,&quot; said Flower.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;They have beaten us properly in two matches. They have fought hard and worked hard at their game and in a way I&nbsp;m very happy for them. It&nbsp;s good for their cricket and it&nbsp;s good for their country.&quot;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Flower, a former Zimbabwean batsman, said defeats were a &nbsp;wake-up&nbsp; call for England.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;It was a wake-up call no one wanted to get. Not to that degree. But, yes it is,&quot; said Flower.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;Saturday was very poor. The three days preceding that were pretty good. We put ourselves in a good position where we could have won the Test but then performed very badly with the bat to lose it.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;We didn&nbsp;t put any pressure on their bowlers in the second innings. We allowed them to bowl and create pressure. In saying that, the conditions to play against quality spinners were difficult and we weren&nbsp;t good enough.&quot;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Pakistan spin duo Abdul Rehman, who recorded career-best figures of 6-25, and Saeed Ajmal (3-22) led the fightback after they had conceded a first-innings lead of 70 runs.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Flower said dropping a few catches in the first innings was crucial.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;Maybe we dropped a couple of important catches, but other than that the bowlers and fielders were outstanding and Monty Panesar was great. But obviously our batting against spin let us down.&quot;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>England dropped Misbah-ul Haq on 30, who went on to make 84. Panesar, playing his first Test since the Cardiff Test in 2009 Ashes, took 6-62 to bowl Pakistan out for 214 in the second innings.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Flower admitted that not playing well in the subcontinent was a big challenge to overcome.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;This is a great challenge for all of us. The issues are not going to disappear. We&nbsp;ve got another Test. We&nbsp;ve got a one-day and T20 series, and then we&nbsp;ve also got Sri Lanka and India before the year is out.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;So these issues will not disappear and we&nbsp;ve got to face them with skill and a bit of courage. We&nbsp;ve got to be a lot better than we were yesterday. Each individual will have to work very hard in working out his method of scoring.&quot;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>When asked if batsmen repeating mistakes was frustrating, Flower said: &quot;I think that is fair comment, yes. We expect to learn quickly and that is a big part of our job, and my job.&quot;<br />&nbsp;</p>


Upmire kills Bangladesh cricket fan with bat: police

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Nazrul Islam, 15, ran onto the pitch during an amateur game in the remote northern district of Kishoreganj and started an argument with the umpire, who took one of the players&nbsp; bats and hit the teenager.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Islam showed no serious injury from the blow during the game on Friday but suffered an internal haemorrhage overnight and died in hospital the following day, local police chief Mosharraf Hossain told AFP.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;The two argued over a not-out decision by the umpire. He accused the umpire of bias. At one stage, the umpire became angry, took a bat and hit the young boy on the head,&quot; Hossain said.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The umpire was being sought for questioning but had gone into hiding, he added.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Cricket is hugely popular sport in Bangladesh, which last year co-hosted the World Cup with India and Sri Lanka.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Pneumonia bug evolves to evade vaccine: study

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<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Bugs that cause childhood pneumonia and meningitis have evolved to evade vaccines by swapping bits of their genome with other bacteria, according to a study published Sunday.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The findings, published in Nature Genetics, show how quickly these life-threatening pathogens can disguise themselves with borrowed genetic decoys, and how hard it is for medicine to keep up.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Diseases caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae are thought to kill over a million young children around the world each year.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Vaccines that protect against these so-called pneumoccoccal infections are designed to recognise a material on the outer surface of a bacterium&nbsp;s cell called polysaccharide.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Each of over 90 kinds, or &quot;serotypes&quot;, of these bacteria have a different polysaccharide coating.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>In 2000, a vaccine that targeted seven serotypes proved highly effective when introduced in the United States. The same formula -- which also prevented transmission from children to adults -- was adopted in Britain.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Over time, however, the vaccine worked less well, so researchers led by Rory Bowden at the University of Oxford set out to discover why.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Combining cutting-edge genetic analysis with epidemiology, which examines how disease spreads, they found that the deadly pathogens escaped detection by swapping genes with other, slightly different, bacteria.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Remarkably, the exchanged genetic material came from precisely that part of the genome responsible for making the cell&nbsp;s coating -- the area targeted by the vaccine.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The bacteria, in other words, had kept their virulence intact but changed their outward appearance.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;Imagine that each strain of the pneumoccoccus bacteria is a class of schoolchildren all wearing the school uniform,&quot; explained Bowden.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;If a boy steals from the corner shop, a policeman -- the vaccine -- can easily identify which school he belongs to by his uniform.&quot;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>But if the boy swaps his sweater with a friend from another school, Bowden continued, the policeman will no longer know where to look and the thief, like the bacteria, will escape.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The researchers identified several such &quot;recombined&quot; serotypes resistant to the vaccine, and one in particular that had spread across the United States from east to west over several years.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>They also observed -- for the first time outside a laboratory -- that the bugs were able to swap several parts of their respective genomes at once.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;This is of particular concern, as recombination involving multiple fragments of DNA allows rapid and simultaneous exchange of key regions of the genome within the bug, potentially allowing it to quickly develop antibiotic resistance,&quot; the researchers said.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>In both the United States and Britain, the original vaccine has now been replaced with a new one that targets 13 rather than seven of the telltale serotypes.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>But the scientists caution that the bacteria will continue to morph into new forms.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;The current vaccine strategy ... is extremely effective,&quot; co-author Bernard Beall, a scientist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, said in a statement.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;However, our observations indicate that the organism will continue to adapt to this strategy with some measurable success.&quot; <br />&nbsp;</p>


Hitler painting fetches 32,000 euros in Slovak auction

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<p>&nbsp;</p><p>A 1913 painting by Nazi Germany&nbsp;s dictator Adolf Hitler sold for 32,000 euros ($42,300) in a Slovak internet auction on Sunday, the Darte auction house said.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The starting price for the painting titled Maritime Nocturno was set at 10,000 euros, while an expert put its value at 25,000 euros, said Darte, which sold the painting in a closed VIP auction.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The mixed-media painting depicts a full moon over a glittering seascape.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;The painting has been offered for sale by an unnamed family of a Slovak painter who probably met Hitler personally when he was struggling to become an artist in Vienna during the early 20th century,&quot; Darte owner Jaroslav Krajnak said earlier.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;I look at him as an artist -- in 1913, when Hitler painted this picture, he didn&nbsp;t know what would become of him in the decades to come,&quot; he added.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The auctioning house already sold a painting by Hitler from the same family collection last year for 10,200 euros.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Sunday&nbsp;s auction also offered a painting by Pablo Picasso for 15 million euros.<br />&nbsp;</p>


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